This post will outline 5 simple, cost-effective ways you can immediately improve your home's curb appeal.
Curb Appeal, more people know what it means than how to achieve it. Chances are you are reading this because you want to update the look of your home. Maybe you’ve just purchased the ugly home on the block and are looking to freshen up your new digs. Maybe you’re wanting to take advantage of the housing market trends and would like to make your house more appealing before you list it. Whatever your situation, here are 5 simple ways you can create curb appeal to liven up your home.
1. Paint, Paint, Paint
Nothing screams your home is dated quite as loud as faded, peeling paint. Worn out paint on a home is the equivalent of a ratty pair of jeans and your stained Led Zeppelin t-shirt. To get your house dressed to the nines and ready for the ball you need to give it a coat (or three) of paint. A fresh coat of paint is a perfect way to give your house an updated look. A modern color and a cohesive design can transform drab into stylish and create that visual interest you're after. Speaking of color; dark, bold colors give the home a nice contrast to natural surroundings while lighter colors can give off a classic vibe. No matter the direction, a fresh coat of paint is a must for great curb appeal.
2. Fixtures & Features
Somebody famous once said curb appeal is in the details.... Well maybe that isn't the exact phrase but that doesn’t make it any less true. Great curb appeal is in the details. People will notice small but significant changes you make to your home’s features. New house numbers to match the style of your home; a new mailbox with a pop of color to draw the eye; or maybe a new smart doorbell with a camera for added security, people notice these details and they really add to the appearance of a home. Giving these a fresh update doesn’t break the bank, but will make your home that much more special.
3. Landscaping
This is probably the most obvious point on this list. It’s no surprise that dying grass, overgrown trees, and lifeless flowerbeds detract from the appeal of a home. While landscaping may be summoning captain obvious, the execution of great landscaping however, is not as straightforward. Instead of removing everything and starting over many times you can salvage and reuse the existing growing lifeforms on your property. Sometimes a simple rearrangement of plants can make all the difference. The first step is to prune existing plants, edge garden beds, and rearrange existing plant stock to create focal points. Next, head to the nursery and purchase yourself some infill plants common to your climate zone (drought resistant if possible) to fill in the gaps and add splashes of color. Cover your beds with new mulch and remove any pesky weeds. Add a potted plant or three on your porch or to your garden to add some depth and you're off and runnin'!
4. Fix What is Broken
If you have a gutter hanging off the side of your house it does a lot to distract anybody and everybody who gazes upon it. Fix what is broken before you do anything else (this shouldn't need to be said, but it's more common than one might think). If you have a broken window, fix it. If your eaves are rotting, fix them. If your siding is warped, delaminating, or flapping in the wind, that needs to be fixed. Leaving things broken or in disrepair will not only distract from any of the other changes you make but it can lead to more problems down the road. Fix what is broken first and make it pretty later.
5. Seating
One of the most, if not the most inviting thing you can do to the front of your home is add a seating
element. It says to the passerby that your home is comfortable, approachable, and a relaxing place to be. It can also provide a tangible lifestyle change for you and those around you. Adding seats to the front of your home gives you a place to be visible to your neighbors and creates community. You can invite people from your neighborhood over to sit and talk, wave to them as they pass by, and provide sense of security that doesn’t come with closed doors and empty porches. More than promoting community it also creates an outdoor space and illustrates to those gazing from the curb that this house has an active, vibrant front yard.
If you're looking for additional direction to help you achieve the perfect exterior design, our experts can help you get there! Visioneering Homes is an innovative and brand new online exterior design service that helps people just like you visualize your home's exterior design! We help you make design decisions on everything from paint colors to landscaping to help give you a roadmap for achieving the design of your dreams. And the best part of all is that you get to see what your home will look like before you lift a paintbrush!
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About the Author:
Brad is the CEO & Founder of Visioneering Homes. He is passionate about all things architecture, residential design, and providing easy access for homeowners to professional design services. Him and his wife have 3 kids and enjoy an adventurous life in the mountains of the American west. When he is not helping you make design decisions for your home, he's camping, hiking, playing basketball, visiting museums, national parks, and doing house projects with his family.
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