The DIY Behind Creating a Dramatic Fall Entry Stoop for $50

Before packing to move from south Florida last October, I donated a few of my outdoor pieces (garland & faux pumpkins). And usually in Florida when I 'd update my front entry, I would try to find autumn color flowers (actually a challenge to find mums for fall in that zone). Living here in Arizona, I was able to layer in some local finds and the more autumn traditional decor: real pumpkins. I actually spent less to update this entry with real pumpkins and bark mulch than I did in FL buying rock gravel, potting soil and flowers.  Refreshing existing outdoor accents (urns + lanterns) helped revive existing pieces. The colors I used to refresh my urns + lanterns were: Antique brass, metallic brown (better than Oil Rubbed Bronze!), flat black and glossy black from Rustoleum.

Shifting the 2 black wicker spheres from the backyard to the stoop also gave the front a new look for fall for $0 (You can see before at my Outdoor Fall Fix). Adding rocks (I brought some from FL) gave weight to the spheres, but also works with our rustic surroundings. Using the bark mulch reminds me of the stoops I'd see growing up in NJ. I mixed pinecones into every other step in 2's & 3's. (picked up for free here in AZ while biking). Adding more found branches to my existing branches help beef-up there impact. Using my dollar store crows & moss helped give a creepy fall effect - a great way to merge both Halloween & autumn decor together.

For leaves, I mixed in the sprays I'd usually use inside, and took some apart. To help spread out the leaf sprays, I hot glued separate leaves to the branches. Since it's too hot here for candles outside, I used leaves & pinecones inside some of the lanterns. To give height to the pumpkin pairs (on left) I reused one of the black mums containers upside down. Because our door here is taller, I added height to my existing door decor using some pheasant feathers and 1 spray, tied in my Indian corn, and added in more raffia. Since my raffia was too short to wrap around the neck of the urns, I used dollar store grapevine wreaths. And funny to see: While I was in Lowes picking up mums, mulch, and pumpkins (less than patch or grocery store) I spotted a patio collection called: MIAMI :) 

Here is the breakdown for the project:

 

Whether I'm planning a floor move in retail, or planning a client's space or my own home, I always follow this process: Vision. Plan. Execute.

 

 

Lowes & Home Depot sell great entry containers to use for seasonal changes.

A $12 container can look heavy and hold with some painted layered on it to age its look. For extra savings FYI:Both places accept each others coupons.

 

Previously, I had had a glass cylinder nested in the paper, but it was there so ling, it created the space needed to hold the branches. Adding more newspaper for filler helped to secure the branches in place. Since I removed the (cork covered) cylinder, I was able to use & show it better inside my lantern display...

PROJECT EXPENSE:

2 bags mulch $9

2 mums $9

3 LG  + 3 MED pumpkins $20

(kept 2 aside for hubs to carve later for Halloween)

4 grapevine wreaths $4

2 bags of moss $2

4 more sm crows $4

----------------------------------

$50

FREE DECOR from nature:

Pinecones & branches

ALREADY HAD:

Urns

Spheres

Lanterns

Crows

Leaves

Raffia

Indian corn

Turn Back (Styrofoam) signs

Newspaper (for filler)

Rocks (for weight)

 

I would have liked to have gone to a pumpkin patch to get our pumpkin, but to save money (and time + better selection) I picked up pumpkins at Lowes. Right now, they are blank, but I can pin silhouettes to them for Halloween, and remove, but still have a harvest entry for Thanksgiving. I'll probably also remove the black crows after Thanksgiving. The third pumpkins I picked up so Jeff can have fun carving a pattern for Halloween.

Thanks for stopping by!

 

Linking Post To:

 Skip To My Lou - Made by You Monday 

Keep It Simple - Motivate Me Monday

THE DIY SHOWOFF - DIY FALL FESTIVAL