Savvy Style

FOR SMALL STOOPS

Even the smallest front porch can make a great first impression and radiate big-time curb appeal, as Kimberly proves with the stoop of her Colonial-style home. Consider her insightful strategies to achieve maximum impact with minimal fuss.

■ CLASSIC COORDINATION. Match the color of your entry door with the window shutters to produce a harmonious effect. Accessorize with antique brass hardware and a welcoming botanical wreath.

■ ANCHOR DOWN. Position a large crock on each side of your door to serve as year-round building blocks for stylish schemes. Kimberly’s white crocks lend quiet symmetry and can be easily repotted with seasonal plants and ornaments. Arrange smaller pots beside the crocks to lengthen the greenscape. “I do everything around those two crocks,” she shares. “I see what I can fit and go out from there.”

■ VERTICAL VIEWPOINT. When you don’t have much space to spread sideways, build your groupings upward—and downward, if your porch has stairs. Look for slender elements like topiaries, plant and umbrella stands, trellises and tall signage. The narrow window blinds on the sidelights of the front door offer textural interest and emphasize the vertical.

■ POLE POSITION. Expand your arrangement by attaching flowering baskets, signage, garlands or artwork to the architectural framework. The Loughrys always display an American flag at their doorstep, but on patriotic holidays, they also stream a bunting from the pediment. ★

FOR MORE INFORMATION, SEE RESOURCE GUIDE, PAGE 112.

The Loughrys’ stately three-story Colonial, like all the homes in their Tennessee neighborhood, is bordered by a pert white picket fence and lit by a pillared coach lamp.