Gate Art Entrance Ideas

Considerations

• As in general decorating, your gate art should reflect the decorative style that you're featuring in the rest of the yard. This means that you not only should select colors that complement the house and any other structures in the yard but also the materials. For example, if the decorative elements of your yard are all made from distressed wood, repeat this on the gate's entrance. The repetition of elements provides visual continuity, which is one of the most important elements of decorating and design.

Outdoor Art

• Art has moved from inside the house to the outdoors. Nowadays, you can find outdoor art that's just as beautiful as artwork intended for your living room wall but is made to survive all kinds of weather. The best bet for this type of art for your gate is the kind that requires you to screw the art onto the gate; it won't be affected by the opening and closing of the gate. You can find outdoor art made from a variety of materials, from wrought iron to canvas. Choose an outdoor visual motif for your gate's entrance such as butterflies, dragonflies, sun and moon combinations or floral elements.

Stencils

• Stencils are a favorite decorative element for many home craft enthusiasts. It's an inexpensive method for decorating surfaces inside and outside your home and would work well on a wooden gate entrance. To create stencil art on your gate, look for stencil patterns that match any decorative motif you'd like to highlight in your front yard. For example, if you've done your front yard in Americana and have items such as American flags and red, white and blue decorative elements, choose stencils that fit with this theme.

Flower Baskets

• Flowers are a staple in outdoor decoration. If you have bushes of flowers that flank your front gate, extend this motif to the gate itself. One simple way to do this is to attach a decorative basket to the front gate with screws. Make sure that the basket has holes in the bottom for the water to drain if you plan on growing flowers in the basket. Wooden baskets with a decorative motif such as carving or beveling add an artistic element to your front gate floral display. Certain gardening techniques such as bonzai will enhance the artistic elements as well.