15 Fall Harvest Porch Decor Ideas

Fall harvest porch decorations are the best way to prepare you and your neighbors for the change in season. Fall harvest decor invites us to celebrate the gorgeous bounty of nature and creates an inviting space that welcomes others to do the same.

Fall harvest porch decor

Whether you are a fan of rustic simplicity or classic design, there are inventive ways to add decor to your porch to highlight the warmth and beauty of the autumn season.

From festive wreaths to bountiful pumpkin displays, prepare to make your porch a place to receive your friends and neighbors with joy.

Fall Harvest Porch Decor

The front porch is vital in creating a good first impression. Use your front porch to set the stage for the glorious fall season.


1. Fall Wreaths

Fall Wreaths
Twoinspireyou

Wreaths are an easy, no-fuss way to create an autumnal look on your front porch. Wreaths are easy to put up, make a big impact, and are easy to take down when you are ready to begin decorating for the winter holidays.

For a classic autumnal style, look for wreaths that feature small pumpkins, pinecones, wheat sheaves, colorful leaves, or fall flowers like chrysanthemums, asters, and sunflowers. Dress the wreath down with a burlap or buffalo-check ribbon or give it some added elegance using a grosgrain or velvet bow.


2. Autumn-Colored Throw Pillows

Autumn-Colored Throw Pillows
Vintage Porch Swings

Adding fall-colored and themed throw pillows to your porch swing or rocking chairs is an impactful addition to your front porch. Deep orange, warm gold, earthy brown, and vibrant red are inherently inviting. These are good colors to complement the colors of most homes.

Mix and layer different colors, patterns, and textures to give your throw pillows more depth. Vary the size and shape of the pillows to add more visual interest. Include large square pillows with smaller rectangular, round pillows, and bolster pillows to complete the look.


3. Create Your Own Pumpkin and Gourd Display

Create Your Own Pumpkin and Gourd Display
Julie Ranee Photography

Pumpkins are available in numerous sizes, shapes, and colors. They are excellent for display because of their vibrancy and natural appeal. You can create a simple pumpkin display by just arranging different pumpkins around your front door and along your porch stairs. Or, you can be more elaborate and create a layered foundation with containers like urns, pots, and tables. Look for uniquely shaped and colored pumpkins and ornamental gourds to give your design more interest and texture.


4. Utilize Hay Bales

Utilize Hay Bales
Corynne Pless

Using hay bales in your harvest decor is another easy way to give your porch rustic fall charm. Hay bales are ideal for layering displays of pumpkins or creating a perch for other seasonal decor. You can also use hay bales as extra side tables near rocking chairs or a coffee table for your porch swing. Leave it unadorned for the most natural look or cover the top with burlap or a vintage quilt to soften the surface.


5. Fall Flowers

Fall Flowers
The Yellow Cape Cod

Incorporate fall flower arrangements into your front porch design to add a new layer of color and vibrancy. Choose the right flowers to withstand the chilly weather. Look for fall options like chrysanthemums, pansies, violas, marigolds, asters, ornamental kale and cabbages, and heuchera. Plant arrangements of these flowers in seasonal containers that enhance the style you want to create. Look for options like decorative urns, baskets, barrels, or pots.


6. Add a Cozy Seating Area

Add a Cozy Seating Area
David Cannon Photography

Fall is about nothing if not for enjoying the beauty of the outdoors. Setting up seating, if just for the season, will give your home an inviting look and allow you to entertain guests more easily. Evaluate your porch to find the most suitable area for seating.

Choose weather-proof or sealed furniture that will protect it from harsh weather conditions. Layer textured throw pillows and cozy throws so that you can bundle for those chilly fall nights. Set up small incidental tables to hold endless mugs of tea and hot chocolate.


7. Elevate with Corn Stalks

Elevate with Corn Stalks
Julie Ranee Photography

Many fall harvest decor ideas are low to the ground, but corn stalks are a good way to add height to your design. Go to local farmers’ markets or stands and choose stalks that are dry and with a good mix of leaves and husks.

