10 Jul 2020 Living With Style Comment

DESIGN EXPERT Q|A: 3 Fresh Front Door Tips That Increase Curb Appeal

small front porch decor ideas
Melissa’s Front Door

Weeeeee’re baaaaack!

My favorite interior designer, Melissa Mahoney, is bringing her A game today with 3 Fresh Front Door Tips That Increase Curb Appeal.

In case you missed it, I brought in Melissa to simplify decorating, with paint by number steps, you can apply immediately. Since we are spending more time in at home we might as well make it beautiful right?

So far we’ve covered…

She’s always sharing FREE designer advice on her Instagram Stories too so be sure to follow her here!

Today’s advice is especially great because there’s not much to it! As soon as I read through her suggestions, I ran to Target and spruced up my front porch in just a matter of hours.

I hope these tips help you elevate your own front entry and for some extra inspiration, I’m including both Melissa’s door and mine.

Cheers and be sure to let us know if you have any questions!
 

  • small front porch decor ideas
  • small front porch decor ideas
small front porch decor ideas
Nicole’s Front Door

Color

  • Paint your front door a color that feels welcoming and brings life to the house. Nicole’s front door was already painted red!
  • Don’t feel like it has to match anything else on the house. Your front door should be a statement of sorts, as it is the focal point of your curb appeal.
  • Try a lighter color if your house is dark. Try a darker color if your house is light. The contrast is the perfect call-out. 
  • If you are a more neutral person, I’ve seen plenty of amazing black front doors, but if it doesn’t have windows, play it up with a great gold door knocker, or fresh pull hardware. 
  • small front porch decor ideas
  • small front porch decor ideas

Accessories

  • Layered door mats are my favorite simple accessory for all seasons. You can keep them the same year round, or specific for the time of year, but always have something to ground guests as they come to your front door. For a single front door, your top mat should be a standard 2’x3’ wall-off mat (thicker brush for dirt to scrape off on before people enter), and your underlay can be any indoor/outdoor 3’x5’ flat weave. I like cotton, because you can throw them in the washer and get a bit more use out of them. FYI – Nicole went with a smaller top mat and underlay mat to accommodate her narrow porch.
  • If you have a symmetrical front entry, flank your door with taller potted topiaries or arborvitae ($50 each for an appropriate size at Home Depot). These will survive in sun or shade, and can stay out year round. If your entry is asymmetrical, hug the larger/open side with a cluster of varying sized flower pots. Select a colorful variation of flowers that gives some height (like firecrackers and snapdragons), but also some overflow (like potato vines and wave petunias). Nicole’s planters are here in a size medium.
small front porch decor ideas

Hardware

  • I mentioned a door knocker being a great add for a dark door, but they work well to dress up any color door. Ours has worked out well lately, due to a broken doorbell 😆. There are simple options, as well as more creative door knockers. 
  • A new lockset can be a super simple update for your front door. PRO TIP: For ease of a DIY transition, just swap out a different style or finish with the same format that you already have. This way you don’t have to drill any holes or go through more work than necessary with the swap. 
  • Address numbers are also a fun swap out to give your front entry more character. I assume you appreciate obviously placed door numbers when you are looking for a house you have never been to. This should be no different for your own house! 💓 


Thank you again Melissa for breaking this down for us! Aren’t you ready to run to Home Depot immediately?

A lot of you have inquired about Melissa so I wanted to share more about what makes her different from other designers.

One of Melissa’s strengths is project management. She sees and approaches your home as a WHOLE – which saves you mega time and money in the long run. Since working with her we’ve made MORE progress in our home in the past few months than probably a few years combined!

She thinks through your home’s aesthetic and function from the ground up. Which is why she wanted to share this series of tips. They’re meant to help you start making your house feel more like home with small steps in the right direction. 

If you are thinking about starting a larger home project, Melissa is offering a FREE kick-off guide. You’ll get the first steps you should take that will ensure your home projects are less daunting! Not to mention prevent you from making some major mistakes that will cost you time and money long term.

Hope you enjoyed this and don’t forget to DM or email me what our next topic should be!

Photos by Chicago Andrea Creative

Update Your Front Porch Today