Welcome to My Five Favorites today! Warm weather is finally on our doorstep and I suspect we're all feeling the itch to spruce things up outside. This month we're sharing our five favorite ways to decorate the porch and patio. Remember to join these lovely ladies for their great outdoor ideas today as well-
Pam from Simple Details
Lisa from Shine Your Light
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COLORFUL FRONT DOOR
Not surprisingly, my favorite way to decorate outside is with color! Changing out our front door last year and painting it this vibrant blue completely changed the look of the front of our home. Painting your door is such a simple project that makes a big impact.
FERNS
My favorite ferns are "Kimberly Queen." They are much heartier than Boston Ferns and take neglect fairly well. They love as much water as you can give them, but they'll tolerate several days without watering as well. Mine are usually mostly shaded but can withstand some daytime sun.
They're generally easy to find at Lowe's and Home Depot. Lowe's usually carries a giant $30 size (in the first fern photo above) which I have bought before, but for the past few years I've bought the $14 size. They are really a great size to start with and grow fairly quickly through the season.
Sometimes I actually plant them in my urns, but often I dig out a hole and drop them down still in their plastic pot for two reasons- 1) if I set them out early in the season I can still pull them in at night if in danger of a frost (same for late in the season- I can move them in when a freeze threatens but the days are still warm) and 2) the roots dig in so strongly that if I actually plant them they are very difficult to remove from the urns at the end of the season. Like, I have to cut them out with a knife. So, they do just fine left in their pots but rimmed with soil inside the urn.
OUTDOOR RUGS
Just like inside a home, a rug warms up the space and transforms a porch or patio into an "outdoor living space." ;) I get questions about this Ikea rug often. It's not marketed as an indoor/outdoor rug, but it's made up of the same material as many other outdoor rugs. Mine is in a covered area, but it still gets wet occasionally in a hard rain. We hose it down once or twice a year for a good cleaning. It's held up perfectly outside.
I recently wrote a post about layering doormat rugs and gave many ideas for possible combos. I love the look- who can resist another opportunity to mix color and pattern?
Even a simple DIY rug can add so much warmth to your porch and front door-
LANTERNS
They work year round, I love to fill them according to the season and tuck them here and there.
GREENERY WREATH
Lastly, I'm loving a wreath on my front door these days. I know that's not a groundbreaking idea, but in the past when my front door had oval shaped glass a round wreath never felt quite right. Now that our front door is solid I can decorate however I please! I've enjoyed this preserved boxwood wreath both on the porch and the patio, although it does need to be kept out of direct sunlight. I also love this faux olive wreath for a nice alternative to the boxwood.
So, here are all 5 of my favorites in one happy photo... color, ferns, lanterns, rugs, and a wreath! :)
What's your favorite way to decorate outdoors? Early on in our My Five Favorites series, we wrote a similar post about our favorite ways to decorate an outdoor space. Stop by and check that post out for even more outdoor decorating inspiration. Don't forget to hop over and check out these other great ideas too!
Missed any previous My 5 Favorites posts? Catch up here!
My 5 Favorite Paint Colors
My 5 Favorite Quick and Easy Holiday Decorating Ideas
My 5 Favorite Tips for Organizing Your Home
My 5 Favorite Home Decor Accessories
My 5 Favorite Ways to Decorate for Spring
My 5 Favorite Pillows
My 5 Favorite Ways to Decorate an Outdoor Space
My 5 Favorite Fabrics
My 5 Favorite DIY Projects
My 5 Favorite Ways to Use Mixed Metals
My 5 Favorite DIY Artwork Projects
My 5 Favorite Tabletop Accessories
My 5 Favorite Recipes for the Holidays
My 15 Favorite- Holiday Wish List
My 5 Favorite Organizing Tools
My 5 Favorite Ways to Celebrate Valentine's Day
My 5 Favorite Thrifted Finds
My 5 Favorite Ikea Products
My 5 Favorite Paint Projects
My 5 Favorite Home Gadgets
My 5 Favorite Summer Accessories
My 5 Favorite Before and After Projects
My 5 Favorite Beauty and Hair Products
My 5 Favorite Ideas for Decorating Kids' Rooms
My 5 Favorite Tips to Tame the Holiday Crazy
My 15 Favorites- Holiday Gift Guide
My 5 Favorite Ways to Organize Room by Room
My 5 Favorite Budget Friendly Home Projects
My 5 Favorite Home Basics I Can't Live Without
My 5 Favorite Budget Friendly Home Projects
My 5 Favorite Home Basics I Can't Live Without
Jennifer, I love how you noted that the Kimberly Ferns take neglect well, that means they are perfect for me!! :) :) :) Your covered outdoor space and fireplace is so dreamy.....I love how it feels like an extension of your interior rooms with the rug and decor!
ReplyDeleteLove your fun door color, whenever I see one it always makes me curious about the decor inside! :) And, I need to get busy and DIY a front door mat ~ it looks fabulous, my friend!
ReplyDeleteEverything is so pretty outside - just like inside! Thank you so much for having me today.
ReplyDeleteI'm in love with those blue and white floral placemats!! Do you have a source for those? You are amazing!
ReplyDeleteThanks! I don't remember but I think I got them a few years ago from At Home. They were clearance last pack left kind of deal, though...
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