Decorating Guides
A Peek at 2 Prettily Dressed Fall Porches
Pumpkins, fall flowers and flea market finds help two Ohio porches get into the seasonal spirit
Good friends Charlene Miller and Merry Munk enjoy sharing and showing off their salvage style on their central Ohio porches. These two can often be found scouring flea markets, auctions and garage sales in search of their next treasures. Their finds all eventually succumb to the extreme Midwestern weather, but the resulting patina is part of their appeal.
Whether you're looking for ways to perk up your porch or repurpose a secondhand find, let these photos inspire you to dress up your home's front this fall.
Whether you're looking for ways to perk up your porch or repurpose a secondhand find, let these photos inspire you to dress up your home's front this fall.
1. Charlene Miller's Porch: Finds From Farms and Markets
This inviting seating area is on Miller's porch. The chipping paint on the table and chair confirms their history. The table, sans legs, came from her aunt. The wagon holding gourds in the flower bed was saved from a metal scrapyard.
This inviting seating area is on Miller's porch. The chipping paint on the table and chair confirms their history. The table, sans legs, came from her aunt. The wagon holding gourds in the flower bed was saved from a metal scrapyard.
Corn stalks pulled from Miller's family farm make her doorway welcoming in an autumn country way. Her extended family grows corn and soybeans on 500 acres in Madison County.
She plans to swap out the corn stalks for narrow lit Christmas trees this winter and hang a pine needle wreath. In addition, the windows will get wreaths, and pine garlands will wrap the posts.
Miller's Amish grandmother used the crock on the right side of the step to make pickles.
She plans to swap out the corn stalks for narrow lit Christmas trees this winter and hang a pine needle wreath. In addition, the windows will get wreaths, and pine garlands will wrap the posts.
Miller's Amish grandmother used the crock on the right side of the step to make pickles.
Homegrown gourds fill a toolbox Miller bought at an auction. She'll fill it with greenery for Christmas and flowers in the summer.
To grow the gourds, Miller discarded last year's gourds in her garden, let them compost over the winter, then tilled them into the ground at the start of the growing season.
To grow the gourds, Miller discarded last year's gourds in her garden, let them compost over the winter, then tilled them into the ground at the start of the growing season.
Miller divided her porch into sections, creating several seating areas. The wagon with the star cutout, far right, was a gift from her friend Merry Munk.
Petunias and mums add a burst of color to this section. The iron Ferris wheel, discarded by a friend, now makes a good holder for miniature pumpkins and gourds. Miller made the "Fall Blessings" pillow using felt letters ironed on with fusible webbing.
Miller and her dad made this market pushcart together. "I found the wheels from an auction and knew I wanted to make a pushcart with it eventually. It just took me five years to do it," Miller says. The milk can atop the cart belonged to her Amish grandfather.
Wheelbarrow handles allow better maneuverability of the cart. Its intended purpose was to disguise a well, but Miller intends to move it around the yard. For example, she envisions using it as a beverage cart in the summer when entertaining. She also intends to add gift wrapped boxes and a Christmas tree on it this winter.
Decorating lessons from Miller's porch: Decorate your porch like it is a room inside your house. Don't worry about the weather. Patina gives a warm welcome.
Decorating lessons from Miller's porch: Decorate your porch like it is a room inside your house. Don't worry about the weather. Patina gives a warm welcome.
2. Merry Munk's Porch: Country-Living Style
Thirty minutes away, in a nearby town, Miller's friend Munk has her own patina style.
Munk uses her porch as a creative outlet for her love of decorating. To achieve full and vibrant hanging baskets, Munk purchased plants in moss baskets and fertilized them daily.
Thirty minutes away, in a nearby town, Miller's friend Munk has her own patina style.
Munk uses her porch as a creative outlet for her love of decorating. To achieve full and vibrant hanging baskets, Munk purchased plants in moss baskets and fertilized them daily.
This area of Munk's front porch boasts a beautiful antique cabinet and bent-willow furniture. Munk stores seasonal decorations inside the cabinet, keeping them within reach, since she changes the decorations on her porch each month.
The birdcage is from the Springfield Antique Show and Flea Market. The "Home Sweet Home" banner is from a barn sale at The French Hen Farm.
The birdcage is from the Springfield Antique Show and Flea Market. The "Home Sweet Home" banner is from a barn sale at The French Hen Farm.
The shuttered cabinet and chandelier add privacy and character to this side of the porch.
Munk swaps out the decorations on her porch each month to coincide with seasonal celebrations. November will have a Thanksgiving theme, December will be Christmas and January will feature snowmen.
Munk swaps out the decorations on her porch each month to coincide with seasonal celebrations. November will have a Thanksgiving theme, December will be Christmas and January will feature snowmen.
Although Munk lives in a housing development on a small lot, she decided to grow her own pumpkins in her front flower bed. The broad leaves make a nice border in summer and early fall. She uses the pumpkins as part of her decor, as jack-o'-lanterns and for pumpkin pie.
Pumpkin growing tip: Start with good soil, fertilize regularly and water twice daily on hot days.
Pumpkin growing tip: Start with good soil, fertilize regularly and water twice daily on hot days.
Munk is uninhibited when it comes to displaying art, hanging a favorite piece on her exterior wall just as she would inside the house. The "Country Living" sign is from the Springfield Antique Show and Flea Market.
This part of Munk's flower bed is dedicated to growing herbs: Italian and curled parsley, lavender, sage, cilantro, chives, basil, golden lemon thyme and Greek oregano.
Munk thoroughly enjoys her porch, using it as a place for socializing with neighbors, relaxing with a lemonade on a hot day and waiting for the school bus.
Decorating lessons from Munk's porch: Let people get to know a bit about you through your decorating before they even reach the front door. And if you have a front porch, use it for yourself and share it with the neighbors.
This part of Munk's flower bed is dedicated to growing herbs: Italian and curled parsley, lavender, sage, cilantro, chives, basil, golden lemon thyme and Greek oregano.
Munk thoroughly enjoys her porch, using it as a place for socializing with neighbors, relaxing with a lemonade on a hot day and waiting for the school bus.
Decorating lessons from Munk's porch: Let people get to know a bit about you through your decorating before they even reach the front door. And if you have a front porch, use it for yourself and share it with the neighbors.
Miller (left) and Munk on Munk's front porch.
Share your front porch with us: Post your best fall photo below!
Share your front porch with us: Post your best fall photo below!
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