Hey hey hey! It’s Pinterest Challenge Day and we are sharing cozy fall porch vignettes. Whether or not you have a large porch or a small stoop we’ve got you covered with ideas that can work anywhere. If you’ve hopped over from Our Southern Home, welcome! And if you’re new to the monthly Pinterest Challenge I think you’re going to really like it. We all take the same photo and recreate it in our own style. Below are several more bloggers joining in with amazing concepts. Let’s get started with how to have a cozy porch without using the beloved mum.
How to Have a Cozy Porch Without Using the Beloved Mum
While I was packing for our work-weekend at the farmhouse, I checked the weather and it said – you’re going to be grouchy. It was going to be 100 degrees. They weren’t wrong. It was unpleasant to say the least and I had little motivation to decorate the porch that needs some serious loving and repairs.
But after looking at the lovely inspiration photo from Rachel and Kevin Quenzer at Sugar Maple Farmhouse, I was more excited. Their porch is beautiful and full of fun vignettes just screaming for someone to come sit a spell.
Sugar Maple Farmhouse
What I see and plan to integrate are the rocking chairs, rugs, pillows, blankets, cornstalks, pumpkins, and overall coziness of course. What I cannot bring myself to integrate are the beautiful mums. As much as I enjoy them, mums require a lot of watering and we are only here for short periods of time. However, the biggest reason is because I buy them around this time, I kill them, then buy them again. My planting/gardening thumbs are cursed.
County Road 407 – Farmhouse Autumn Porch
I prefer planning get-togethers with a menu of homemade soups, breads and some amazing pumpkin spice cake with cream cheese frosting. So obviously my money will be spent on groceries instead.
Bring on the faux fall garland!
All that said, you can still have a cozy, welcoming porch for the autumn season. How you ask? With faux garland, I say! Tucking mums in strategic spaces makes great filler for a fall vignette but so does inexpensive reusable garland. I’ve had these strands for years and remember them costing only $9.99 at Hobby Lobby. Tucking a strand in the nooks and crannies of the pumpkin and gourd vignette looks splendid. Using fall picks will do the same thing so try that too.
Vary your heights when grouping.
Something else that makes a difference in creating a cozy fall porch is how you display your pumpkins and gourds. Sitting them on top of straw bales is always a good idea. Unfortunately the straw makes a big mess so if that isn’t your thing, use crocks, buckets, boxes, logs, etc. Just about anything as long as it helps vary your heights.
County Road 407
Blankets or quilts are must-haves for a cozy porch.
Sugar Maple Farmhouse used a blanket and a pillow on their swing. We don’t have that but the rocking loveseat is popular. I found the pillow last year at the Round Top, TX Antique Fair which btw, is coming up in a couple of weeks if you are interested in going. It’s a bucket list activity for anyone who loves antiques or vintage anything. My favorite booth is called – Dead Peoples Stuff. LOL!
Bringing out the quilts in anticipation of a nice autumn chill was a joke. I might have wiped the sweat off my brow a couple of times so I apologize in advance if you come to visit and get that quilt. Just kidding, I’ll wash it first.
Cornstalks make for great coziness too.
Creating a cozy fall porch isn’t hard if you have the right materials. Besides pumpkins what says fall more than cornstalks? I found these at Lowes for $9.99. I expected them to be way higher in cost this year but pleasantly surprised when they turned out to be the same as last year. Beware if you add cornstalks though. I’ve heard they invite critters because of the actual corn still hanging on them. I’m hoping the foxes we have living under the house will take care of them but there’s my public service announcement for the day.
Scout, the cutest and sweetest of all donkeys
If the foxes don’t get the mice, maybe Scout will. I was sitting on the loveseat trying to cool off when she walked by. I know I’ve been talking about how to have a cozy porch without using the beloved mum but even if I didn’t put one piece of fall decoration on the porch, just watching her is pretty comforting too.
Next up in today’s Pinterest Challenge is DIY Beautify with her cozy vibes on the back porch. Don’t forget to check out all the other posts – You’ll be so glad you did!
Cindy,
I didn’t miss the mums because your porch looks fabulous with all the corn stalks. I’m obsessed with them this year.
Author
Thank you Rachel. You’ve had several amazing ideas using cornstalks! I loved each one and told myself if I could get to the store and get another, I wanted to make garland.
Where do I start! Who needs mums when you have the best pick of the pumpkins and cornstalks?! Everything is displayed so pretty and I’m sure you’ll be enjoy those quilts before too long. My favorite photo is the pumpkin sitting on the milk can with the rusty stars! Love it all and cute little Scout!
Author
Aww, thanks so much Michelle. It was soooooo nice waking up in the 60’s this morning. Now I’m finally in the mood to decorate our porch here in HV. 🙂
Cindy,
This is so perfectly cottage. I love the quilts on the ladder. Navasota must be beautiful in the fall.
