Pumpkin Porch Decorations: DIY Fun with Pails and a Tension Rod!

Want to add a little pumpkin fun to your porch this Halloween? I’ve got the perfect DIY project for you! With just a few pumpkin pails and a tension rod, you can create super fun and festive pumpkin porch decorations that’ll have your neighbors stopping to admire.

The best part? It’s quick, easy, and totally customizable! Your porch will be the perfect spot to celebrate a spook-tacular Halloween!

Pumpkin pails and a tension rod as pumpkin porch decorations.

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Pumpkins on Parade

Boo!

With Halloween just around the corner, I wanted something a little different to decorate our front porch this year. There are so many front porch ideas out there, but I wanted something spooky… but still cute and friendly for the neighborhood kids!

I realized pumpkin pails are practically a Halloween staple for trick-or-treaters. So, why not turn them into adorable porch pumpkins?

Let’s get started!

Pumpkin Pails Supply List

First, grab some pumpkin pails before they’re all gone, then gather the rest of your supplies for this fun DIY project.

Plastic pumpkin pails: I used 8 for my project, but you can adjust the number depending on the size of your display.
Utility Knife
Spray paint: I went with gold and black.
Tension rod: This will be your hanging base.
Black ribbon
Packing tape or any other strong tape
Remote control puck lights
Faux black or holographic bats (because they’re spooky and cute!)

Prep the Pumpkin Pails

The first step is to cut out the eyes, nose, and mouth from your orange pumpkins. Now, I thought this would be tricky, but a utility knife sliced right through like… butter! (Pumpkin butter, maybe? 😄)

Make sure to wear protective gloves since the knife can go through the plastic pretty easily.

Cutting out of eyes, nose, and mouth of pumpkin pails for these DIY pumpkin porch decorations.

Once you’ve cut out the faces (sounds like a horror movie, right?), it’s time to spray paint!

You can absolutely leave your pumpkin pails in their vibrant orange state. But it is fun to play with a Halloween color palette.

I painted one-third of my pumpkins gold, another third black, and left the rest in their classic bright orange color. I just love the color scheme of orange pumpkins, gold, and black—it gives such a vibrant look to the porch!

Spray painting pumpkin pails a gold color.

Disguise the Tension Rod

If you have a black tension rod, you are good to go! But I decided to give my satin nickel tension rod a little disguise!

Wrap it up in black ribbon, tulle, or fabric—whatever you’ve got on hand. It’s the perfect way to hide that plain metal and give it a new look.

Just tape one end of the ribbon to the rod, then wind it around until you’ve covered the whole thing. Easy peasy!

Taping the end of black mesh ribbon to a tension rod.

Hang the Pumpkin Pails

Here’s where things got a little bit tricky. If you just hang the pumpkins by their handles, they’ll tilt sideways, and you won’t see those cute faces!

Instead, twist and loop the handles over the rod. They’re flexible, so this should be easy.

Pro tip: Start threading the pumpkins onto the rod from one end, then push them toward the center as you go. This way, your porch pumpkins will sit nicely spaced, giving you that perfect Halloween display. I recommend using odd numbers of pumpkins for a more balanced look.

Twisting pumpkin pail handle onto tension rod for DIY pumpkin porch decorations.

Light Up the Pumpkins

Want to add a little glow? Pop a remote-controlled battery-operated light puck inside each pumpkin. Set the timer, choose your favorite light color, and watch your pumpkins come to life as the sun goes down!

Hang Up Your Pumpkin Pails

You just need two surfaces to hold the tension rod. I placed mine between the posts on my front porch, but you can also hang it between a porch post and the side of the house or even between your front door jambs for a cute front door display.

Hanging pumpkin porch decorations tension rod between two pillars on front porch.

Pumpkin porch decorations hanging on top of front porch door.

Add Some Spooky Touches

Here comes the fun part—decorating! I went with some faux Halloween bats and stuck them between each pumpkin.

Last year, I used these holographic bats, and they turned all sorts of colors in the light. They were a hit!

Attaching holographic bats to pumpkin porch decorations.

You could also add other fall elements like mini pumpkins, faux pumpkins, fall flowers, corn stalks, or even some toy spiders or cobwebs for that extra Halloween touch. It’s all about creative ways to make it your own!

Tension rod pumpkin porch decor for Halloween.

And that’s it! This DIY project is such a great way to bring some festive Halloween vibes to your home.

Whether you’re going for fall porch decor that’s cute, spooky, or both, this is the perfect way to dress up your front porch for Halloween without too much hassle.

Illuminated pumpkin pail porch decorations.

I hope you add this fun project to your list of new front porch decor ideas.

Wishing you a colorful and Happy Halloween!

Cheers!

A Little About Me

Hi! I’m missy. So happy to meet you!

“Decorate with Joy! Live with Happiness”

I truly believe that your home should be a reflection of your personality, a space where you feel free to express yourself and create a sanctuary that feels uniquely yours.

I love creating mood boards, hunting down unique home décor treasures, tackling easy DIY projects, and gathering with family and friends for a delicioHomes are meant to be enjoyed, filled with laughter, and shared with the people you love!