I’ve got to admit that I finally feel like a real grown-up: for the first time ever, I decked out my front porch for Halloween! Inspired by Phoebe’s obsession with all of the scary front porches around our neighborhood, I decided that this was the year to finally go for it — and decorating the space ended up making for the most fun weekend activity that is officially a new autumn tradition at our house. I teamed up with Target to stock my porch with the cutest goods that also wouldn’t break the bank, so keep scrolling for the details and a few easy tips to boost your home’s curb appeal this fall.
*photos by Molly Winters
The inspiration for my Halloween front porch decor started with this pretty natural wheat wreath. The neutral color and organic texture created the perfect focal piece for my front door.
Adam freshened up our front porch pots with bright orange marigolds. Since they require lots of sunlight to flourish, they’re doing great in this spot.
berry hurricanes and tree slice platters from Target.
Since my front door is made of steel and glass, I skipped the over-the-door wreath hook in favor of a trusty Command hook. To ensure your wreath stays put all season, let the Command strip cure to the door for an hour before hanging your wreath.
Phoebe has been obsessed with everything creepy recently, so I hung these bats on fishing line from our lanterns to look like they’re flying. The bats are programmed so that when trick-or-treaters stop by, their eyes light up and they let out a bat-like screech!
*mouse figurine from Target.
To create a vibe that feels a little more chic than your average haunted house, choose a cohesive color palette and stick with it when shopping for decor. I decided to focus on bright whites, pastel yellows, and soft greens.
*sources: wooden lantern, pillar candles, wooden crate, and crows.
I love a clustered look with lots of pumpkins grouped together — like a little front porch patch! But because the pretty squash in varied colors and shapes can be really pricey, I supplemented the real thing with a handful of these great faux pumpkins that can be reused year after year. The wheat bunch added another pretty organic touch.
If you’re looking for decor with low commitment level, these vinyl bats will be your new go-to. Their adhesive backings made them ridiculously easy to peel and stick on our house’s stucco — and just as easy to remove.
Since the fall is a crazy busy time for pretty much everything, I’m a proponent of keeping Halloween decorating limited to one Saturday or Sunday afternoon — thank goodness Target was a one-stop shop for everything I needed to deck out the space.
Trick-or-treaters, we’re ready for ya!
