Boosting your home’s curb appeal doesn’t require a massive amount of time and effort.
Here are five modern front porch ideas — best of all, you can tackle all of these projects in just one weekend.
1. Remove the Porch Railing
Modern front porches have clean lines and no clutter, so here’s an idea for folks with ground-level porches: remove the railing.
Elevated front porches need railing for people’s safety. However, if the railing on your low-lying front porch is more of a barrier than a safety feature, get rid of it!
You can easily remove wood front porch railing with a sledgehammer.
Just knock the balusters out one by one, then remove the top and bottom rails.
If your railing runs between columns, use wood putty to fill holes on the columns. Once it’s dry, lightly sand it and paint to match.
2. Take Out Overgrown Shrubs
Tall, out-of-control shrubs make your front porch feel claustrophobic. Plus, they block the view.
Modern front porches are easy on the eyes, so here’s an idea: Dig up those shrubs’ roots with a garden shovel and remove them.
A quality garden shovel should be sharp enough to cut through the roots so you can remove them by hand.
If you have a truck with a trailer hitch, here’s a fast way to tackle the job: First, wrap a tie-down strap around the shrub and attach the other end to the trailer hitch. Then, slowly press the gas to drag the shrub out by its roots. (If your truck doesn’t have a trailer hitch, check out our comprehensive instructions for installing a tow hitch)
But before you do this, loosen up the dirt around the shrub so you don’t take a huge chunk of soil out and are left with a deep hole to fill.
3. Paint Shutters a Modern Color
Modern front porches feature contemporary colors, so here’s an idea: head to the home center and pick out paint that will stand the test of time. Just changing the color of your shutters can have the same impact as a whole-house paint job.
Switch out a distracting or dated shutter color with gray. This modern, neutral color will blend the look of the shutters seamlessly with the rest of your home.
Of these five modern front porch ideas, this one is probably the easiest. You don’t have to remove the shutters to paint them.
Just clean the shutters with soapy water and a rag and wipe them dry with a microfiber cloth. Then, line the edges with painter’s tape and start painting.
4. Paint a Fun Pattern on the Floor
Does your front porch floor look dull and plain? Make it pop with a pattern!
Painting a pattern on your concrete floor will add character and hide any imperfections. The design you pick can also make a drastic difference, so choose carefully. A zigzag pattern adds visual variety and vertical lines give the illusion of elongating your porch.
All you need is a stencil pattern, some painter’s tape, a brush and your favorite paint color.
5. Replace Tall Bushes With Low Plants
Tall bushes can make your front porch feel more like confinement than a retreat. Modern front porches have a streamlined appearance. So, if you want to keep some green along your porch, here’s an idea: plant some low-growing plants.
Short perennials like geraniums and violets stay low to the ground and will add a splash of color along your front porch.
For green foliage all year long, plant hostas and monkey grass. Both plants don’t grow too tall, plus they’ll display colorful blooms during the summer.
Spread these low-growing plants out for a more open feel and extra impact. Fill in the space between each plant with some pine straw bedding.
Want to extend your modern front porch update to your backyard? Exmark Backyard Smart answers the lawn-and-garden questions homeowners are looking for. Find projects and inspiration to help you live your best backyard life.
Watch the video above to find out more.
