I have trouble figuring out if the planters should go next to the door or in front and next to the front columns. Then.....what to do with the irregularly shaped concrete walkway - that bothers me so much! We recently painted the front door Raleigh Green. The shutters are a dark navy. We live in central PA.

the pots need to be larger and filled to overflowing with plants and IMO all the shutters need to go and a new walkway to the front entry would make a huge difference

A more significant pathway to the front door and much larger potted plants.

Agree that you need more dramatic pot plants, but the shutters are totally typical of the period of the house and should stay.

I had a feeling my planters were too small. What style planter would look good based on the current layout of the walkway? I just pulled out the summer planting and getting ready for fall flowers. A new walkway is not in the budget but I love how it looks. Patricia - are you suggesting removing the shutters completely? Please keep the ideas coming. I appreciate them very much.

I did a quick mock up for Patricia Colwell Consulting. I don't know if you are considering this idea Cor. I like it both ways. But if the whole neighborhood has shutters, I would remove mine just to be different! LOL!

You have a beautiful house!

Large wreath on the storm door (not inside under the storm door--it gets lost there) to go with your new planters. With that yellowish color scheme mocked just above me probably go with forsythia. Don't go skimpy if you want drama! Go big and rich. You can find a lot of great wreaths in the $40 range in places like Marshall's or Michael's Crafts.

Green Hydrangea and Forsythia Silk Wreath SW133, 30" · More Info

I know you have vinyl, but it would really add an element if the ceiling of your portico were a different color and you had a hanging chandelier there.

How would one hang a wreath from the storm door? I don't want to use a metal wreath hanger and have it scrape against the glass.

What are others thoughts on the yellowish floral color for the wreath and planters?

Need planter ideas. Shape and color. Thanks

Cor I would paint the storm door as well and side lights as suggested above. You could hang the wreath with a metal hanger, but also use double stick tape to keep it from flopping around and banging on the glass.

I wouldn't use forsythia now, since it's a spring flower. Here is a front door similar to your color with some fall decor, although I'd change out the white plants in the urns for fall mums or similar. Your actual door color is shown below this pic. You could use a metal wreath hanger - just put a sticky back heavy felt 'dot' on the back where it would touch the door glass. Like these.

Those urns are a good size for you. You might find something on sale at the garden shop at Lowes or Home Depot this time of year. Here's a link with some fall door ideas - HERE.

Do I do a matching on the other side? Right now I'm starting my fall decor.

If, I painted the sides, would you paint them the green or the blue? I'm thinking green.

Thanks all for your help!

I would change your light fixtures. And again, don't skimp on size. I'd pick a lantern style to go with your home. But there are also so many other styles.

Side lights and storm door the same color as the front door. I would go larger on the planters and place them in front of the posts.

BIG pots with multiple plantings and tall foliage sprouting from the dirt straight up for more drama.
Sidelights stained same as door, ceiling painted same color as door.

Wright · More Info

Railings on sides of porch, American flag with uplight beneath it so it can fly at all times.

Entry Walkway and Portico · More Info

Hanging lantern and glass fanlight!

Bryn Mawr Stone Colonial · More Info

Ground cover to define walkway to house.

Exterior Shots · More Info

Cor, regarding hanging a wreath, you can also use Command Hooks which will detach easily from the glass...no marks. If you use a wreath hanger, just tape or glue some felt to the back of it. You can also use those little "peel and stick" pads used to protect wood floors from furniture.

I agree with larger planters...and matching. For Fall you can stack pumpkins in them. Maybe 3 or so pumpkins each for "topiaries" to add height.

Agree with phuninthesun, remove the shutters. The windows are too large for the shutters on the house. Here is a brief article for you to read about properly sizing shutters

https://www.lifeofanarchitect.com/residential-architecture-101-shutters/

Paint the sidelights the same color as the front door.

Paint the fascia on the portico the same color as the fascia around the roof (gray on my monitor).

Agree - go big and bold with your planters in front of the portico.

You have a beautiful home!

it's very nice looking as is, but when looking at other similar homes I see,

pendant light

wrought iron railings or lattice on the porch

paved porch/walkway w/brick or slate.

planters and flowers

Your house is styled after a historic PA colonial home.with an add on, like in Bucks county. Most of these old stone houses were added on to over the years since the original homes were small. Some had shutters outside and some had them inside. I like yours with the shutters on. Without the shutters it looks like a row house. These houses traditionally had no railings or porches either. Mostly they just had a portico without supports. I would find or build some stone planters that match the stone side of the house for on each side of the pillars. Down the line I think a Pennsylvania blue stone on the concrete slab and walkway would look nice.

