Whimsical Fall Porch Decor

Welcome to this awesome Fall Porch Hop organized by my sweet friend Rachel of Shades of Blue Interiors.

Truth: I did not set up my fall porch this year, let alone a whimsical fall porch I just have not found the time yet, and with the COVID-19 cases sky rocketing again in Ontario, we are only resorting to curb-side pick up for all things. That means, pumpkins are not happening for us, and if I am being honest, which means there is no whimsical fall porch decor. This makes me a bit sad! I did set up a fall themed tablescape though and made a fall wreath!

However, to shift perspective, I wanted to share this gorgeous whimsical fall “porch” set up I created literally INSIDE a forest three years ago for my friend Qurrat. Qurrat is a wedding photographer, and she asked me style a shoot for fall photo sessions for families in 2017.

I lugged all these pumpkins, this bench inside my house, and other props to create this whimsical scene with fall florals, pumpkins, and cozy fall touches.

I wanted to share some things I learned from when I created this set up that I think would apply to any fall porch or outdoor scene you are creating. My vision for this space was to create a scene/set up that looked like your own fall porch, but with a touch of whimsy. I wanted to create this whimsical fall porch set up so that families could feel like they were taking photos on their own portico.

Whimsical Fall Decor Tip #1. Pick a Focal Point.

Here, I place the bench as the focal point. I knew that this was where the families would be sitting as they posed for their photos. So I dragged this bench to this location and framed everything around it to create this whimsical fall “porch” decor

Whimsical Fall Decor - Mint Candy Designs

Whimsical Fall Decor Tip #2. Use a variety of colours and sizes of pumpkins, gourds, and natural tones

As you can see here, I used all different kinds of cinderella pumpkins, jack-o-lantern pumpkins, and even mini gourds. Having a variety of pumpkins adds a variety of colours that naturally go with the fall foliage, texture, and movement (i.e. as they spill out of that sap bucket I snagged at the antique shop). This adds to the overall feel of a whimsical fall porch decor.

Whimsical Fall Decor Tip #3. Add height variation to your set up

Here, I used an old crate turned upside down to place mums and pumpkins around. The variation in height makes the whole scene feel more coherent, and flow together, adding further to the whimsical fall decor I was going for.

These three tips can be used in any fall porch set up, and I would love for you to tell me if you try them!

The best part of this whole set up was that Qurrat was kind enough to also take our family photos here which are one of my absolute favourites!

I mean how gorgeous are these family photos? I feel like I am on my imaginary whimsical fall porch, except that it’s literally in the middle of a conservation area!