I’m all about embracing the softer side of autumn,
like what you previously saw in the Fall Home Tour.

but….

Fall decor on my front porch is a little bit different….
for no other reason than because it has to be.

I live just a couple hundred miles from the Arctic Circle, where.
weather conditions include early freezes,
windstorms, rain, and now in October, a blanket of white is due any day now.
Inclement weather isn’t friendly to fresh pumpkins or flowers so
it is pointless to try and force it.

 Fifteen years ago this discouraged me until I realized
that I had to quit looking
at all the ways it was impossible and instead focus on ways it is possible to decorate a porch for fall.

This change of perception made a world of difference
and I’m going to share what I do differently than most bloggers do.

Hopefully, it will be a game changer for those who live in truly cold wintery places.
You know- places like Narnia, Alaska, North Dakota, Michigan, Wisconson, Denmark, maybe the Yukon.
Not sure if they even have internet in the Yukon, Canada, yet.
They didn’t even have cell phone signals when I was there a few years ago.

Decorating Fall Porches In Cold States Ideas

First things first- Let’s Talk About Outdoor Furniture

My front porch is covered but that doesn’t mean it stays dry or clean.
Far from it!
A solid bench, iron or wood, is much easier to keep clean than cushioned furniture.

If I didn’t already have a bench that I love,
I would most definitely choose one these for my front porch.

Take a look-
(affiliate link)
Outdoor Romance Bench
Patio Garden Bench

The photo above is not fabulous,
but it gives you an idea what the size and shape of my front porch is like.
It has more of a farmhouse style, with steps leading up to
three tiered levels before reaching the front door.

Let’s hope Santa brings me the lens
I’ve been wishing for. It will help for these types of wider angle photos.
I don’t do any photoshopping to my photos.
It’s kind of what you see is what you get with me.

What Items Soften An Outdoor Space & Are Functional In Wet Autumn/Winter Weather

The gray plaid throw and faux fur rug add coziness and warmth to this outdoor space.

The pillows are for added comfort on the
chilly 28- degree mornings that we have had the past few weeks.

They certainly help keep the backside a bit warmer.
“Sitting on a cold bench waiting for the pups sounds like fun,” said no one, ever!

Definitely, include a warm blanket or two and a couple of pillows.
The pillows are just a few older ones that I had on hand.
I purchased this throw at Joannes.
It isn’t available online,  but I found one almost dentical to mine.

(affiliate link)
Lifestyle Plaid Throw

Shoosh! The Outdoor Rug Has A Secret

This is my Sebastian. He’s like finding Waldo in so many of the photos I take.
You can be certain that every rug or blanket laid out is just for him!

My dirty little secret about the area rug is it isn’t really a rug at all.

It’s a large cut of fabric that I folded over
and used to help define the space.

I found one that looks identical to my knock-off version.

(affiliate)
Faux Fur Rug
Dog is unavailable but agrees with purchases of rugs.

Just trying to be creative with my photography in this photo.

How To Use Faux Flowers Outdoors

Instead of fresh flowers I use silk ones mixed in with interesting textural pieces
like the triple stacked pumpkin pick and the round balls that are Lord only knows what.

Your guess is as good as mine on that.
They were things I had on hand along with the greenery.

Everything else was purchased at Joannes Fabric.

Mix in a variety of textures and add varying levels of height.

I used hydrangeas, some berry sprays, and amaranthus.
In the center, I poked in a few weathered branches for a bit of a rustic look.

The key to using faux flowers outdoors is to use them sparingly in 1-2 pots.
This keeps the eyes moving around and makes any obvious imperfections far less noticeable.

What not to do is plop a few silk bushes into an urn or a pot
and not accessorize by adding in some other elements.
That’s not a good look.
It’s always a dead giveaway that the flowers are fake.
The next best give away is when snow hits the ground.
Ya, that’s real obvious then, but we will cross that bridge when we get to it.

Why Faux Pumpkins Are A Must

Just like fresh flowers, those don’t last once those temps dip below freezing.
White ones will get brown spots. Other varieties turn black.
It’s not a good look.
Don’t even try to use them once temps get in the 30’s.

All the larger pumpkins are faux.
All were painted a creamy white except for the large
Funkin Pumpkin next to the bench. I mixed a custom color just for that gal.

Earlier in the season, prior to freezing temps,
I will mix in a few real pumpkins but it’s not something I splurge on.

In our good favor, the fakes are becoming more and more realistic looking.
The Funkin Pumpkin is my favorite so far!
(affiliate link)
Faux Pumpkin

Here I used an old candle jar and wrapped it in a bit of jute for a little bit of texture.

On my front door, I hung this wreath that I also found at Joann’s.
The photo on their website is not an accurate depiction of what the wreath looks like.

Take a look at the Blooming Autumn Flower Wreath.

Am I imagining things here?

For someone, a blogger who doesn’t do photoshop or know the first thing about it,
I think my photo is much better at showing how this pretty wreath really looks.

The only thing I added is the green and white berry picks.
It definitely looked a little sparse in areas.
I also added a pretty green ribbon to string it up.

Now here I’m going to share another tip….
I duct taped it to the top of my door.
Not in a visible area!
It’s at the very tip-top of my door.

I’m so redneck sometimes.
Lol
Just for the sake of it….
I’m including an affiliate for Duct Tape.
Every woman needs that in their emergency design kits & for redneck wreath hanging.

(affiliate link)
Good Old Duct Tape

There are ways to give your porch a fall style that go beyond fresh blooming flowers
and heirloom pumpkins that are commonly seen all over Pinterest and amongst bloggers.

 I’ve covered all my tips and shared what I do to make it work for the state I live in.
My ideas and what I do aren’t going to be ideal for everyone.

If I lived back in Texas, a state that allowed me to keep fresh flowers
lingering outside a bit longer or anywhere that the price of fresh pumpkins
wasn’t 80¢ per pound, things would be decorated quite different.

But no one should feel as if they should forgo
adding a fall touch to outdoor areas simply because the weather doesn’t permit
or out of fear of the banter from truculent biddies.

Create that cozy fall porch and have fun experimenting.
Create a look that makes your heart full of joy and welcomes your loved ones into your home.

In case you missed it,
you keep the inspiration coming by clicking the photos below and visiting some of my other posts.

 This week I will be joining these blogs:

French Country Cottage | Shabbylicious Friday