Entry porch ideas


50 Front Porch Ideas to Elevate Your Home’s Curb Appeal

For a house that needs a refresh, implementing front porch ideas is a smart way to add curb appeal without spending like crazy. Still, designing a front porch is not a task to take lightly. If home is where the heart is, then the front porch is where the soul resides. Each front porch is not only unique to your house, but it’s unique to your style. “This is a place where you can express yourself and your creativity,” says Jennifer Hunter, owner of Jennifer Hunter Design in New York. “No matter the type, a porch provides the ideal opportunity to add seating and decor so you can play with the aesthetic and blend it in a way that connects your interior with the outdoors by using weather-friendly materials.” Before you dive into designing, consider the type of porch you have. Is it front entry or wrap around? Does it offer space for ample seating? Should you add greenery or a sculptural element, or even a new doormat?

What are the different types of front porches? 

Some of the most popular styles of front porches include open porches and bungalow porches. Open porches, also known as farmer’s porches, have strong support from the ground and can run along the front or wrap around the sides of the house. This type of porch can be elevated or rest close to the ground. “They often have a broad opening to the attached green space and usually don’t have roofs,” says Linda Mauck Smith, co-owner and designer of BLDC Design in Shaker Heights, Ohio. “A bungalow porch acts as an extension to the front of a house and typically is built with columns and are finished with a roof or a pergola.” Both open and bungalow porches can also be screened, to make the area bug-free. A portico, a porch that covers a front entry, is usually on the smaller side. It’s also roofed to protect anyone entering or leaving the main entry. A gable roof porch, which has a triangular structure overhanging it, and a front entry porch, which is a small slab of concrete directly outside the front door, are two other popular front porch designs.

How do you style a front patio? 

Style a front porch just as you would any other room in the house, but consider the materials used—much like you would when designing an outdoor patio. ”It’s best to style with wood, metals, and fabrics that are waterproof and fade-resistant,” Mauck Smith says.

If your front porch or patio has enough room, seating is essential. “A front porch is the perfect place for socializing,” Hunter says. “It is a space that is meant to be savored. Create a seating area with chairs and side tables.” A comfortable seating area will not only allow you to spend time on your front porch, but it makes the home appear more inviting overall.

How can I make my front porch look good?

“Avoid clichéd signage and stick with [items] that you might normally be more likely to use indoors,” Hunter says. To make the front porch look good, and perhaps the envy of the neighborhood, make the space a continuation of your interior design. “It’s a great space to have some fun and add outdoor-friendly accessories,” Hunter continues. “Be inventive with your styling by grouping a collection of potted plants on a coffee table or a single fern on a garden stool.   Lanterns or hurricanes are a great way to not only bring in decorative elements but also candlelight. This completely transforms the mood and allows you to entertain past daylight.”

Ahead, 50 front porch ideas—big and small—to transform the home entrance into anything from a favorite new book nook to a happy hour hotspot. Here, everything you ever wanted to know about front porch design.

22 Front Porch Ideas Your Neighbors Will Want to Copy

Photo: istockphoto.com

Your front porch is the first thing guests see when they walk up to your home. Along with your landscaping, it’s also one of the features of your home that will increase your curb appeal when neighbors drive or walk by. If you aren’t happy with the impression your porch is making and want to find some inspiring front porch ideas, it’s never too late to plan a porch makeover.

Read on to see how a few small modifications or additions to your front porch—or perhaps a larger-scale change—can help breathe new life into your space and make it the envy of the neighborhood.

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RELATED: 9 Things to Know Before You Screen In a Porch

1. Peaceful Veranda

Photo: istockphoto.com

Convert your home’s wrap-around porch to a quiet and relaxing veranda with a few simple additions. Wicker rocking chairs offer a comfortable spot to sit back and relax, and a small table can hold drinks, snacks, books, and other essentials to ensure you have everything they need close at hand. With just a few additional decor touches—such as some hanging greenery or a flag—the space will be complete and ready to enjoy.

