You don't need a sprawling wraparound porch to drape your exterior in red, white, and blue. These patriotic porches show how do-it-yourself ideas and party-store staples beautifully combine for maximum Americana style.
Wouldn't you like to grab a slice of cherry pie and curl up on the swing of this dreamy white porch? An exterior with a classic palette of red, white, and blue is always dressed for America's birthday, and its laid-back style is easy to imitate. Start by using vintage-style bunting to carry the red, white, and blue color scheme to the top of your porch. Sprinkle a few festive pillows onto a porch swing or outdoor sofa for an affordable dose of color and pattern. Poke a few flags out of textured vases on the coffee table, and fill the rest with fresh seasonal blooms.
Photo: Better Homes and Gardens
Home improvement staple or darling shelf? This orange-painted ladder is the perfect holder for a tiered arrangement of painted Mason jars filled with fresh-cut sunflowers and tiny American flags. Fun Home Things blogger Katie Drane created a visual link from top to bottom with a DIY fabric garland made from cut scraps and tied along a length of sturdy cording.
Photo: Fun Home Things
Mariah Leeson of Giggles Galore transformed her brick porch into a patriotic surprise. Striped DIY planters surrounding seating and American woven bunting hung from the eaves are perfect decor additions for July Fourth or Memorial Day. Wheel up a bar cart stocked with red, white, and blue serveware before guests arrive. The only thing left to do is grab a cocktail and settle in for fireworks!
Christmas in July takes on a new meaning with these spiral stars. They're fashioned just like snowflakes, but with blue and red paper instead of plain white. Download Lia's templates to make each star, fold according to her directions, and use scissors and a hot-glue gun to assemble. They're beautiful when strung up vertically in front of a window, or you can hang them along porch railing like a garland!
Photo: Lia Griffith
Turn a front door into an explosion of stars and stripes to celebrate the Fourth. Haeley from Design Improvisedhot-glued a cluster of patriotic paper fans around a foam wreath form to make this eye-catching design. She covered wood craft sticks with patterned paper and glued them together to make smaller star shapes to layer over the pinwheels. To hang the wreath, she added a length of satin blue ribbon.
Photo: Design Improvised
This porch proves the power of well-placed accents. Jennifer from The Willow Farmhouse gave a neutral cottage porch a charming and simple patriotic makeover by adding a single flag pillow to the sofa and setting a pair of red wellies near the door. Recreate her look with a pair of seasonal American flag pillows and ceramic boot planters splashed with bright red paint.
Photo: The Willow Farmhouse
Let your flag fly high and celebrate America's birthday in style with a DIY photo backdrop. Morgan from Laughing Latte made this darling project in just 20 minutes. Start by tying long strands of red and white fabric stripes to a large pole or stick. Next, cut a rectangle shape out of a piece of blue fabric and use a stamp and white paint to add stars, then tie it onto the stick. If you don't have a stamp, try self-adhesive glitter stars instead. Hang the flag with a length of sturdy cord and, if you're using your flag as a photo backdrop, make sure it's at the right height for your models!
Photo: Laughing Latte
Those beautifully-lettered chalkboard signs that seem to line sidewalks in summertime can be part of your porch decor, too! Mariah Leeson of Giggles Galore put a July Fourth spin on unfinished chalkboard frames with patterned washi tape, then added celebratory messages with white chalk for a final flourish. Follow her steps for seasoning your chalkboard--it'll make your messages go on smooth and stick around for all the festivities!
Give your front door the star treatment. Tatertots & Jello blogger Jen framed up her entry with a DIY flag wreath and flag accessories. To make the wreath, she wrapped striped satin ribbon and flag garland around a foam wreath form and hung a USA cutout in the center. Extend the theme beyond the front door by tying ribbon bows onto sconces and tucking mini American flags into galvanized pots. That's the spirit!
Photo: Tatertots & Jello
"Something borrowed" isn't just for brides; take a cue from this Charleston wedding's sweet outdoor setup and add a streamer canopy to your front porch or entry for the Fourth. An assortment of red, white, and blue streamers play off the structure created by these string lights for a whimsical, unexpected look overhead. We love how there's an extra jolt of "something blue" with both navy and light blue streamers. Try a fringed design if you're feeling adventurous!
Photo: Virgil Bunao on Style Me Pretty
Mimic the look of antique tin stars with a bit of DIY magic. Start with inexpensive and lightweight cardboard stars and grab a few bottles of acrylic craft paint in patriotic hues to brush on stripes and polka-dots. Once dry, hang them on the exterior of your home or front door for a stunning patriotic display. Vary the sizes and scale of your patterns for dramatic effect.
Photo: Midwest Living
The most difficult part of this tasseled garland is deciding whether it'll look best on your porch railing, front door, or treat table. Carrie Waller of Dream Green DIY made tassels out of tissue paper and strung them onto silver baker's twine at various intervals. For extra sparkle (and for a true fireworks effect), she added silver metallic stars between the tassels. When your garland is finished and ready to hang, use patriotic washi tape to secure it in place.