How to Make a Natural Arch for Fall Porch Decorating
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Use this simple DIY to make a statement with your fall porch decorating! Whether you have a small or big front porch, this DIY project can make your porch feel extra cozy and welcoming with a classic fall decor style. We had fun with one of my favorite fall front porch ideas for our home and I hope you’ll enjoy trying it with your fall porch decorating too!
I have to be totally honest and say that I do not go all out on my front porch decor year round. However, when it comes to fall porch decorating, I love to have some extra fun creating a cozy outdoor space.
Since we live in South Florida and do not have a “real fall” season, adding classic fall decor to our small front porch is a fun way to bring some realistic fall vibes with natural elements to greet our neighbors, family, and friends. Most of all, it makes me smile when I pull into my driveway during the fall season!
Today, I want to show you one of my favorite fall front porch ideas and how we make a natural arch for our fall porch decorating with corn stalks, branches, and faux pumpkins. Then, I’ll add some of my favorite tips and resources for the rest of the fall decorations that I enjoy on our small front porch!
A few years ago, I was inspired by my friend Ginny from @maplecreekfarmhouse on Instagram. She used corn stalks to create such a unique and beautiful series of archways along their wrap around front porch.
Even though I do not have a big front porch, I knew we could create our own version of this beautiful fall porch decor to fit our own space. Now, creating a beautiful front porch is one of my favorite things to do when each fall season rolls around!
Some years it takes me awhile to get my hands on corn stalks, as they have to travel south to our part of the state. However, once the first week or so of September rolls around, you can find me calling farmer’s markets and landscape nurseries to see who might have corn stalks in stock!
Follow along as we put together a natural arch for our fall porch decorating this year!
How to Make a Natural Arch for Fall Porch Decorating
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Step One for Fall Porch Decorating: Deep clean the front porch
Yikes. This definitely is not my favorite part of the fall porch ideas. However, giving the front porch a good cleaning is necessary to creating a beautiful space. So, we roll up our sleeves and get to work.
First, I like to completely empty the porch.
Next, we use the hose sprayer to clean the porch floor, doors, and furniture really well.
Lastly, I discard any damaged decor. The sun and rain here in South Florida can be pretty hard on outside decor, which is the main reason that I keep my porch decorating fairly simple for most of the year!
Step Two for Fall Porch Decorating: Create a corn stalk arch
My favorite thing for my fall porch ideas is the corn stalk arch we make each year. For my fall porch decor, I need 4-5 corn stalks. Depending on the size of your own front porch, you can measure to see about how many corn stalks you will need.
First, we use jute rope to attach one corn stalk to each of the side columns of our porch pergola. You could also use floral wire or even a staple gun. We have found that the jute twine is really simple and holds up well through the season. Plus, the jute color blends in nicely with the natural materials of the corn stalk itself.
Next, we attach 2 corn stalks to the middle pergola beam with the tops of the two corn stalks meeting in the middle. Usually, this is about the perfect length of the corn stalks to match up to the existing beams. You could always cut the corn stalks shorter or add more corn stalks depending on the size of your porch space.
The third step really varies from year to year. Some years, we have cut a section from the top of a corn stalk to attach in the middle, filling in the space where the two corn stalks meet. Other years, we’ve had taller corn stalks that seem to overlap easily. Again, we use jute twine to attach these corn stalks to the pergola beams.
If you don’t have a beam on your own porch, there are a few simple tips you could try.
- Tie twine around the corn stalk in three places and use a staple gun to attach to the porch front.
- Run a wire between porch columns and tie the corn stalks onto the wire.
- Secure a garden trellis in planters and tie corn stalks to the trellis.
Step Three for Fall Porch Decorating: Add faux pumpkins to the cornstalk arch
Depending on the color palette you have chosen for your fall porch decorating, you can add faux pumpkins to the corn stalk arch. Even though I decorate with white pumpkins and a neutral color scheme inside our home, I love how the warm hues of autumn look against our white house with black front door for some welcoming curb appeal..
On my cornstalk arch this year, I chose to add different sizes of orange pumpkins. I ordered odd numbers of a few different sizes and styles of faux pumpkins in traditional fall colors. The sizes range from 3.75 inches to 6 inches for the archway pumpkins.
