Your porch is the first thing guests see, and with just a few summer touches, it can become an inviting, relaxing space all season long
Looking for easy ideas and tips on how to decorate a porch for summer? Here are 7 simple ideas to use for a summer front porch.
Just look at that tulip-wreathed door with those topiaries.
*sigh*
Is it socially acceptable to have a crush on your front porch?
Seriously.
I can’t help it.
There’s just something about spring and flowers and new rugs and the cutest solar lanterns that makes a girl’s heart beat faster.
Don’t tell the cute carpenter who lives here, but if I wasn’t already married, I would be on the first plane to Vegas with my porch.
Here are a few new porch updates I made recently….
….and the one thing every porch needs for summer.
How To Decorate a Porch for Summer
Here’s the view of the front porch as you walk up to that cute front door.
I have the best flower recommendation for you.
I seriously wait all year for these flowers to show up. If you are at all interested, make sure you run (don’t walk) to your local garden center to find them. These flowers only show up once a year and when they sell out? They are gone until the next year. I remember the year I waited until the end of May and they were all gone except for a few lame stragglers.
That’s the thing. You have to act fast.
Trust me.
I’m a professional flower buyer.
1. Add flowers
Here’s what my favorite flowers look like up close.
The flower is called Dipladenia.
Dipladenia is a close cousin to Mandevilla. it’s a beautiful flowering plant with beautiful trumpet-shaped flowers in shades of pink, red, and white. It does have tendrils that want to climb, but I just cut those back so that the plant grows out instead of up.
Here are some tips on how to take care of Dipladenia:
-
- It’s perfect for porches because the direct Texas sunlight is too much for it. Dipladenia prefers bright, indirect light. It can tolerate some direct sunlight, but too much can burn the leaves.
- Water Dipladenia thoroughly once a week, or more frequently in hot weather–this is the key to keeping Dipladenia alive during the hot summer months. Make sure the soil is well-drained and does not become waterlogged. Allow the top inch of soil to dry out before watering again
- Prune all the tendrils that grow up. This will help to promote bushier growth and more flowers. Trim back any leggy or straggly stems and remove dead or yellowing leaves. I also pinch off the blooming flowers and this helps more flowers to show up.
- Dipladenia prefers a humid environment so on extra hot days, misting it with a spray bottle really helps.
2. Add seating
I have these benches on either side of the front door.
They are super sturdy and affordable and in super sad news they are all sold out right now.
But in amazing shopping news, I managed to find some more that were affordable and in stock.
You can see them here.
3. Add rugs
I love, love, LOVE these striped black and white rugs. I’ve purchased them over the years for different porches and they hold up even if your porches don’t have a cover. You can just wash them off with a power washer and they look like new.
You can see the rugs here.
4. Add pillows
I just ordered these outdoor pink pillows to give the porch a pop of pink from the road. They really add color and have the cutest white piping around the edges.
The pillows come in TONS of colors and you can see them here.
I also ordered these weather-proof inserts for the pillows.
You can see them here.
5. Add a wreath
I added this wreath to the front door.
And these topiaries on either side of the door in these monogrammed planters that we built.
I just tucked eucalyptus stems into the base of the planter to fill out the extra spaces.
You can see the topiaries here.
6. Add planters
The Dipladenia’s favorite home?
These planters.
I’ve shared them for years and they are amazing. The bottom moves up and down to adjust for the height of the plants.
They come in several colors and these are also self-watering, too.
You can see the planters here.
7. Add solar lanterns
But my favorite new thing for the porch? The one thing every porch needs this summer?
These solar lanterns.
The lanterns come in a set of two and they are made of metal and glass. They are weatherproof and measure 5.5″ L x 5.5″ W x 11″ H and they are powered by solar power. See the top? It’s a built-in solar panel. There’s a solar battery at the bottom that comes pre-installed with each candle lantern.
The lanterns come on at dusk and go off at dawn.
Here are pictures from the lanterns on the front porch last night. If you are wondering how they hold up in the weather? It was pouring down rain when these pictures were taken. You can’t tell from the pictures, but the lantern flickers and puts off the perfect amount of light.
You can see the lanterns here.
I’m so happy that the Dipladenias have finally arrived.
The porch is wearing its seasonal outfit and now it is ready for summer.
Just in case we take a last-minute trip to Vegas.
Don’t forget the citronella candles and string lights—small details that make summer evenings outdoors even more enjoyable
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