Every year I write about seasonal decor. Does THAT much change year by year? Of course not. And if it did, I wouldn’t recommend you follow suit. But every year I want to bring a fresh take on how you’re approaching your decor. I want to bring lightness to your plan. I want to cut through the “you should do this” noise to reassure you that anything you do will be special and perfect. However much you want to do is the right amount. Always. Today we’re talking simple fall front porch decor.
I want to encourage you to only look at your home, not your neighbors (or everyone on Instagram). To only put up what feels right to you. For me, I’m more of a seasonal decor minimalist. Call it being a New Yorker and truly not having space to store decor for the rest of the year, but I’ve come to rely on a very simple formula that I use year after year without fail.
You don’ t have to try the hardest. If you want a stunning and simple fall front porch decor scheme, stick with me. Let me teach you exactly how to do it with the least amount of effort but the most amount of fun and enjoyment.
Stunning and Simple Fall Front Porch Decor
I know you know Josh Young. And if you don’t know his face, you know his work. He merges classicism with contemporary and makes living well an art form. Speaking of art–he makes that too! His work is wildly popular and pieces are perfect for an aspiring traditionalist gone wild.
One of my favorite things he does is decorate his home for the season. Here’s what I admire: he focuses on simple elements, and leans into them. He repeats. He creates collections. He puts these elements everywhere. And as a result, the design is so elevated and modern, but also calming and comforting. Let me show you what I mean.
See how gorgeous his DC townhome is? Let’s break down the design (it’ll be quick, I promise): pumpkins and mums with a couple pieces of kale. THAT’S IT. That’s the breakdown. It’s classic and easy, but when you group a bunch together, it’s STATEMENT MAKING.
Get the look: collect pumpkins of all shapes, sizes, and colors. I love getting the “ugly” wonky pumpkins and pairing them with the perfectly shaped ones with a classic long stem. We are going for assortment and juxtaposition–just like in design. One element shines brighter because of its relationship to another element. Here are the steps to creating this magical vignette:
1. place large pumpkins first
2. fill in the blanks with medium pumpkins
3. place smallest pumpkins last
4. optional: add a few mums to bare spots
Pro tip: The key to this look is layering. Make sure you’re not making it look too precious. You want it to resemble a pumpkin patch where some pumpkins are sitting upright and some are leaning on each other. Turn medium and small pumpkins on their sides and propped up against the large pumpkins.
Josh varies his simple fall front porch decor every year. Last year, he nixed the mums and just did pumpkins and lanterns. Below, in 2020 he just did pumpkins. Each variation is sublime and delightfully simple and accessible. Nothing Josh does is too fussy, but it’s always well curated.
The Perfect Every Time Formula
How do you create stunning and simple fall front porch decor like Josh Young? Easy. You pick 1-3 elements and repeat them. The 3 elements I personally choose from are:
1. pumpkins or gourds
2. mums or kale
3. lanterns (use your summer outdoor ones!)
Vary the shapes, sizes, and colors. Try more pumpkin colors than just orange. I love white pumpkins and princess pumpkins which are an ethereal jade color. OR if you’re more into the monochromatic look, then lovely! Choose orange, white, or princess pumpkins and do it up.
For mums, anything goes! I particularly love yellow and white together, or red and purple together. I find it looks best to stick with 1-2 color varieties.
Josh uses lit candles in his lanterns (and I’m sure he watches them with a close eye), but for safety reasons and especially if your neighborhood is full of littles, I would recommend waterproof flameless candles (they exist and I have some). There are even some designs with a flame that flickers! Looks like the real thing, won’t burn your neighborhood down. Win win.
Remember...
Keep it simple and style the hell out of it. These ideas are just my preferences, but if you’re a maximalist, then YOLO. You do whatever you want to do because decorating is about happiness first. You can come back to this easy 3 element formula for simple fall front porch decor again and again, and even replicate it indoors! Just have fun. That’s really all that counts:-)
Pro tip: do you have a large yard that you would like to grow something equally large in, and you’re also ok with it taking forever to grow? You do? Duh, because that was a great elevator pitch. But for real, why not try growing your own pumpkin patch?!?! It is so fun to watch (literally all summer) and it’s a great family activity. When summer comes to an end, it’s a real treat being able to harvest your own pumpkins. You can make a neighborhood party out of it!
Think about it:-)