How to Welcome Guests with Modern Fall Porch Decor

If you’re hosting the holidays – or any gathering – this season, likely the first thing your guests will see is your front porch. Make a swoon-worthy first impression with modern fall porch decor.

I recently did a seasonal makeover on my front porch. We have a 1930s Cape Cod home with a small porch and traditional architecture. As an additional challenge, our door is red, which can tend to clash with autumnal colors. (However, it looks AMAZING at Christmas, if I don’t say so myself!).

To give it a modern edge, I stuck with neutral decor in clean, minimal shapes.

You also may note – no sign of pumpkins! What!? I know … As I write this, it’s early September. And while I could have tracked down some pumpkins, it really felt too soon. We’ll hit the pumpkin patch in October and probably add a few then. In the meantime, I stand by my pumpkin-less design!

If you haven’t immediately left my blog because “no pumpkins”, thank you – and please keep scrolling for all the details and links to shop!

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Updated on September 1, 2022.

This post is about modern fall porch decor.

Fall Cleaning

To really appreciate new decor, I like to deep clean first. Doesn’t happen every time, but I’m always glad when I do.

To start, I took everything off the porch, and started by wiping down everything top to bottom using natural dish soap and water. Crazy what a difference it made!

And who knew how many cobwebs and spiders we had in nooks and crannies!? Maybe they’ll find their way back over the next months and “help” me decorate for Halloween!?

After scrubbing all the surfaces – ceiling, walls, door, railings – I used my favorite fall scented all purpose cleaner to refresh the windows and light fixture.

Last, I tackled the floor, sweeping away the dirt and stray mulch that collected there.

This honestly didn’t take long at all and made a huge impact on how the space felt. If you have the time, I highly recommend deep cleaning your porch before redecorating. If you’re like me and need an incentive, I didn’t let myself put out any of the new stuff until I finish cleaning. I must admit, it does feel rewarding.

Before

After

Modern Fall Porch Planters

An easy way to give your front porch a modern aesthetic is to choose modern planters. I’ve had these black, cube-shaped ones for years and am really happy with the quality. No cracks or other issues, and they look like the much more expensive versions, in my opinion.

Then, a new addition to our home is the smaller round faux terra-cotta planter. It has texture and purposeful imperfections in the finish, which give it a more realistic design even though it’s actually fiberglass.

The round planter was perfect for mums. Originally, I thought I would put mums in the taller planters, but it looked way off balance. So, back to the garden center I went and grabbed these tall grasses, which have wispy, wheat-color blades (is that the right word?) at the top that give them an autumnal look.

Front Door Wreath & Wreath Hook

Next, I hung a wreath on the front door using a matte black hook. The hook is from Amazon and was around $6 – such a steal!

The wreath I chose is a Target find. The wheat tone is exactly what I was looking for. With a red door, traditional fall colors can be a bit much (at least to me). Using a neutral wreath solves that issue.

Copper Lanterns

It was love at first sight with these copper lanterns. Another Target find, they feel sturdy and look high end.

The warm copper tone provides a metallic touch that feels very much like fall.

To finish the look, I added battery-powered flameless candles, which are also from Target. They have a flickering wick, which makes them seem more realistic.