Use twine or jute to securely tie the stalks together. You can create a porch display that features stalks standing to frame the front door entrance using the house siding to support them or attach the stalks to columns along the porch.


8. Carve Jack-O’-Lanterns

Carve Jack-O’-Lanterns
Mary Prince Photography

Carving jack-o’-lanterns is a fun way to decorate your fall front porch and get your family involved in the process. Find pumpkins that are symmetric and have a flat bottom so that they are stable.

Decide on a design; these range from playful to sophisticated, so think about the end result of each style. Gather your supplies like carving tools and a newspaper to keep the area clean.

Trace the design and begin carving. Once you have completed the design and cleaned out the pumpkin add LED lights to illuminate the design. Carved pumpkins deteriorate quickly, so only carve the pumpkins a day or two before you want to display them.


9. Set a Festive Table

Set a Festive Table
Troy Spurlin Interiors

Enjoying the gorgeous weather is one of the best things about the fall season. Take advantage of the mild autumn evenings by enjoying dinner on your front porch. Even if you don’t have a permanent table and chairs on your porch, you can use lightweight options to set up a temporary dining location.

Complete your table by using gorgeous linens topped with a festive autumnal display of flowers and fall fauna. Add candles or fairy lights to your porch to illuminate the table for evening dining.


10. Creative Fall Garlands

Creative Fall Garlands
Rikki Snyder

Garlands are lovely at any time of the year, but they are especially gorgeous in the fall. This is when you can take advantage of the bounty of the season and display it on your porch. Colorful leaf garlands make an elegant frame for your front door. Or, go for something more creative. Make a display using grapevines, grass stalks, fall berries, and colorful foliage. Your garland will give your front door striking autumnal color all season long.


11. Give Your Front Door a Seasonal Face-Lift

Give Your Front Door a Seasonal Face-Lift
Design Fixation

Fall is an excellent time to try out a new color on your front door. Front door colors display deep meaning and give your home a bright new look. Choose a striking color like blue or teal that creates contrast with fall and winter colors. Or, try a green to complement the earthy hues of the season. Whatever color you choose, it is an easy weekend project and a good time to experiment with a new look.


12. Spooky Fall Decorations

Spooky Fall Decorations
RénoDéco etc.

Embrace the spooky side of fall by adding some ghoulish decorations to your porch. You can keep it classy rather than kitschy by using neutral or black decorations. You can also keep it more sophisticated by layering the Halloween-style decorations with other natural elements like pumpkins, gourds, fall foliage, and berries. Complete the look of the evening of Halloween with illuminated carved pumpkins or strategic fairy lights.


13. Lanterns to Light the Way

Lanterns to Light the Way
Frontgate

Lanterns, candles, and votives are an elegant way to light up the entrance to your home and give it a seasonal glow. They can also help you extend valuable porch time by illuminating the outdoor area long after the sun sets.

Hang lanterns or create a display by layering lighting if you want to create an obvious gathering place on your porch. Votives are valuable for lighting your walkway if your porch lights don’t do the job effectively. Be sure to monitor candle votives as they are a fire hazard, or use LED lights so that you can enjoy the evening without worry.


14. Fall Window Boxes

Fall Window Boxes
Rikki Snyder

Creating a fall window display is an effective way to display fall colors all season. Choose live plants like ornamental grasses, fall flowers, and miniature evergreens to give your window boxes variety and texture. Add selections of small pumpkins and gourds to add more color. A well-planned and maintained fall window box can accent your front porch all season long.


15. Create an Elaborate Layered Display

Create an Elaborate Layered Display
Peter Atkins and Associates

Create a stunning front porch display by layering multiple harvest decor ideas together. Begin by adding a fall wreath to your door. Add height to your design with urns containing corn stalks. Bring in some hay bales to display the next layer of pumpkins, gourds, and flowers. Place the lowest level of fall decor on the ground. Front porch stairs are ideal for displays like this, but you can also create effective layers using hay bales, apple crates, small tables, and terracotta pots.