3 Spring Porch Decor Looks We're Ready to Say Goodbye to in 2023

Naturally, it wouldn’t be “Spring” without (more than a few) beautiful blooms. But the days of manicured, neatly hanging flower boxes are behind us. Not only does it require massive amounts of upkeep—and a small fortune, if you’re adorning the entire railing with flowers—but the whole look feels…contrived. The pandemic has ushered in a new era of messiness (read: unmade beds), and since then, we’ve seen clean, picture-perfect aesthetics (think: modern farmhouse) replaced with more lived-in looks.

We get it: You want your front porch to be trendy, but you also want it to have that refined, front cover of Arch Digest vibe. The best way to do that? By ditching the hanging plants, and instead, curating a vignette with a rattan rolling cart. On one hand, you can dress it up or dress it down with various-sized planters, and you’ll have the freedom to add/remove your blooms if things start to feel too crowded. On the other hand, the rattan offers a relaxed, boho-meets-cottagecore blend, where it’s trendy without being too trendy.

Just like the “gather” signs we saw everywhere in 2016, “welcome” mats have run their course. (And we don’t just mean mats that literally have the word “welcome” written on them—we’re talking about any mat that includes letters, words or a mass-printed design.) Naturally, this goes back to the theme of rebelling against ultra-curated looks. People are yearning for a home that feels like it’s uniquely theirs—and from a design standpoint, the new school of thought is ‘less is more.’

Right now, the look we’re seeing everywhere features low-pile, flat-woven jute doormats. They’re neutral and lightweight, easy to mix and match with your surrounding decor and ultra-ultra durable (aka you won’t have to replace it after a year). That said, if you want your mat to have some personality, look for ones with tone-on-tone patterns (like the one shown above). This can include delicate details, like fringes or stripes, but you want to stray away from heavily printed mats that can overwhelm the space. 

Sorry, modern farmhouse lovers—those lantern lights you were all jazzed about in 2016 are officially dated. We’re talking about anything that has a box-like silhouette, crisscross embellishments or a wrought iron finish. Mainly, this has to do with the explosion of statement lighting. No longer are people looking for clean lines and understated (boring) rectangular shapes. Today’s lighting introductions are all about packing a punch—and your front porch is no exception.  

Yes, we get that your porch needs an exterior light… but does that mean it has to be a sconce? We think not. This year’s look is all about bringing the inside out—and retailers on retailers are showcasing new outdoor pendants and chandeliers that are just as functional as they are beautiful. Think: wicker pendants or ones with aged brass finishes and sputnik chandeliers that closely resemble an art installation. Even better; you can use a hanging light in conjunction with your existing sconces if you’re not in the market to replace them. It’ll draw visual interest away from the lanterns and give your front porch a new main character to ogle at.