How to attach faux pumpkins to the arch
To attach the pumpkins, I took a piece of floral wire and pushed it through the styrofoam. Then, I used the two ends of the floral wire to attach the pumpkin to the arch. The floral wire is great because it allows you to place the pumpkin in any spot and get a more “random” natural look.
You could add a lots of pumpkins to fill the arch and give the feeling of a pumpkin patch. On the other hand, you could add a cluster of pumpkins in the middle or at the corners for a more simple way.
Also, you could add pumpkins in more muted colors or even all white pumpkins if you want a neutral color scheme. The overall look will have your own personal touch and that is the best part of all!
The different colors and amount of pumpkins is just up to your decorating style and personal preference!
Step Four for Fall Porch Decorating: Add a fall garland or fall leaves to the corn stalk arch
Most years, I have created the corn stalk arch and left it with just the natural elements. This year is the first time I decided to add more color to the corn stalk arch., I enjoyed having a little more fun with it and created more curb appeal with pops of fall color.
One of the best ways to add color to fall porch decorating is with a fall garland of leaves or fall florals. After adding my faux pumpkins, I added an inexpensive fall garland, weaving it through the corn stalks.
I tried to create a little bit of “randomness” with the placement for a more natural look. The fall leaves are a fun idea to add color and a cozy feel. (You just have to get past the green palm trees everywhere around our house!!! Haha!).
I love the mixture of textures with the corn stalks, pumpkins, and fall foliage, as well as the varied fall colors to enjoy through the autumn months. It makes this fall porch decorating feel very cheerful to me and they make a big impact when we pull up to our home.
I think anything that makes it feel more like fall, despite the South Florida temperature, is a great idea!
Pro Tip: As with the faux pumpkins, you can make the fall garlands as thick or sparse as you want for your fall porch decorating! THESE fall garlands are the perfect choice because they are inexpensive for outdoor use but still have realistic colors.
A corn stalk arch with added pumpkins and fall foliage is a great way to make a big impact, no matter if you have small spaces, a large porch, or simply a set of front steps that lead to your front door. This concept can work with any size of front porch for fall porch decorating!
Step Five for Fall Porch Decorating: Add a seasonal wreath to the front door
If you want to take a more simple approach to fall porch decorating, that is completely understandable and very beautiful too! No matter how much fall porch decorating you do this time of year, a gorgeous wreath is one of the first things you’ll want to add!
I have had my fall wreaths for a few years now, but you can find similar ones HERE and HERE!
There are so many different styles of fall wreaths you can add to your front doors. Anything from very simple, natural materials like pampas grass or corn husks to lush wreaths with faux florals will be beautiful for your fall porch decorating!
Instead of a fall wreath, you may choose pretty hanging baskets, like THESE. I created these hanging floral baskets for spring and they could be quickly updated for the fall season by adding fall flowers like sunflowers or mums in autumn hues.
You can find the simple tutorial HERE and just swap out the peonies for your favorite fall flowers!
Pro Tip: Invest in a pretty wreath hangar that you can use year round and easily swap out your seasonal wreaths!
Step Six for Fall Porch Decorating: Add seating areas if possible
Another easy way to make your fall porch decorating extra cozy is to add a seating area. If you have a really small front porch, you may not have space for actual furniture. However, even a cute bench with a pretty cushion can add such a welcoming vibe to your porch.
However, if you do have space for a cozy seating area, take full advantage of the opportunity for a comfy place to relax with a good book and a cup of hot apple cider on a fall evening! A seating area is also a perfect way to add color, pattern, and texture with textiles.
Outdoor throw pillows and even cozy blankets that are made to withstand the elements extend the living space to the outdoors.
On our small front porch, we have just enough space for two rocking chairs that I bought second-hand. Under our pergola, we invested in a pair of quality porch swings and a coffee table between. Although it’s just too hot in the summer months to really enjoy the space, the late fall, winter, and spring months are delightful out here!
Since I have a lot going on with the corn stalk arch and wreaths, I kept the styling of the seating areas very simple.
Outdoor throw pillows to add some pattern and color brighten up the rocking chairs and porch swings while a pumpkin vignette made with faux pumpkins adds some simple touches of fall decoration.
