Today I’m going to show you how I styled my New England coastal front porch this year.
The beach is my #1 favorite place to be. If you have never been to the beach it is heaven! There’s nothing like the sound of the waves hitting the shore and the salt air does wonders for the soul. I’m lucky to live just a few miles from our seacoast.
So it’s no surprise that I carry my love of the coast to my home style. Let me show you what I did to my small front porch this season.
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Decorating a Small Porch for Summer
Empty Front Porch
I cleared off all my Spring decor from the front porch and gave it a good sweep…there was an unbelievable amount of pine needles!! Take a look at my Spring Porch HERE.
Do you have a Christmas Tree Shop near you? They have the most affordable patio cushions & outdoor rugs around… I scored big time!! They don’t have an online store so you’ll just have to come to visit and go with me!!
Add a Coastal Wreath
I made a coastal wreath out of sand dollars and starfish for the front door. I did a quick Facebook Live when I was making it over on my Cottage On Bunker Hill page.
You can see the blog post with the complete tutorial HERE,
Vintage Clammer’s Basket
My front porch refresh is a mix of new, vintage, and DIY this year. Mixing old & new is my favorite way to decorate any space.
This vintage clamming basket was a score over the Winter at a local vintage bazaar! I fell in love with its patina and its size…it’s been sitting on the shelf of my entryway table for months waiting for its outside debut!!
It was the perfect home for a few of my coastal items (that I hoard!!)
Adding Porch Furniture
After I put down the new outdoor rug I carried out my wicker chairs and loveseat from Walmart. I’ve had these for a few years and they have held up so well!!
Fresh cushions made all the difference!! My old ones were beat for sure and I couldn’t wait to toss them.
Who else has a throw pillow addiction??? I just couldn’t help myself though!! How could I pass up such cute pillows…right?!!
A quick coat of spray paint on an old table that had been collecting dust in my basement was the perfect fit for between my chairs. It will make a perfect spot to put down my iced coffee this Summer!
The perfect way to end a day of gardening is sitting out here with a cold drink and a good magazine.
Yankee Magazine is a must-read if you live in New England or just love New England; it’s always filled with the best images and things to do around here…plus yummy recipes! Their website is a great resource if you are planning a trip up here too!
The Extras
After the furniture, rug, and cushions were all in place it was time to add the extra details to my small porch. In the corner, I added a patriotic shutter that I made out of an antique store find.
My antique lantern was a gift from my Mom. It fits in perfectly with the New England style of my porch and looks so pretty next to a vintage pail filled with purple salvia.
I love looking for vintage pails and buckets to use for planters. There is something about the contrast between the fresh flowers and the old metal that is so pretty!
Adding Fresh Flowers
What’s a Summer front porch without flowers?? I’ve been dreaming about flowers all Winter and couldn’t wait to fill up this beautiful blue ceramic pot that I’ve had for years.
I found it at my local Ocean State Job Lots…they are a hidden gem for affordable planters!
Can we just talk about how velvety and gorgeous these red geraniums are?? I spotted them as soon as I walked into Lowe’s the other day ( of course for something completely unrelated to flowers…you know how that goes!!)
Coastal Wall Decor
To the right of my front door, I hung a couple of colorful wooden buoys along with a few shells and greenery and tied them up with a nice nautical rope bow!
On the other side of the front door, I hung a wooden sign. To disguise the metal vinyl siding hook I simply wrapped a little nautical rope around it.
Finished Porch
I hope I could give you a bit of inspiration from here in New England! Here are a few more Summer ideas for your home…
Jennifer Howard
cottage on bunker hill
Thanks for stopping by today! Being able to share my projects, DIYs, and decorating ideas with you is amazing. Leave a comment below; I love hearing from you! Feel free to drop me a note here if you have any questions.
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Just gorgeous! I love all of it, but where did you get those paisley chair cushions?
Jen, at a New England chain called The Christmas Tree Shops…super affordable store around here!