2. Floral Beauty

Photo: istockphoto.com

Just because you’re looking for small front porch ideas doesn’t mean you can’t make a big impact. Add large planters with vibrantly-colored hydrangeas or other flowers on either side of the porch for a quick and easy, yet striking, change. A fresh coat of paint on the door along with new hardware and a new kickplate can further enhance the look.

3. Coordinating Rug

Photo: amazon.com

Outdoor seating can certainly elevate your front porch, but go one step further by adding an outdoor rug to really pull the whole look together. A neutral outdoor rug with a durable and weather-resistant design—such as the nuLOOM Wynn Braided Indoor/Outdoor Area Rug—will coordinate nicely with your porch’s various materials and encourage guests to kick back and relax.

4. Colorful Plants and Flowers 

Photo: istockphoto.com

Hanging planters and over-the-railing planting boxes can make excellent front porch decor. If you have a green thumb and want to show off some of your favorite plants and flowers, there’s no better place to showcase their beauty than on the front porch to welcome guests and catch the eye of passersby.

5. Modern Marvel

Photo: istockphoto. com

On the hunt for modern front porch ideas? Adding an industrial waterfall feature to your exterior entryway will not only turn heads, but the sound of the water cascading down will turn the walkway into a relaxing retreat. Complete this modern look with a double glass door and hanging porch light.

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6. Swing into Comfort

Photo: overstock.com

If you have a covered porch but few covered porch ideas, why not hang a porch swing where you can sit and catch up on the morning’s news or unwind after a long day at work? The Wrenn Porch Swing from Birch Lane features a solid mahogany wood frame with a slatted back and curved arms—combine that with the comfortable cushion, and you’ll have the best seat in the neighborhood. Alternatively, if you love DIY projects, consider downloading a set of porch swing plans and building your own.

7. Columns and Recessed Lighting

Photo: istockphoto.com

Another top covered porch idea is to add some recessed lighting to brighten the space, making it more suitable for evening entertaining or relaxing. Building columns into your covered porch can also add a touch of elegance and grandeur. With the main elements in place, finish up the look with stone flooring and some greenery.

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RELATED: 10 Porch Colors That May Inspire You to Paint Yours

8. Bright Front Door

Photo: istockphoto.com

Repainting your drab or neutral front door in a bright and cheery color is one way to give your front porch an easy makeover. A fresh coat of paint will help breathe new life into the porch, and choosing a bright color will draw positive attention to the space. Meanwhile, a vintage seating arrangement will give your exterior some old-world European charm.

9. New Lighting

Photo: amazon.com

Upgrading old outdoor wall lights may seem like a small change, but it can make a huge difference for your front porch. These wall sconces from Globe Electric offer clean lines with a sleek black finish. Pairing these dimmable lights with a freshly painted front door and a new welcome mat can help you create a modern front porch look.

10. Welcome Spring

Photo: istockphoto.com

You don’t have to spend a lot of money to update your front porch’s decor to match the changing seasons. When thinking about small front porch ideas on a budget, think about ways to repurpose many of the items you already have in your home. For example, during the spring, use an old pair of rubber boots filled with flowers as a door wreath and old hoses to wrap the bases of decorative trees along either side of the door.

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11. Rock On

Photo: wayfair.com

Elevate the design of your front porch with a few simple—but purposeful—additions. Stylish outdoor rocking chairs—such as these Red Barrel Studio Broadfoot Rocking Chairs—paired with a small outdoor table to hold drinks and other essentials can create a comfy and cozy seating area. Additionally, a colorful outdoor rug and some plants will go a long way to pull the look together.

12. Clean and Green

Photo: istockphoto.com

Your front porch doesn’t need to be swimming in decor to offer a warm welcome to those who stop by. With a few potted plants, a large outdoor doormat, and a bench or chair, you can give others a wonderful first impression of your home and hospitality.

