Does your front entrance have you in a design quandary? If you’ve found it challenging to decorate your front entrance with a style that complements your home’s architectural elements, fits your budget, and feels authentic to your personality – you’re not alone. Designing a front entrance can be a challenging decor dilemma to solve (and an important one at that). Since your front entrance marks the first impression of your home, a jaded aesthetic will downgrade your curb appeal fast if you’re not careful.

And whether you’re starting with a blank canvas or brainstorming a refresh, making over your front entrance can be an extremely creative, fun, and satisfying project to tackle. But if you’re looking to create a long-lasting, beautiful result, there are a few design strategies you may want to consider before you dive in. Ahead, we share 12 professional design techniques you can use year after to spruce up your front entrance no matter your budget or style.

1| Start with Inspiration

Diving into a front entrance makeover project may have you feeling equally excited as overwhelmed. Especially if you’re tackling larger square footage like a wrap-around porch or long walkways— it may be hard to pinpoint a design strategy from the start. But the best way to dive into the creative process of designing your front entrance is to gather inspiration— whether it’s from magazines, Pinterest, books, or movies— and then tap into design styles (and placement of objects, colors, and textures) you love. And if you’re searching online for inspiration, trim down your browsing time and plan confidently by plugging in the exact keywords to describe your front door landscape (and the details that matter to you most). For example:

1. White farmhouse front door with wooden steps
2. Southern-style home with wrap-around porch
3. Coastal front entrance with blue door
4. French country stucco home with arched door

Once you’ve gathered some inspiration, narrowing down your design direction will feel more approachable.

2| Choose Form & Function Before Beauty

Drawing from your favorite inspiration hubs may ease you into a design flow, but it’s important to prioritize function and form before beauty. In fact, don’t let online platforms like social media fool you! Many of these photos are staged to perfection using artificial lighting and add-on decor to produce a flawless image (but may not actually reflect what the space looks like every day). So before diving into your front entrance makeover, focus on how you actually use your space. Define what’s important to you. Types of things to consider:

1. Do you need comfortable seating or rocking chairs since you like to spend a lot of time outdoors?
2. Do you live in an area prone to heavy snow storms, so mud and snow tracking indoors is a problem (and need a high-quality outdoor mat or boot tray)?
3. Do you need a door number because guests and visitors often have trouble finding your home?
4. Would a wall-mounted mailbox or package drop zone help keep your front entrance tidy?
5. Do you have a long front door pathway or stairs where extra lighting like sconces or pathway solar lights could enhance visibility?

3| Do a Deep Cleaning

You may also be surprised to find how quickly a front entrance can look outdated just because it’s not clean! Depending on your front entrance’s layout and configuration, scrubbing your door, sweeping your porch, cleaning your lighting sconces (especially glass) or power washing your entire front zone (including your pathways) will immediately revive your space. You may even notice a slight color change in your build or finishing materials from your front door paint to siding and brick pavers!

4| Purge Your Front Area

Keeping a tidy appearance goes hand in hand with organizing your existing design elements. Start by sorting through the pieces you already own to define what you’ll keep, trash, or donate before starting a new design scheme. Now is the perfect opportunity to take a step back and take stock of your space as is. What’s working? What do you want to highlight? Upgrade? Replace? For example, maybe you already have side-by-side sconces by your front door, but they’re rusting so swapping in a new pair will instantly upgrade your front entrance. Reflecting on your space in this way will help you invest in the right pieces, prevent costly re-dos, and build a design that aligns with your lifestyle and design goals.

5| Measure Twice

With a thoughtful design plan in motion and a clean front entrance, you may be tempted to start shopping, but wait! Grab your tape measure and get all the specs you need beforehand. To start, if you have a larger front entrance, measure the perimeter of the space, including its width, length, and height, to create an accurate floor plan (especially important if you’re adding seating and furniture). Or, if you’re bringing in stairway decor, greenery, or planters — be sure to measure the depth, length, width, and height of your stairs or any relevant nooks and crannies prior to setting up. This ensures you buy pieces that fit your space, do not impede your walkway areas and mitigate unnecessary returns.

6| Set Your Investment Based on Your Needs List

And before you shop, it’s also important to set a clear budget for yourself based on the needs of your front entrance. What are the non-negotiables you absolutely need right away? Then, include the extras you’d love to have, whether that’s seasonal decor or holiday cheer. Once you have your needs (and wants) list organized, you can either shop your full design or purchase over time from your primary list. Thinking through your budget ahead of time prevents you from buying low-quality pieces you may have to repurchase at a later time.