Author
When you get outside of town and venture the country roads, it’s gorgeous! The rolling hills with huge trees. My favorite trip is probably heading to Brenham. Most people don’t see this part of Texas and think it’s flat and desert looking. Far from it. Did you dad ever say it was pretty?
HI Cindy, You have the best porch and you know how I love a milk can.
laura in Colorado
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Yes I do Laura. 😉 Milk cans are awesome. Happy Fall!
Just beautiful and I love Scout!!! You are so lucky to be able to have her!! I love them. Oh and your porch looks great too!! LOL
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I adore her as well. During the winter when she’s all fuzzy, she’s even cuter – If that’s actually possible. Thanks so much Debbie.
Cindy, I know it felt weird to decorate the front porch for Fall when the temperatures were in the 90’s. But Monday morning the temps dropped, there was a nice breeze and no humidity. Maybe the fall front porch brought fall. I do love your ideas about using faux garland. It’s the only way to get the fall color and feel we want. Thank you for hosting.
Author
Wasn’t it nice to wake up in the 60’s?! I’m so excited!!! It’s got me more motivated to get out and do the porchette here in Highland Village and maybe even the neighbors too! Thanks for the visit Carol. Enjoy the weather!
Gosh, last weekend was a doozy here too! Of course it was Family Weekend at U of M and we were at the afternoon football game, sweating through everything! I admire your perseverance Cindy, your porch is so cozy! Loving the fall garland, don’t even miss the mums, and really want to shop Dead People’s Stuff with you LOL!
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Come on girl and we’ll go to Round Top together and have the very best of times. Bring a trailer. You’ll need it! 🙂
Absolutely beautiful, my friend. The perfect place to spend chatting with loved ones on a cool Fall evening. Hugs to you.
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Thank you Renae. It really is the best place. The surrounding pastures are so peaceful with the animals. Happy Fall!
I love how your porched turned out, Cindy! It looks cozy and welcoming for fall with just a few simple touches. That little Scout is adorable…I would love to have a donkey someday!!
Author
Thank you Rachel. And having a donkey is awesome. I love giving her treats. Hope you get to have one someday.
what mums? your porch is always wonderful!! foxes under the porch?… oh my! Hopefully you’ll get some cool fall air soon!
Author
Yes, we have foxes under the house. At first we thought it was bad then we realized it’s better than a cat and they’ll keep all the other critters away! Now if they’d eat the nasty lizards that hang around the back door I’d be ever so grateful. Thank you Debra!
Wish I lived closer and I’d come and spend some time on your pretty and cozy front porch. It was 52 degrees this morning but suppose to reach 89, I don’t know how it can be so cool and still get so hot, although that’s better than your 100. Stay cool and enjoy your front porch and cute donkey.
Author
Aww, I wish you lived closer to Marlene. I’d love having you over! We woke up in the 60’s so I’m super excited. Fall weather is coming! 🙂
Oh i love your porch, is is wonderful. I am a quilt lover, so I love the ladder filled with such treasures. Great tip about using the leaf garland around in in the middle of a vignette. Love it all.
Author
I love old quilts too. I look for more every chance I get. Thanks for the sweet comment Marty. Happy Fall!
Your porch is such a beautiful space, so cozy and perfect for fall! Thank you for sharing your wonderful ideas!
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I appreciate that AnnMarie, thank you so much.
Cindy, Scout is adorable!! She looks so peaceful out there… I’m glad you picked up some cornstalks as they sure do add the drama! What a lovely effect!! Bravo for using the garland with all of your gourds. <3 My old mums bloomed in July and August from former pots planted into the front flowerbeds. 😉
Enjoy your lovely porch and those gorgeous sunsets,
Hugs,
Barb 🙂
Author
I have no doubt you and your green thumbs can keep mums blooming all year round if you tried. Sadly, I didn’t get that gene. Hope to hear you’re sitting in that chair on your front porch greeting the delivery people!
I can’t imagine decorating for Fall when it’s 100 degrees; you’re a trooper! I always take the corn OFF my cornstalks before I decorate with them. Then I use the cornhusks to decorate other places-win/win! The hay bales are worse for mice for me:( The quilts on the ladder are adorable! I seriously want to come over and pick some of that moss hanging from your trees; I have to buy it!
Author
Well send me your address and I’ll send you some moss! We have more than we can deal with sometimes. As for the corn, that ‘s a great idea! I probably should pick them off but that would require extra work and drops of sweat so that’s a big fat nope. As for the hay bales, I use straw. Maybe that makes a difference? Hope the critters leave you alone this year. They gross me out. Definitely not cute like Ratatouille. 😉