It may still be August, but we’re already thinking about one of the trickier decorating moments of the year: The stretch between Halloween and November. After the pumpkins come down, front porches can quickly feel caught between seasons. Traditional outdoor fall decor ideas can suddenly seem too Halloween-focused, while stripping everything back can leave a porch looking bare. Joanna and Chip Gaines have a smarter solution.
At the couple’s Waco, Texas, home, their seasonal porch skips the pumpkins and seasonal decorations in favor of a layered display of potted plants. The result feels considered but natural, and, importantly, it works well beyond Halloween.
The key is using fall foliage rather than temporary fall accessories. Japanese maples add height at the back of the arrangement, while purple coleus, coralbells, fall ferns, and hydrangeas fill out the middle with shades of plum, burgundy, bronze, and chartreuse.
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Trailing sweet potato vine and Swedish ivy spill over weathered zinc buckets and vintage stone urns, adding movement beneath her outdoor lighting.
You can replicate the look with the Lark Manor Sonali Outdoor Wall Lantern at Wayfair, which mimics the light’s dark metal structure and rectangular lines to anchor the foliage.
Shop the Gaines-Inspired Fall Porch Edit
Lark Manor Outdoor Wall Lantern
The first starting point of recreating Joanna’s porch is the right lighting. I love this antique-inspired fixture that echoes her black sconces. Its matte black frame and classic glass panels lend a vintage warmth and contrast to layered fall foliage.
4-5′ Maple Japanese Twombly’s Red Sentinel
This maple captures the same height and moody foliage that grounds Joanna’s porch. Drop this tree into a weathered container to replicate her approach to seasonal decorating this fall.
Plant this hydrangea alongside darker foliage for the perfect (and unexpected) fall aesthetic. It also pairs beautifully with evergreens, giving you the same layered container garden that will last straight through Thanksgiving.
Highland Dunes Outdoor Aboubaker Chair
This rocking chair mirrors the exact rustic warm-wood patina and slatted architectural silhouette seen on Joanna’s porch. Crafted to withstand the elements while aging beautifully across the seasons, it’s designed to live-up to whatever fall brings.
Storied Home Terracotta Urn Jar
Just like the stone containers on Joanna’s porch, this terracotta piece features a whitewashed finish that provides the same textured look. It replaces the disposable feel of Halloween planters with something more luxurious.
Keilson Ceramic Pot Planter
This vintage-inspired terracotta planter is another favorite of mine. Its weathered texture and classic shape offer the perfect anchor for layered fall perennials, bringing the same look to any porch or patio. It’s truly versatile enough for year-round use.
Instead of relying on a collection of pumpkins, Chip and Joanna’s planting has enough variety to change with the season. It also gives the porch a connection to the garden beyond, making it feel like part of the landscape rather than a separate seasonal display.
Tenielle Jordison, a Gardens Content Editor at Homes & Gardens, says the layered planting is a particularly effective way to handle the transition into November. ‘I adore the layered foliage for a variety of fall color,’ she says. ‘By focusing on leaves, rather than relying solely on flowers and seasonal produce, the display has a richer palette that can evolve as the weather changes.’
The combination of potted trees and foliage also gives the arrangement some structure. ‘As temperatures become cooler, the deeper tones of the planting become more prominent, allowing the porch to shift naturally into late fall without needing to be completely redecorated,’ Tenielle says.
It’s a simple idea, but one worth replicating far beyond Waco. The lesson we’re taking from Joanna and Chip is to build a porch around plants, texture, and foliage that can carry you through it. It makes the transition from Halloween to later fall feel natural, and means you can wake up on November 1st without worry. Your porch will be just as beautiful as the day before.
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