Here are some outdoor seating and throw pillows that I highly recommend:
- These outdoor pillows are high-quality for a great price. They are perfect to add simple touches of fall decor!
- These porch swings are super comfortable and we love the fold-down cup holder in the middle!
- Rocking chairs are a staple for any welcoming front porch!
- I love the pattern and neutral color palette of these outdoor pillows. You could use them year round!
Step Seven for Fall Porch Decorating: Add decorative accents for fall
Hay Bales
The final step to completing your fall front porch decorating is to add carefully selected decorative accents as the “icing on the cake”, so to speak! Beside my rocking chairs, I added two small decorative hay bales. The hay bales bring in more natural materials and they are perfect for adding layers to my fall decorations.
Real or Faux Pumpkins
If you have cooler weather in the fall, you may be able to add real pumpkins around your fall porch decor. Since it is so hot here, real pumpkins rot so fast outside. Thankfully, there are a lot of great options for faux pumpkins. I love that the faux pumpkins I found have various colors, giving them a more realistic look.
If you want to use more muted colors, consider adding white pumpkins and green pumpkins to your fall porch decorating. These lighter colors look beautiful with the corn stalks and hay and will make your fall porch decor feel so peaceful!
Fall Flowers
Next, I added some UV resistant faux flowers with fall colors to my topiary pots. The pots were thrift store finds many years ago but you can get the topiaries HERE. I leave my outdoor topiaries out all year round and just swap out the pretty flowers around the base. While I love fresh flowers, I have a hard time keeping them alive unless they are in a pot with irrigation. However, these faux fall flowers give me the look I want and they were super budget-friendly too!
If you prefer a neutral color scheme, you can add white mums. However, if you prefer adding pops of fall color, consider pots of purple mums or even yellow, red, or orange mums to your fall porch decor. They are the perfect fall flowers and you can’t go wrong in an outdoor space with a large planter filled with beautiful mums!
Outdoor Candles
Next, I always add outdoor candles to my fall porch decorating. Outdoor candles are one of my very favorite ways to make our fall front porch ideas look and feel cozy and welcoming for the fall and winter months. I love that my outdoor candles are on a timer so they just flicker on each evening for several hours and go off on their own also. The cozy candle glow makes the whole porch look so cozy!
If you want outdoor candles but need candle holders, try THESE black lanterns for budget-friendly decor that has a classic style.
Welcome Mat
Lastly, I like to add a pretty welcome mat by the front door. If you have space, try layering a patterned rug under a more functional, outdoor rug. I’ve used a mat similar to THIS patterned rug for a few years now and added THIS fall welcome mat to it this year. The rug I had out there was definitely ready for a refresh after being out on the front porch since last winter! It’s amazing how some simple maintenance and small updates can make fall porch decorating look so good without a lot of extra cost!
More Fall Decorative Favorites
You can find more of my favorite fall accessories HERE on my storefront. I’ve carefully curated pieces that I either have and love or would definitely use in our home if I had the space!
It feels so great to have my fall porch decorating complete and it makes me smile when I pull into my driveway each day. Now, our porch is a great place to at least help us pretend that it feels like fall while we wait for the South Florida temps to drop a little!
I hope this post gives you some creative inspiration as you get your own porch ready for the autumn season with your favorite fall front porch ideas. I know you’ll have fun creating a beautiful front porch that is cozy and welcoming for your own family.
You may also enjoy these fall decorating posts:
- 44 Easy Ideas to Decorate a Kitchen Table for Fall
- How to Decorate with 21 Easy Cozy Home Decor Ideas for Fall
- The Best 7 Thrifted Fall Home Decor Items to Shop For
- Simple Tips for Decorating with Cozy Fall Kitchen Decor
- How to Style Beautiful Fall Dough Bowl Decor in 3 Minutes
- Design Ideas to Create a Rustic Neutral Living Room for Fall
Blessings,
(As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. Posts on Robyn’s French Nest may contain affiliate links. You can see our full disclosure details here.)
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Blessings,
(As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. Posts on Robyn’s French Nest may contain affiliate links. You can see our full disclosure details here.)