7| Figure Out Maintenance Levels You Can Keep Up With

Real flowers and greenery can add a beautiful touch to any front entrance, but this design approach may be hard to use if you don’t have the time to maintain them. It can also be incredibly difficult to keep your front porch garden thriving if you buy plants that do not align with your home’s climate and light conditions. So when in doubt, don’t be afraid to lean on faux topiary or greenery instead if you’re unable to maintain real plants as needed. Or, search for low-maintenance greenery or plants.

Top Tip:

Always scout plants that will thrive in your specific climate and light conditions, which will lead to a more sustainable design long-term. For example, if you have a front entrance without a canopy or awning (exposing your front door plants to full sun all day), buy full sun-tolerant plants. If nothing fits, invest in high-quality faux plants and flowers instead. With faux plants – always verify their UV- and outdoor rating (so they do not fade or crack over time).

8| Use Symmetry

Whether you use faux or real plants, designing a welcoming front entrance largely depends on your arrangement. And an easy arrangement trick is to use symmetry. For example, place identical lanterns and planters on both sides of your front entrance or use side-by-side wreaths if you have double doors. Using symmetry (whether formal or informal) will absolutely help you achieve a more cohesive look — directing attention to your home’s front door (which is also the central point of your exterior).

9| Don’t Ignore The Architecture of Your Home

As you fine-tune your design approach, it’s crucial to pick pieces that complement the innate style and architecture of your exterior. For example: if you have a traditional home, consider ornate lanterns or sconces for your light fixtures or vice versa, if you have a more modern facade, choose minimalist iterations. This same concept applies to your other pieces, too, especially planters. You’ll want to pick planters that harmonize with your home’s exterior. For example, traditional stone or ceramic pots work well with classic styles, while geometric metal planters can make the perfect companion to a modern home. This strategy may seem trivial, but buying unmatched pieces can have a big impact – leading to a disjointed and unappealing aesthetic.

10| Invest and Develop a Timeless Base Layer

Another cost-effective and sustainable way to upgrade your front entrance is to invest in pieces (from the start) that are built-to-last, timeless, and adaptable to your yearly seasonal flow. For example, if you buy a set of faux triple-ball boxwood topiary and place one on each side of your door — you won’t have to worry about weekly maintenance or taking them down as the seasons change because they’re timeless!

11 | Add Seasonal Charm

Now with a solid base, layering in decor to meet your seasonal or holiday needs will feel effortless. For example, if you have a neutral wreath, add an oversized LED black bow with witch feet as Halloween approaches (bonus: secure it on a spooky skeleton wreath hanger). You can also swap out your bow styles by using plaid or glittery patterns for Christmas and topping off the whole arrangement with string lights. Or, invest in timeless planters you can keep out year-round (but just update your florals, either faux or real) as the seasons change. You can even invest in a quality, handmade mat from 100% coir (an eco-friendly material known for its resistance to the elements and scrubbing power) that will function and look stunning year-round.

12 | Give Your Front Door a Fresh Coat of Paint

Did you know for a standard-sized, primed exterior door, you typically only need about one quart of paint? This bang-for-your-buck DIY project is a surefire way to boost your home’s curb appeal instantly (bonus: no pros required). To start, either experiment with a new color or give your existing color a fresh coat. And remember, always sample your color first if you’re exploring a new hue! Clueless which color scheme would work for you? Paint companies like Sherwin Williams and Benjamin Moore provide complimentary virtual consultations (or at a nominal fee).

13| Invest in Upgrades That Double-Duty As Function & Decor

When it comes to upgrading any of your front entrance essentials, explore stylish iterations. A few front door basics you can’t live without include lighting, signage and hardware. Start by scouting high-quality hardware such as door handles, locks, and hinges. Or try new sconces. Or replace dingy door numbers! These utilitarian upgrades will also make your front entrance more visually appealing. Seating can be another opportunity to touch on both function and style! You can buy outdoor furniture with performance fabrics in colors and patterns that complement your home.

14| Focus on Lighting

Whether you choose classic lantern-style lights, sleek modern fixtures, or subtle ground-level lights— adding illumination to your exterior is key to creating an inviting entrance. Plus, lighting will help you highlight the architectural details of your home and provide safe, clear access to your front door.

15| Add Structural Upgrades

If you’re considering more in-depth renovations to elevate your front entrance, there are a myriad of structural upgrades you can try. Depending on the architecture of your home, you may look into columns, detailed trim work around your doors and windows, pediments, arches, canopies, corbels, fences, or any millwork. A brand-new door can also enhance your curb appeal instantly. All of these ideas can add a sense of style and depth to your home.