It's that time of year when the days become longer, the sun shines brighter and our thoughts turn to the outdoors. Do you have an outdoor space that you want to refresh for spring? Today I'm joining Krista at the Happy Housie and my blogger friends to share our front porch decor for the Seasonal Simplicity spring series. 

I'm all about effortless and easy decorating ideas - who wants to spend time decorating when you could be out there enjoying the warmer weather? You can use these porch decorating ideas for spring and summer. Use these ideas to create curb appeal and a welcoming space throughout the coming months. 

Where should you start when decorating your small front porch? Typically there are a few areas you want to focus on. First will be the front door. You'll want to highlight this area with a few accessories and seasonal porch decorations like a spring wreath and a welcome mat. 

The next area is your sitting area. Your porch furniture might consist of rocking chairs, a porch swing, or an outdoor bench. Whatever furniture you use on your small porch, you'll want to create a focal point in this zone. 

Lastly, put attention to any outdoor urns or planters you might have. Floral displays, especially in springtime, are a welcome and attractive feature.

I'll be honest - it's been difficult to decorate our porch for spring because it's still feeling a little like winter here! We've had snow and hail over the past week, we're still wearing our puffy coats, and doing any sort of work outdoors still sounds unappealing.

But I was determined to give our home's front facade a boost. I have plans to repaint our front door and I still have to put new plants in our outdoor urns but those things can wait. For now, I've decided to focus just on our sitting area. It's very noticeable from the street and really sets the tone for our outdoor living space. 

Imagine sitting in a cozy rocking chair. A cup of coffee is in your hand and the sun rising in the sky. You can her the birds flitting about your front yard and the smell of fresh flowers is in the air. This is the beautiful front porch we dream of, isn't it? You can create that sense of welcome and comfort whether you have a small space or a large front porch. Here's the front porch ideas you can use in your sitting area.

Repeating the same colors throughout your display will give your porch a complete and cohesive look. Favorite spring colors like soft yellow, light blue, lilac and peach can convey a happy and fresh feeling but you can also go with a bold pop of color to liven things up. You can also use coordinating but different colors in your accessories, from outdoor pillows to a painted side table or colorful crates and bins. 

Perhaps you prefer neutral decor and white painted furniture? Adding a small splash of color, such as a pink basket or yellow crate, is an easy way to infuse energy into a little space without going overboard with lots of colors. 

Garden items like terra cotta pots, rain boots flower baskets, and potted plants are a practical and fun way to decorate. I especially love the look of white flowers pots and pitchers. They really have that easy summer, country living feeling. 

Here's one cute idea: take a garden accessory and fill it flowers. I've used rain boots but you can fill a watering can or a small wheelbarrow to get the same effect.

Given the chilly temperatures, I've used faux flowers in my porch decorating. Once the weather warms up, I'll start to bring my real plants outside and add them to this display. Using real plants and whatever is in season is one way to transition your spring decor to summer.

To balance the liveliness of your flowers, add textural natural elements like branches, on old milk crate, or a grapevine wreath. Here, I've displayed wood lanterns and a wicker gathering basket with fresh and faux flowers. I found the basket at a thrift store and it is a great example of using vintage or flea market finds in your decor. 

The boxwood branches are ones I took out of my winter urns just last week. They still look great and have retained their colour and shape so I've easily reused them in my spring porch decor.

Adding natural materials like wicker and rattan can really bring that fresh, lively feeling we seek with our spring decor. 

Which of these front porch decor ideas will you embrace? These ideas will help you welcome spring but they're also a wonderful way to get a head start on your summer decor. Just switch out spring flowers for summer plants and you can enjoy morning coffee out on the porch throughout the coming months. 

I hope you've enjoyed these spring porch ideas but if you're in need of more inspiration, good news, here's a dozen other bloggers sharing easy front porch decorating ideas. My friend Krista at the Happy Housie has gathered lots of different types of porch ideas to help inspire you to create your special space. Tap over to see these lovely spaces!