13. Halloween Ready

Photo: istockphoto.com

In fall, small front porch ideas can inject some spooky spirit into your entryway with Halloween-themed decor. Line the edge of your steps with some spooky or cheerful carved pumpkins, wrap leaves around columns and railings, and decorate your door with a creepy jack-o’-lantern-style face.

14. Modern Porch Swing

Photo: homedepot.com

Adding a porch swing is another great option whether you’re looking for open or enclosed porch ideas. The Hampton Bay Gray Wicker Outdoor Patio Lounge Chair is an egg-shaped modern swing that adds both style and comfort to outdoor spaces with its unique design and water-resistant cushions. Finish up the space with plants, curtains, and even a candle or two for evening mood lighting.

15. Room for Two

Photo: istockphoto.com

Refreshing your furniture is one budget-friendly way to revive your porch. Add a small bistro set or a pair of Adirondack chairs to the side of your porch to create a cozy nook to enjoy a conversation with a friend or share an intimate meal with someone special. Enhancing your landscaping with some gorgeous flowering bushes can make the spot even more inviting by providing some bright colors for all to enjoy.

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16. Secure Package Delivery

Photo: Amazon.com

Your front porch does more than welcome visitors, also serving as the drop-off location for important packages and purchases. When you’re not home during the day, leaving these potentially valuable items out in the open could invite package thieves. With the Keter Secure Package Delivery, delivery drivers can deposit your parcels into the drop box, keeping them out of sight until you’re home to bring them inside.

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17. White Lights

Photo: istockphoto.com

If you need front porch decorating ideas for the holidays, consider a simple and sophisticated look by hanging white string lights. Wrap the light around any columns along your porch and hang them over the gutter line to show your holiday spirit and create a warm entrance to your home. If desired, additional lighting can be hung on  bushes or trees close to your front porch.

RELATED: 15 Ways to Make Your Porch More Inviting in Winter

18. Welcome Home

Photo: istockphoto.com

Beautifying your front porch can be as simple as adding a new welcome mat. With all the various sizes and designs available, you can find the perfect fit for your porch and your decor preferences. Moreover, there are a wide range of fun options available for welcome mats, from warm greetings to funny messages that give guests a peek at your personality.

19. Proud and Patriotic

Photo: istockphoto.com

Proudly display your love of the USA by hanging these bunting flags along your porch. These durable bunting flags are perfect for Independence Day, Memorial Day, Labor Day, or any day that you feel proud to be an American. The durable polyester material is designed to be long-lasting, allowing you to enjoy these flags for quite some time.

20. Retractable Awning

Photo: istockphoto.com

Installing a retractable awning is another way to help create your own personal oasis—with a touch of retro flair. A retractable awning can deliver cool shade that will make sitting out on the patio more pleasant on a warm day, and it can be easily put away on cool days, for storms, or when not in use. Don’t forget to add some comfortable seating so you can enjoy your newly renovated space.

21. Cool Breeze

Photo: honeywellstore.com

If you’re in need of porch ceiling ideas, consider adding an outdoor ceiling fan like the Honeywell Belmar 52-Inch Bronze Ceiling Fan to deliver a cooling breeze to your porch. This five-blade fan offers a traditional design, a frosted glass bowl with LED lights, and weather-resistant blades. The damp-rated fan is suitable for use on porches or other areas with higher moisture levels, as long as it is protected from direct rainfall.

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RELATED: So, You Want to… Build a Porch

22. Safe and Sound

Photo: istockphoto.com

Coming home to a dark house and a dark porch is no fun and can potentially be unsafe. Installing a motion-sensing light above your door can help ensure that you can easily find your keys and get into your house when you get home. A motion-sensing light could also discourage a potential intruder from trying to break into your home.

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Contents

Who doesn't dream of having their own home with an incredible, spectacular, amazingly decorated entrance that makes the neighbors jealous? Hands up. Well, of course there are none. It was a joke. But seriously, do you know what makes design attractive and successful? The beauty. She always wins. Beauty and details that catch the eye.