Jennifer,
I adore your coastal vibe. The wreath is so simple and I love it! Great inspo as my porch really needs some help! 😉
Oh, thanks Leigh!! I really like how the wreath came out too; sometimes you’re not sure if something you picture in your head witll translate to real life!!
Your porch looks amazing, Jennifer! I slowly scrolled through your post enjoying reading what you wrote and admiring every detail in every picture.
Thanks Paula!!
Love your Coastal front porch, Jennifer! That sand dollar wreath is just the cutest!
Awww, Thanks Jen!! Sometimes you picture a project in your head and it comes out exactly how you imagined!!
Love your porch and the wreath you made. I live in NJ and our deck is a mess from trees. I can’t wait to plant flowers. Coastal beauty at your home!
Cindy, I swear it was the messiest winter that I can remember!! I’ve never had so many pine cones in my yard and pine needles all over the place…oh, and the sticks all over the place that I think are snakes when I hit them..LOL
Your porch is perfect!! I love the coastal vibes!
Thanks Christin!! I’m a beach bum!!
I love the coastal theme. It wouldn’t work well in Ohio where I am but your porch looks amazing.
Hannah, you can always pretend you are at the beach!! I’ll even send you some salt water to splash on yourself!!
So gorgeous! I love all your coastal touches and the colors you used. Such an inviting entrance! Great touring with you!
Shelley
Thanks Shelley!!! I’m working my through everyone’s posts now!! So much to see on this tour…amazing group!!
Thanks Michelle!
Your coastal refresh looks amazing! I love the wreath you made and the added starfish to the flag. I would LOVE to live that close to the ocean! That’s certainly a gift! Thanks for sharing all your great ideas!
Thank you friend!! I’ll bottle up some salt water and send it to you!!
Oh this coastal vibe is pulling at my heartstrings hard! So well done!
Thank you so much Jess!!
I love your coastal porch Jennifer! It so pretty and relaxing, the starfish are perfect! 🙂
Oh, thank you Tanya!!
this is so festive it makes me want the fourth of July! So fun!
I love the 4th of July too!!
I love that front porch! Makes me just want to head to the beach! Thanks for sharing!
Absolutely gorgeous, I love the coastal theme and what a pretty view. So gorgeous.
Thank you Jennifer!! I’m a beach bum at heart!!
This is absolutely gorgeous girl!
Thanks so much Wendy!!
I am loving your blog post, Jennifer! I can’t remember how many pictures I pinned. I will definitely be taking some of your ideas and trying them myself this summer. Thank you for inspiring me, my friend.
Awww, thanks Kim!! I’m glad I got my porch done because it’s May and my busiest month in the garden…and I have so much to do!!
I love vintage items too. Your porch is decorated beautifully and you are lucky to live there!
Thank you Sherry!! As much as I complain about winters here I can’t think of anywhere I’d rather live!!
I love that you love old vintage stuff! Just like me!! And, I’m absolutely obsessed with your wicker chairs…they are so beautiful. Your whole porch is just so lovely and makes me crave a trip to the beach! Love all the inspiration! xo, Kristi
Thanks for including me in your tour!! We have the best vintage/antique stores in New England…I always find too much good stuff!!
Jennifer, your coastal porch has all the summer relaxing vibes! I love that shutter flag so much, excited for the tutorial!
Oh Cindy, the shutter flag was one of those projects that kept going wrong when I was making/filming it…you know the ones that are easy but you keep doing silly things to slow down the process!!
These coastal touches are beautiful! I love all the layers of stripes and shells and I can’t wait to see more of how you made the shutter flag too. Hugs, CoCo
Thanks so much CoCo!!
Your porch looks amazing! Thanks for the inspiration –
Thanks so much Lynn!! I can’t wait to go check your post out!!
Your porch looks beautiful! I love that shutter diy that you did!
Thanks Becky!! I was happy with how it came out!!