I'll admit to never doing the best job at decorating the outside of our house for fall.  I see all these lovely front porch decorations and I just get paralyzed and don't do anything.  My mom bought me mums for my window boxes this year which really livened the place up, but I have more fun decorating their porch every year.  Last year they painted their front door a lovely shade of teal.  After picking up some free crates from a closing quilt shop, and leftover pumpkins from my mom's classroom I set out to make a fall front porch for the cheapest I could.  

Here is what he porch looked like last year.  

We dug up some mums from their yard - they have them spread to all sorts of crazy locations & we cut some grasses from their yard to add height to the crate in the back.  We flipped the front crate upside down, and we added a pile of pumpkins.  The only thing purchased for the porch last year I believe was the rug.  I'd love to see another rug layered underneath it for more of a visual impact. 

And here is the porch this year. 

We used the free crates again as well was the same rug, and cut more grasses from their yard.  We did buy pumpkins specifically for the porch this year, but we found some for really cheap.  I think my mom spend $1 each for the orange ones.  We bought the white pumpkin for $2, and green one I believe was $4. She grew plenty of gourds and mini pumpkins in the garden, and at one of the local stands we stopped at the older man who grew them said we could take as many mini pumpkins as we wanted because he had grown so many.  In the front crate I flipped some pots upside down to place the pumpkins on.  Instead of digging up mums this year, I cut some of their hydrangeas to fill in around the pumpkins. I didn't put them in water or anything, because they dry nicely on their own.  

So you know how it is always easier to make decision for other peoples' houses?  I could do that all day, but decisions for my own house eek.  I am terrible at it, plus I like spending other peoples' money.  So back to their house... sorry ma, but I have always felt like it wasn't balanced without the sidelight painted as well.  So this year I finally mocked up what it would look like if they pained it as well.  

Ah so much better right?!  Now I think there are plenty of instances where the sidelight can be left unpainted or match and the trim and it works well.  But in this case with one sidelight, and the fact that the trim and sidelight color matches the house color I think it really brings some balance.  Oh, but I don't stop there.  

I would love to see another rug layered to add more visual volume, and you won't ever go wrong with a fall wreath.  Have I convinced you mom?

So here would be my recipe for a  perfect fall porch

1.  Layered rugs

2.  Some sort of height in grasses or corn - cut from your own yard or maybe a neighbor would be nice and share since you cut back grasses in the fall anyway. 

3.  Pumpkins, pumpkins, pumpkins!  We have found a few local stands that are really cheap that we will visit again next year.

4.  Old crates or baskets - keep your eyes peeled at garage or estate sales.

5.  Fall flowers (mums or hydrangeas are lovely - again see if a neighbor would share if you don't have any hydrangeas)

So maybe next year I'll be taking more notes from myself and get my own house in order.  This year I just have not pulled myself together enough.  Next week our new carpet gets installed, so I am taking down all the fall decor I had up for a week, and cleaning out the living room and moving furniture.  After almost 4 years I can't wait to finally be rid of our carpet, and share our lovely indoor fall decor.  Because that I can do.