Everyone remembers cozy, colorful entrances to English houses. Or atmospheric porches from the streets of old New York. Time-honored classic and beauty.

The article presents some "dry" theory from the field of design. And there is also a useful video with a lot of the most incredible ideas for decorating the entrance to the house. Look carefully, notice the details - they are all the salt.

Make the entrance to your home so that you can truly love it. Do not be afraid of bold ideas, complex designs and projects that seem incredible. Don't be afraid of your dreams. Look for the best examples of design, choose the details that will resonate with your heart and create the entrance group of your dreams. And we will be happy to help you with this.

What does the entrance group consist of?

It includes three main components: a door frame, a porch and a canopy. The point is that all of them should not only be aesthetically and originally designed, but also correspond to specific operating conditions.

Developing the design of the entrance group, first of all, it is necessary to take into account the climatic conditions of the region and a particular area. It is of great importance how low and, conversely, how high temperatures can be, how sharp their drop is, as well as the nature and amount of precipitation in the region. Based on this, you should choose the materials and design of the entrance group to the cottage or private house.

Entrance group design

When designing an entrance group for your own home, first of all choose its design. It should maximally meet the individual requirements and climatic conditions of the area in which the house is located. Many owners are now opting for a warm entrance group with a terrace. This is a very practical option, especially in winter.

Plastic entrance groups are very popular at the moment. This material has good noise and sound insulation. Plastic entrance groups perfectly retain heat and perfectly protect from external influences.

There are several options for their design. You can choose for yourself a plastic entrance group with glass or roller shutters.

It can also be panoramic sliding doors or a laminated plastic entrance group.

The last two options are quite often used in country houses. Panoramic sliding doors are also installed on country verandas. They allow you to enjoy magnificent picturesque views of the surrounding nature without leaving your home.

A feature of the laminated plastic entrance group is that the texture of its frames repeats the wood texture as closely as possible. Manufacturers can offer you a wide range of interesting shades: mountain pine, cherry, walnut, natural or bog oak.

Wrought iron entrance groups are a very original option. In the technique of manual forging, fences, elements of a visor, as well as an entrance door, can be made. Forged entrance groups look very elegant and elegant. This design will emphasize the good taste of the owners of the house and become a luxurious decoration of the facade. Hand forged products are usually made according to individual sketches. Therefore, if you opt for a forged entrance group, you can be sure that such an execution option will be unique in most cases.

Beautiful entrance groups

We have prepared for you a small selection of interesting entrance group design options. We really hope that you will be able to find the option you like and design a comfortable, functional and externally attractive entrance group to a cottage or private house, which will organically fit into the overall exterior and landscape of your site. Whether it will be a wooden, plastic or forged entrance group, you decide. Just imagine how you would like to see her, and start making your dream come true.

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Entrance group in a private house - 135 beautiful photos of the entrance to the house

Alegria

Dana Webber Design Group

A Modern Farmhouse on the coast of Washington State. This old beach cottage was an extensive remodel with an all female design team. At the Dana Webber Design Group, creating spaces for entertaining was our focus. This modern farmhouse living room is a hit. beautiful decor ideas. Mixed materials of wood, steel and glass create a beautiful natural look. We are a full service architectural firm on Bainbridge Island, just off the coast of Seattle. Take a look at the full home tour at DanaWebber.com

Easter House in Domodedovo

Karpenko Vladimir

Design idea for a two-story, white, medium-sized private country house in a modern style with cement plaster cladding, a flat roof, a black roof and an entrance group

Entertainer's Dream - Front

3 Bohannon Design Team

The home features high clerestory windows and a welcoming front porch, nestled between beautiful live oaks.
Design ideas for a one-story, medium-sized, gray, country-style private country house with stone cladding, gable roof, metal roof, gray roof, flashing plank trim, and 9 entryway. 0129

One Sunset Residence, Camano Island WA.

