A front door can say plenty about a home – from welcome to stay away. Most homeowners are probably unaware of the impact that can be made on the outside of that front door – it’s out of sight, out of mind in many a case. But there are ways to make a stylish seasonal statement at every time of year, and it doesn’t have to cost much at all.
Heather Wolsey, owner of Seasons Gift Shop, said simplicity is key to creating a pleasing, impactful look at the home’s main entry. Depending on available space – stairs, size of landing, etc. – Wolsey favours a seasonal wreath, matching doormat and some type of planter or vertical object of interest. Right now, that means rich autumn oranges, reds and yellows on a wreath, a similar-coloured mat and an urn stuffed with pumpkins and greenery. Even a simple topiary – real or artificial – offers a splash of greenery to the setting.
“I swear by a 3M hook for the door – even the glass storm door – to hang wreaths. There’s no worry about nails and I’ve had one on my door for about 17 years,” Wolsey said.
As soon as the snow flies, Wolsey said to switch out the pumpkin for birch branches, evergreen boughs and textured items such as berries, bells, pinecones and burlap. If your front door has a window in it, skip the wreath, Wolsey added and put all the focus on the urn/planter. But, what if your door is a bold colour? A snow-covered wreath is a great neutral, the storeowner said, adding it will complement rather than clash with the strong colour.
For Sturgeon County resident and design expert Cory Christopher, it’s all about a statement piece at the front door – usually a huge container “as big as you have room for,” he said, which provides a large space for planting, stacking, stuffing and otherwise showcasing items of varying heights – at this time of year that can be boxwood, tall grasses, pumpkins and squashes.
“Walk up to the door as if you’re a guest to see what works for you and what doesn’t. What do you like? What do you hate?” Christopher said. Because of all the hard lines at the door, the designer said it’s pleasing to the eye to soften the scene with a wreath or lush, full greenery in a planter. Christopher said he recently adorned a client’s front walk with a stack of pumpkins and a planter full of boards – it’s the all-natural look and repurposing of old materials that Christopher favours.
Whatever your taste, shiny and modern with geometric-cut urns and silver dĂ©cor, or if you prefer the rustic, natural textures and shapes of grapevine, moss and logs, Christopher said to anchor all of it with a substantial container,” something with presence and weight.” Even a large hanging basket can do the trick, swapping out seasonal elements as needed and creating vertical interest.
Around freeze-up, decorators use tricks such as a watered floral oasis (foam block) in an urn with cedar greens and branches to help delay browning. Wolsey said craft-y homeowners even freeze branches in an urn for the winter, which also creates a base to top with smaller, textured seasonal bits.
Gardening expert Jim Hole said success with containers comes down to size – bigger is always better – and, if adding real plants to the container, a good quality potting soil and containers made of clay or UV-resistant plastic.
“You might spend over $100, but the pot will last. Other than a couple of dead months – February, March – you can have about nine months of nice-looking display at the front door by investing in a solid, quality pot or urn,” he said.
