We Finally Have a Front Porch! + How We Styled It

A new home always excitedly feels so much like a blank canvas just waiting for some color and personality, and our front porch was the first canvas that I couldn’t wait to “paint”.

I adore the grey brick and stonework on our home’s exterior, but I knew from the get-go that adding a bit of color would be necessary to lighten it up a bit.

When our belongings arrived on the moving truck, I placed a few initial things on the porch that we already owned – a couple of rockers, the tall orange pot, two black pots, an accent table, and a few other small things. I also installed a flag holder within the first few days of living here because our house isn’t our home until an American flag is proudly waving outside.

From there, I did some research and picked a color scheme that I wanted to intentionally design our porch around: black, white, green, and yellow. Inexpensive bright green ferns were obvious choices, so I scooped those up a couple of weeks ago along with a whole slew of flowers for my pots.

From there, I teamed up with Cottage & Bungalow to pick out a few items to tie together everything I envisioned for this focal point of own home’s exterior.

But first, I knew I needed to give those rockers a fresh, bright coat of paint. They were aesthetically quite damaged in our move, so that gave me an excuse to slap a couple coats of primer and semi-gloss exterior paint on them one pretty afternoon.

My vision for creating a color scheme that included green and yellow was first dreamed up after spotting these dreamy striped outdoor pillows on the Cottage & Bungalow website. The yellow just oozes warmth, and I loved how big and bright they are. The 22×22″ pillows are so perfect!

I also went back and forth (and back and forth and round and round again) about adding a little outdoor rug to this space. I didn’t want something to cover the whole porch, but I was hesitant that this 3×5′ rug would look too small. I decided to just go for it to tie in a little black with this neat diamond pattern, and oh my goodness – I AM SO GLAD I WENT FOR IT! It’s an indoor/outdoor rug, and the quality is exceptional.

These faux yellow sunflowers below were actually previously used as interior decor in our past homes, but I decided to hang it outdoors with a thumb tack. Everybody that comes over seems to love it, so I think I’ll keep it hanging there for now since it’s another pretty yellow pop and adds a bit of dimension.

We have the most pesky little alarm system that shouts “Front Door Open” every time we open a door (super necessary with two little escape artists that reside here), and I think I’ve heard that chime two dozen times or more since I completed the porch. I just can’t stop casually walking out there to peek at the porch. It’s just so cheery!

Ah, I haven’t given you a glimpse at the other part of our front porch yet: our front door!

We desperately needed a new front door mat, and our Kansas realtor that sold our home must have been reading my mind because she had this one created and shipped to us! Really sweet gesture.

I really did gasp out loud when I opened the package because I already knew that I had this Tattersall cotton rug from Cottage & Bungalow on its way. I intended to layer it with whatever welcome mat I decided to purchase, so receiving this one from our realtor was just too stinkin’ perfect.

As for the layering, I had never heard of this design idea until I scrolled across it in a few pictures online. I fell in love with the look immediately, and of course Cottage & Bungalow had the most perfect rug to make my visions a reality at our home. (I also considered this one for layering – which would have also been beautiful – but am ultimately loving the Tattersall one!)

For years, I have had some kind of wreath or door hanger on our door year-round, so receiving this “Hey Y’all” one that my brother-in-law made was such a treat! He gifted it to me for Christmas, and I couldn’t wait to display it in our new home. He is artistically so talented!

We’ve never had a front porch big enough for two chairs before, and Jamie will be the first to tell you that if a home didn’t have a decent-sized front porch, it was quickly scratched from our list of potential homes. This house thankfully fit the bill!

Creating an inviting, bright space was just as enjoyable as I envisioned it would be, and I can’t wait to spend hours and hours out here this summer while our kids play in the front yard with neighbor kids and we chat with others when we see them on their evening walks around the neighborhood.

We’ve only been in our home for just under four weeks, so creating this space so quickly would have never been possible without the slew of options readily available to mix and match on Cottage & Bungalow‘s website. Their custom coastal furniture and beach decor is out of sight. My mom was visiting our home when my package arrived from Cottage & Bungalow, and she gawked with me as we pulled everything out and set it up. She especially could not get over the pillow quality. You think all outdoor pillows are the same, and then you see/feel the ones from Cottage & Bungalow and you can never go back to other pillows!

If money were no option, I’d have their items all over my home. I only speak the truth on this blog (of course!), and I can vouch that the items from Cottage & Bungalow are a worthwhile investment if you’re looking for products and pieces that will last.

Let’s chat!

What are a couple of must-haves on your home list? If you have a front porch, do you enjoy spending time on it?

This post was written in partnership with Cottage & Bungalow, an online coastal and beach decor website that I’ll continue to purchase from and be a fan of for years to come.