Car Stopping Curb Appeal!
Top 30 Curb Appeal Tricks
Curb appeal is pleasing for the passerby and the homeowner. An attractive and neat home is the first impression your neighbors and friends have of your home. But you also can derive satisfaction from arriving home to an appealing and welcoming view.
Not every home is an newly constructed model home. So what are some ideas to improve your curb appeal and at the same time their home’s value? Here are some of my top tricks.
1. Which way do I go? Be sure there is a clear path that leads to the door to make your home feel inviting. Don’t have guests wandering around trying to figure out how to find the door. You are giving them them “This is a fortress” message and “Visitors are not welcome”.
2. Lanterns on Posts give instant charm and beauty. Always use a bigger lantern than you think. Think about changing the bulbs and cleaning it when you decide how tall to make it.
3. Remove overgrown shrubs and limb up trees so that you can easily see the house from the street. If a tree was planted 30 years ago and is now totally blocking the house and ready to spread through the windows you need to remove it.
4. Paint shutters and front door or add new shutters.
5. Paint your brick. It is easier than you think. I used a primer and paint from Sherwin Williams and it has not faded or flaked in the past 6 years. It really updated the look of my 1960’s brick.
6. Paint your siding for an instant update. Benjamin Moore has a great article on how to do it.
7. The best outside color schemes are taupe with black shutters and door and creamy white trim.
Other pleasing color combinations:
White with dark green shutters and a red door,
Cream siding with black shutters and a red door.
Sage green siding with taupe trim and a darker green door and shutters.
Any very dark color with cream trim and windows.
Cream siding with turquoise or teal blue shutters
8. Hanging Baskets add so much beauty and color to your front porch. Try to get the largest basket you can so there is more soil for the plants and water daily.
9. Use large lanterns or decorations on your steps, porch or doorway to be seen from the curb. If you want it to be appealing from the curb it needs to be able to be seen on a drive by. So substitute 1-2 large lanterns, pots or decorative accessories for a bunch of smaller ones at the location that is most visible from the street.
8. A meticulous front door way with no dirt or cobwebs is very important but can often get away from us and be forgotten.
10. Hang the American flag. The colors, the feeling of American Patriotism, any season, any color house – always works!
11. Seasonal flowers are nice but only if you have time to maintain them. Dead or dying flowers are worse than no flowers. One large pot of geraniums, mums or pansies is more attractive than a bunch of little pots or a bed of scraggly annuals that are thirsting for water.
12. Lovely landscaping: Otherwise seasonal flowers are great! Perennials are easier if they aren’t wildly invasive. Shrubs and trees that don’t overgrow your house are even better. the most important tip for landscaping that is seen from the street is sharp edging around the bed and black mulch. Edging needs an edger or just a flathead shovel and a little muscle.
13. Most importantly! Black mulch always looks better than brown and a lot better than orange. Use black died mulch or natural mulch that is as dark as possible. (All mulch fades).
14. Remove any outdated metal awnings from windows and doors.
15. Repair cracked sidewalks and steps, rotted wood etc.
16. Powerwash the house and roof if needed.
17. Recoat the driveway or add more stones if it is a crushed stone drive.
18. Use cushions and pillows on your porch furniture. You can always wash them and dry them if they get a little worn. But they really are a great way to add color and the cozy feel as well as comfort. More porch decorating ideas here.
19. Replace your rusty old metal mailbox. An attractive Mailbox is one of the first things visible from your curb.
20. Any post on the front of your home that is the size of a 2 x4 can be made larger by adding a column that covers it. this will make the posts look bigger, more substantial and impressive while the actual supporting post is inside. Round or square a large column makes all the difference.
21. An easy addition to any home is an attractive address sign.
22. Canvas Awnings shade your porch and give it privacy but also provide, color and charm to your home.
23. Add a Porch or covered portico to your home. Not only will it look great, it will improve your home value, increase your living space and provide cover when you are trying to get your door unlocked.
24. New wall sconces for your exterior are easy to install. Consider a hanging lantern in front of door. Walays go bigger than you think so the lights make a statement and can be seen from the street.
25. Electric candles in the windows are warm and attractive even after Christmas.
26. Window boxes are one of the ultimate curb appeal additions. They look great even without flowers. Some of the newly constructed ones even have automatic watering mechanisms. If you can’t keep the plants watered just leave them empty.
27. Replace outdated concrete with pavers and if you really want to splurge think of cobblestones. Paths and even driveways will look amazing.
28. Focus! Use a fountain or birdbath as a focal point. Add an arbor.
29. Holiday decorations- classic and simple. Consolidate them into a vignette instead of spreading randomly around the yard.
30. Picket fences- pvc, wood, painted, stained, white, black, natural etc. It doesn’t matter! A picket fence is an amazing curb appeal solution that adds beauty, value and functional security.
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