Whether you are looking at increasing the property value of your home, selling your home or you simply want to improve the look of your home, boosting your home’s curb appeal can begin with just a few small changes.
The outside of your home says a lot about what is inside, and it can be just as important. It is the first thing you see as you get home each night after work and it is the first thing that friends or family see as they come to your house.
Whatever reason you are choosing to boost your home’s curb appeal, here are a variety of different tips and tricks to make your home look amazing, inside and out.
Tend to Your Shrubbery
A simple and quick way to improve the curb appeal of your home is by tending to your shrubbery. If you have shrubs that obscure the home, ensure you cut these down to be neat and flat.
Being able to see your beautiful home properly will improve its appearance and your front garden will look well-tended. If you aren’t sure how to do this, hire a local gardener to do this every so often.
Use a Pressure Washer
There may be mold and algae covering your driveway or decking that you don’t even notice anymore. Using a pressure washer can make the outside of your home look brand-new. You’d be surprised at the color difference if you haven’t used one before.
You can rent pressure washers if you do not want to commit to purchasing your own or borrow one from a neighbor or friend. This is a great alternative to a repaint if you don’t have the funds or time to do so.
Add Some Flowers
If you don’t have much greenery or color outside of your home, it may be worth adding some flowers. You can either choose to plant these yourself or use potted plants. Go with whatever color scheme you like best or one that goes with the coloring of the outside of your home.
You can find an abundance of plants at any garden store near you. This can add some character to the outside of your home. You could also install window boxes, which add a great view from the inside and outside of your home.
Consider a New Front Door
Your front door is the portal to your home, and it is also a powerful symbol of how your home looks both on the outside, as well as inside. If your door is looking old and shabby, it may be time to upgrade to a new front door.
If you don’t have the funding to do this, adding some color to your front door can also be a bold statement and can make your home stand out from the crowd. If the rest of your home is quite neutral, adding a bold color to your door can be a daring statement that really pays off.
Replace Hardware
There is no use upgrading or repainting the door if you are going to leave old, rusty hardware surrounding it.
Replacing the hardware around your door can provide a fresh and cleaner look. Consider replacing the knocker, door handle and perhaps even your doorbell, to really finish off the look of your new or refreshed front door.
Windows Are Important Too
Windows can say a lot about your home and are one of the most important features, both outside and in. You want windows that provide natural light in all the right places whilst really accentuating your home, American Vision Windows suggests.
Add Some Shutters
Whether you choose to upgrade your windows or not, adding some outside shutters can provide a quirkiness to your home and bring a new lease of life to both old and new windows. This especially looks great on older buildings but can also look good on modern builds too.
For more modern builds, sticking to white shutters will blend with the modern look. For older homes or if you want to make a bold statement, painting the shutters with a contrasting color to your home can really make it stand out on a street full of similar houses. If you like to stand out and be bold, this is a simple and quirky way to do so.
Paint Your House
A repaint of the house can bring a new lease of life to your home and make a huge difference. You can choose to do this yourself, but it can be hard work, especially if you haven’t painted a house before. Get the help of your friends or family or if you have the extra cash, hire a professional painter to do this for you.
Redo the Walkway
The walkway leading up to your home is also an important feature and it may be that the tiles or slabs are rundown, broken or cracked. This can easily be redone, and you don’t need to spend a lot of money to do so.
You can purchase concrete slabs from many home improvement stores and fit these yourself. Simply consult a home improvement website such as this one to build a beautiful walkway by yourself.
Upgrade Your Porch
Upgrading the porch brings a livable and larger outdoor space where you and your family can spend time. Upgrading the size of a porch isn’t the most expensive home improvement option out there and it can seriously make a big difference.
The ability to add chairs and even tables to your porch for outdoor dining is a great option if you love the outdoors and want to improve the curb appeal of your home.
Get Seasonal
Whatever the season, the outside of your home is a great space for decorating and getting into the seasonal spirit. During the Thanksgiving and Christmas holidays, hanging a festive wreath on your front door can bring that festive spirit and add curb appeal to your home. Get creative on Halloween and be ready to spook any potential trick or treaters.
