Ah, you can’t wait to get home. But when you pull up to your home, do you find yourself thinking, I wish your porch felt more welcoming? Would you like your front entrance to be more inviting? Here are five ways to help you create a more welcoming entrance and have something to feel good about when you and your family come home.

Clean up & Declutter

Before you come up with a plan for your porch or entrance, first and foremost, make sure it’s clean and clutter-free. Doing this will give you a nice clean slate to look at and imagine what you would like to update or add. Remove furniture, plants, shoes, toys, dog leashes, whatever may be on it. Sometimes we don’t even realize our entrance looks like a used shoe sale or jungle until we start cleaning it up. You’ll be glad you took some time to tidy it up. 

Roll up your sleeves and remove all the cobb webs and give it a good power washing. Make sure to take this time to see if your home is need of exterior painting. This is the perfect opportunity to have it done.

You may also want to take a good look at your doormat. Has it had a good life? Toss it and replace it. Does the furniture need a new coat of paint or do those faded cushions need replacing? That’s an easy Saturday afternoon project. 

Finally, you will want to trim back hedges that are overgrown and spilling into the walkway. If you normally enter your home from the garage, you may not even realize the growth. Your plants will love you for it, too.

Front Doors & Paint Colors

Sometimes a nice pop of color can be a refreshing change and help draw your eye to your front entry. After a few years, front doors get scuffed and weathered. A fresh coat of exterior paint will help give it a clean and new feeling. Need some ideas for color? Here are several exterior paint colors from Sherwin Williams and Benjamin Moore to think about for your front door. 

SEA SALT SW 6204

TRICORN BLACK SW 6258

NEWBURYPORT BLUE Benjamin Moore

CLASSICAL YELLOW SW 2865

Door styles have come a long way. Your options may seem endless and you may need help choosing. Our designers can help you find the perfect paint color and door style that will compliment your home. 

Think about choosing a door with nice big windows. This will make your entrance more open and inviting. If you are worried about privacy, choose a texture like rain glass or stained glass. Again, you will have several options. This will allow light in but not peering eyes. Last, choose door hardware that complements the style of your home and brings together the exterior finishes.

Brighten Your Entrance with Outdoor Lighting

It’s amazing what new and up-to-date outdoor sconces or hanging lights can do to invigorate your front porch. You can add drama and personality by selecting larger lighting fixtures. You can choose from many styles like lantern, barn, contemporary, rustic, or craftsman which come in a huge variety of finishes. 

Also, you can add a few nice landscape path lights that lead right up to your entrance. These will project a nice glow on your walkway, which also adds safety when there are steps or stones. Path lighting is available for hardwiring installation or can be solar-powered. In hardwire landscape lighting you will have a wider selection of styles, sizes, and finishes to compliment your home that will last for many years.

What’s Your Address? House Numbers

House numbers may seem like a small thing, but they’re so crucial to first impressions. Funny how such a small purchase can have a surprisingly big impact. It’s all about adding character with necessary items like numbers. With a quick online search, you will see all you can do to personalize them. 

They can be made of metal, copper, black iron, etc. This is a nice example of a vertical number plate made right here in the US and will not rust, and you have size and color options. If you have a more minimalist style, you can purchase large individual numbers or have a custom sign made to your exact taste even allowing you to add a last name.

Is your house number visible from the street? Most homes have small house numbers that may be hard to read from the street. Be sure to place them where they can be easily seen from the road or driveway. This placement will guide you to getting a vertical or horizontal style. In any case, have fun with them!

Plants & Pots – What To Do

Bring some life to your porch or entrance with potted plants. If you select different types of plants, make them feel cohesive by using the same pots or the same color pots. It’s important not to go crazy with the number you choose to use. 

If you don’t have a green thumb you can keep it very simple and have bright colorful flowers like Vinca’s or Geraniums that require little care. Place these at the top of both sides of your porch landing. This will draw your eye up to the front door. Your front door will not feel cluttered and you won’t be overwhelmed with plant care. 

If you want planters with variety, plant a few different plants in each pot, using the same kinds of plants in each pot. Make sure you include a variety of tall, medium, and cascading plants. 

Perhaps your porch or entrance is symmetrical, use 1 or an even number of plants on both sides of your door. If your door or entrance is not centered to your porch or entrance, use an odd number, 1, 3, or 5 plants to only one side of the door to balance the weight. Stagger the plants in size so you can see all the plants easily.

These are just 5 ideas to make your entry welcoming. If you live in the Raleigh area, call us today at 919-446-1442 to schedule an estimate for your home’s exterior needs. We’d love to make your home’s entrance welcoming.