I would consider removing the storm door and the wreath. Paint the side lights same as door. The shutters are appropriate for your home.

Replace/update the lighting---that will do wonders. Larger scale.

Yes, bigger pots for sure (taller too). I would skip pottery style colored pots and looks for more classic forms in metal/iron. Do you have room on walkway in front of posts for any pots, or just on stoop? RH and Ballards both have good options.

Agree, walkways can make such a difference, but are also very expensive. Some taller landscape would be nice... boxwood along sidewalk also nice for year round greenery, depending on your zone.

functionthelook - I appreciate the historical prospective. I'm in Lancaster County. Lots of add on and dawdie quarters.

phuninthesun - I love the look of the planters in front. With the walkway the way that it is, it won't work unless I put the planter on a block in the planting bed.....which just may work.

imhofan - quite a few of you mentioned replacing the lighting. We recently did. I guess we did not choose wisely. I do like the idea of a pendant light.

I do like the picture with the benches on either side. Will look into that.

denita - I'm not sure where you are seeing grey. The entire house is white. I'm not understanding your comment. Would you mind explaining?

Thank you all ever so much!

Well, it could be my eyes! I was looking at the trim piece just under the roof (fascia board area). It could be a gutter - to me it looks gray but monitors are notorious for not being true to color. On my monitor that area shows as gray. If that trim color at the roof edge isn't gray, and it might not be, I was just thinking to bring the same trim color to your portico to balance it with the color near your roofline.

As to the shutters, if you read that article, you can see the shutters for the double windows don't fit. They do look like they fit on the single windows. The article shows pics too so you can see how the shutters should be sized right to fit the windows and functional looking.

These wreath hangers work great for hanging wreaths on storm doors:

https://www.amazon.com/Magnetic-Wreath-Hanger-White-F-901/dp/B00167YKFM/ref=sr_1_fkmr0_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1505792233&sr=8-3-fkmr0&keywords=magnetic+hanger+for+storm+door

The point is to repeat the same color so that together you get a bigger dramatic effect rather than something hodgepodgy. I agree painting your door, storm door, and side lights the same as the shutters will help. As others have noted, a magnetic wreath hanger (2 piece) or large command hook will hold your wreath to the glass. Make sure to get one that can hold at least 6 lbs.

As shown above, sweet potato vine "marguerite" (the lime green one) always adds drama and it gets very large if you don't cut it back, adding more drama! It's ubiquitous but very effective, especially if you plant it with purples, black, and whites.

The key with plants is OVER SIZE and overplant in the containers or you lose the street effect. Don't think about what looks good to you while standing 5 feet away from it on your porch, or looking down on it--go down to the street and see it from 20 or 30 feet away, and looking UP to it. Does it register from the street? Can you see it driving down the road? Yes! If not, it isn't eye catching enough yet and you need more and bigger.

Don't be afraid to go huge as long as it's natural and elegant.

Instead of 1 pumpkin on a box, you could do something like this:

My neighbor has a dress form on her porch (which is no bigger than yours). This isn't hers, but she does similar things to it seasonally:

Kind of the same idea as decorating an old bicycle with flowers. As long as you're the first in your neighborhood to do it, it's interesting.

Also PS: Don't use iron planters if you get a lot of sun there--your roots will fry. You can get fiberglass ones that look like the iron ones though (and they'll probably be cheaper too.)

My other neighbor hung these lights from her porch rather than hanging baskets of flowers. They have a battery candle inside them. It's interesting in the daytime and really pretty at night.

Moroccan Hanging Star Lantern · More Info

I'm not suggesting you use these on your house per say, but to look around and think out of the box. What appeals to you?

Cor Yes, I would put the planter on a block in the planting bed. Just plant some type of ground cover to hide the blocks. They will look so much better there.

Use black planters to match your lights. You can get them at Lowes or Home Depot. Urn style or the square style. Paint the front door, sidelights and storm door all one color. You can also use a large suction cup wreath holder. Get a nice full wreath. Nothing wrong with your shutters.