Clean the Roof
It can be expensive to replace your roof and it may be that it just needs a good clean. This isn’t something that should be done yourself unless you have everything you need to keep yourself safe whilst doing so.
You can hire an expert to clean your roof with a pressure washer and you may even choose to have it repainted. There is no need to replace your roof if all it needs is a good clean to remove algae.
Update the Siding
If your home has been built with aluminum sidings, it may be time to upgrade to something that looks nicer and much more modern than the latter. Any fiber-cement mix can be used to cover your aluminum siding, providing your home with a modern, fresh look.
Best of all, this is less expensive and will last the distance. It also comes in many different textures meaning you can choose the look you want for the outside of your home. You can also choose to paint your siding if you don’t want to replace it. Having someone with experience can be invaluable when repairing or replacing your sidings, especially if you are unfamiliar with problems that you may encounter when replacing or painting your sidings. A professional contractor, such as armourconstruction.net, knows how to accomplish it without wasting time or materials.
Light It Up
Some nice lighting outside your home can emphasize its best features. With LED lighting options that are powered solely by solar power, you don’t have to waste energy to have a beautifully lit house.
String lights on a porch can add some beautiful character to your home and is a great space to unwind after a long day at work. Highlighting your walkways is also a great idea. You may even want to add a security light or two to add an extra element of safety to your home.
Remember Symmetry
Whether adding lights, greenery or décor, symmetry can be key to making the outside of your home aesthetically pleasing. Take a look at some of the houses as you walk along the streets near your home.
You will notice that those that look the best are often very symmetrical. Adding a light to the outside of your porch? Consider purchasing two and making this symmetrical. This can bring a sense of balance in your aesthetics.
Don’t Forget the Mailbox
Your mailbox can make a difference to the curb appeal of your home and so upgrading or repainting your mailbox can bring a modern and fresher look to the front of your home. There are many to choose from making it is easy to find a mailbox that fits the style and color scheme of the outside of your home.
Clean the Gutters
Clogged gutters are never a good look and no matter how much you try to spruce up your home, whilst your gutters are worn or clogged, your home won’t look clean or tended to. Power washing your gutters can remove years of debris and dirt, especially if you haven’t cleaned them before.
If your gutters are beginning to bend, it may be worth replacing them before they break and cause a bigger mess to clean up. Clean, unclogged gutters can be the finishing touch to a freshly painted and power washed home.
Update Your Fence
Adding a fresh lick of paint to your fence can bring a new lease of life to it. If you don’t have a fence, it may be worth getting one, especially if you want to prevent animals from using your garden as a toilet. Fences are also a great idea if you have young children who want to play outside.
A fresh, white painted picket fence can really bring some personality to your home. You can go as bold or minimalistic as you like with this, after all, it is your home and a statement of you, so choose a fence that really represents your own style and your home’s personality – it doesn’t have to be just white.
Upgrade Your Garage Doors
There is no use repainting and cleaning the outside of your home if you aren’t going to do anything about that old, rusty garage door. Simply adding new handles and hinges with a fresh repaint can make a big difference to a previously old and worn garage door.
If your door isn’t worth recovering, perhaps think about replacing it with a new door that matches your new color scheme and home exterior. If you use your garage as a living or working space, perhaps choose a garage door with windows to add some natural lighting to the inside of your garage.
Add a House Number
Using a house number can add another element of character to your home, as well as making it easier for the mailman and anyone else to find your home. Be sure to add your house number to a prominent place on the outside of your home, such as the garden gate or on the front door.
Purchase a Doormat
A doormat is both welcoming and functional. It is a great place to wipe your feet before entering your house and can really add that finishing touch to a refreshed home. Be sure to regularly clean it to ensure that you aren’t bringing further dirt into your home.
There is so much you can do to improve the look of the outside of your home and boost your home’s curb appeal. Depending on how creative you are, you may choose to do many of the above yourself. If you are unable to do this, there are professionals out there who can help from everything, from cleaning your gutters to painting your home.
Set a budget and then choose what the outside of your home really needs. From adding greenery to cleaning your walkways, every little change you add to your home can make it more aesthetically pleasing and boost your home’s curb appeal.