Dan Nelson, Designs Northwest Architects

View to entry.
Pictured: Single storey, mid-sized multi-coloured modernist private country house with composite cladding, pitched roof, metal roof, black roof, planken finishes and entrance group

Larkspur Farmhouse

HEYDT DESIGNS

Photography by Golden Gate Creative
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Raised Ranch Retreat

12/12 Architects & Planners

This 1960s split-level has a new stone paver patio with benches, corner accents, fire pit, and steps to above-ground pool. Access to the yard is through a sliding-glass door at the kitchen, with views from the garden window at kitchen sink. Photography by Kmiecik Imagery.

Classic Clean Line Ranch Home in Rolling Hills Estates

Pritzkat & Johnson Architects

Peter McMenamin
A fresh design idea for a large, single-story, white, classic-style private country house with vinyl cladding, hipped roof, tile roof, gray roof, flashing plank trim, and entryway - great interior photo

The Albury House

The Fechtel Company

Stylish design: large, two-story, modern style white private country house with tile roof, gray roof and entrance - the latest trend

A Truly Classic Farmhouse

New Century Design Inc.

A classic white board and batten farmhouse look with black roof and trim. It includes some wood accent details.
Original design example of a large, two-story, white, country-style private country home with chipboard cladding, hipped roof, metal roof, black roof, flashing board, and entryway

Cliff House

Flavin Architects

Devereux Beach House Our client presented Flavin Architects with a unique challenge. On a site that previously hosted two houses, our client asked us to design a modestly sized house and separate art studio. Both structures reduce the height and bulk of the original buildings. The modern concrete house we designed is situated on the brow of a steep cliff overlooking Marblehead harbor. The concrete visually anchors the house to stone outcroppings on the property, and the low profile ensures the structure doesn’t conflict with the surround of traditional, gabled homes. Three primary concrete walls run north to south in parallel, forming the structural walls of the home. The entry sequence is carefully considered. The front door is hidden from view from the street. An entry path leads to an intimate courtyard, from which the front door is first visible. Upon entering, the visitor gets the first glimpse of the sea, framed by a portal of cast-in-place concrete. The kitchen, living, and dining space have a soaring 10-foot ceiling creating an especially spacious sense of interiority. A cantilevered deck runs the length of the living room, with a solid railing providing privacy from the beach below. Where the house grows from a single to a two-story structure, the concrete walls rise magisterially to the full height of the building. The exterior concrete walls are accented with zinc gutters and downspouts, and wooden Ipe slats which softly filter light through the windows.

Elegant Modern Prairie-Style Home in Town & Country, MO

Hibbs Homes

The modern prairie design of this custom home features hipped roofs, mixed materials, large statement windows, and lots of visual interest.
Pictured: Large, one-story, beige, retro-style private country home with stone cladding, hipped roof, tile roof, black roof, planken trim, and entrance

Sherman Oaks Home

LRWoehler & Associates

Pictured: large, two-story, wooden, white, country-style private country home with a gable roof, mixed-material roof, gray roof, flashing plank trim, and entrance lobby with

Spanish Custom Home in Santa Barbara California

Santa Barbara Home Design

Design Consultant Jeff Doubét is the author of Creating Spanish Style Homes: Before & After – Techniques – Designs – Insights. The 240 page “Design Consultation in a Book” is now available. Please visit SantaBarbaraHomeDesigner.com for more info. Jeff Doubét specializes in Santa Barbara style home and landscape designs. To learn more info about the variety of custom design services I offer, please visit SantaBarbaraHomeDesigner.com Jeff Doubét is the Founder of Santa Barbara Home Design - a design studio based in Santa Barbara, California USA.

Exterior

Moda Interiors

Design idea for a large, two-story, gray modern house with concrete cladding and an entrance

Modern Living in Florida

Pineapple House Interior Design

Although our offices are based in different states, after working with a luxury builder on high-end waterfront residences, he asked us to help build his personal home. In addition to décor, we specify the materials and patterns on every floor, wall and ceiling to create a showcase residence that serves as both his family’s dream home and a show house for potential clients.


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