The decor at your front door is important for many reasons, most of which is that it greets you on your return home, each and every day. It sets the tone for your home, provides curb appeal and welcomes guests; therefore it's worth putting some time and effort into making it look uniquely you. Your front door decor can be changed seasonally (winter, spring, summer, autumn), on a whim (like a Superbowl themed door decor or even just for a brunch for friends) or you can invest in one great all-season display and leave it up year-round. Front door staples consist of at least one scale-appropriate container (although 2 flanking the front door or walk is nearly as common), a welcome mat, a wreath, or other door hanging, and some kind of statuary or other ornaments.
Scale appropriate containers:
The larger the home, the larger the containers! Look at containers that are 24” in diameter as a start. You should choose weather-proof containers as in poured stone, plastic, metal or specially tempered ceramics. Classic brick homes look great with metal urns, modern homes look terrific with zinc or boxy poured stone pots, and ranch homes can usually make any style work. You can change your plantings out as the seasons change; pansies and tulips in spring, warm-season annuals in summer, a pile of pumpkins and gourds in autumn, and artfully arranged twigs and branches in winter.
Wreath or other hanging items:
Wreaths aren’t just for the holidays anymore! For spring consider a preserved magnolia leaf wreath or one made from eucalyptus or dried or faux hydrangea. For summer, look for wreaths made from fresh flowers, driftwood or succulents. A small bundle of decorated ornamental corn is all that’s needed in autumn and, of course, a fresh evergreen wreath in winter.
Statuary or other ornaments:
Depending on the scale of your front landing, you may have room for a little bit more. Think about chic metal/glass outdoor lanterns, a stone statue of a dog, a pile of pumpkins, a basket of pine cones or, if the space is very large, a chair or bench.
Welcome mat:
Practical as much as it is an embellishment, changing your welcome mat is the quickest way to change the feel of your front doorscape. Coir (coconut fiber) mats are most common, but faux wrought iron and recycled plastics are popular as well.
Year-round:
For classic decor that will look as appropriate in June as it does in January, choose dwarf evergreens or topiaries for your plantings and a preserved magnolia leaf wreath. For extra touches, perhaps a candle-filled lanterns (LEDs on a remote would be handy!) and a rubber door mat that is made to look like wrought iron.
Don't wait for spring to get started doorscaping. Download the iScape app and see how your front entry can look right now.
