Is your house looking a little drab? The appearance of a house sends a message to everyone who sees it. An unkempt home gives the impression that the owners don’t care or don’t have pride in their home. But a well-maintained house will give the impression that its owners care about it and are willing to put in the time and effort to make it beautiful.
The trouble is, even homeowners with the best of intentions can overlook aspects of their curb appeal. When you’re rushing in and out of your house every single day, or several times a day, you get used to its appearance and overlook tiny little issues until they get out of control.
Whether you’re looking to spruce up your home’s appearance, sell your home or just have a home you can be proud of, we’ve got the tips you need to get your house looking its best. Before you know it, you’ll be the envy of the entire neighborhood!
Spruce Up Windows and Doors
Source: vr-windows.com
If you really want to make an impression, installing replacement windows or a new door is a great way to do it. This allows you to choose windows and doors that really match your style, look great, and add to your home’s character with a cohesive new look. But if that’s not in the budget, giving your doors and windows an excellent wash to get them looking like new is a smart idea.
According to GoldenWindows.com, if your front door is in good shape and doesn’t need a total replacement, you should consider a paint job. It’s amazing how a fresh coat of paint can lift up the appearance of a house. Try a bold color, even if you’re planning to sell your home. The front door is one of the few areas of the house where it’s beneficial to opt for colors that aren’t neutral and enhance the other colors of your property.
Nurture Your Lawn
It should go without saying, but sometimes with our busy lives, we can forget to keep up with lawn care, which can have an adverse effect on our home’s curb appeal. Your lawn needs regular maintenance, everything from pulling weeds and watering to mowing, raking and edging. If you have dead spots, kandrlandscaping.net will put in some fresh sod and soon you’ll have a beautiful, well-groomed front yard.
Take Care of Driveway and Walkways
Source: greenscenelandscaping.ca
Our driveways and walkways can take quite a beating with regular traffic on them and end up looking pretty beat up. Cracks and stains happen, and occasionally you might find weeds sprouting up through them. If weeds are growing through cracks, pull them out or kill them. Rent a powerwasher to give them a solid clean and then fill and repair the cracks.
Add Lighting
Nothing says ‘go away’ like a dark house. Lighting done right can add so many things to your curb appeal. It can light up your home, making it more secure and making it safer for you and your visitors to navigate at night.
Lighting can also be used strategically to highlight some of the best features of your house, like accenting walkways and landscaping. Sconces can add a pleasant illumination, while path lights can make it easier to navigate. Twinkle lights can provide a fairy tale charm and make your home look and feel magical.
Match Your Hardware
Source: edge.curalate.com
Just because some aspects of a home’s curb appeal are smaller than others doesn’t mean they aren’t just as important. The tiny elements of your home’s exterior – think door handle, mailbox, house numbers – make big impressions, so make sure they are in good shape. If they are dented and dinged, it’s worth it to purchase replacements, as these are quick and inexpensive fixes. They don’t have to be exact matches to one another, but they should be complementary to give your home a cohesive look.
If they are in good enough condition, just giving them a wash and a polish should be rough to get them shining again.
For house numbers, think about the placement of them carefully. They might be perfect where they are, but perhaps there’s a better spot for them, or somewhere they’ll be more noticeable. If you’re selling your home or having new visitors over, the last thing you want is to struggle to figure out if they have the right house rather than focusing on your home’s charm and beauty.
Go to the Garden
For some people, a garden is a hobby and therapy all wrapped in one. For others, it’s a nightmare. Whether you have a green thumb or can’t seem to keep anything alive, adding some colorful seasonal plants and flowers makes your property seem more charming and welcoming. You can go full force with a planting bed, or if you don’t have the time, money or desire for that, just use pots and containers. Container gardens are inexpensive to keep up, and another benefit is you can move them around or switch them out as needed.
Rethink Outdoor Furniture
Source: pinterest.com
If your house has a giant porch and you’ve fitted it with some comfortable seating, that’s a wonderful addition to your curb appeal. However, too much furniture can quickly cause your home’s appearance to become cluttered and messy. The right amount of outdoor furniture very much depends on the size of your house and property, so if you’re not sure, consider asking a friend or neighbor for their thoughts.
The great thing about improving your home’s curb appeal is that it can be as much or as little effort as possible. There are regular maintenance items like lawn care, but you can also make quick and easy improvements by swapping out hardware, spending an afternoon painting your front door, or taking on a big project like replacement windows.
Whatever or however many of these list items you choose, just a little effort will equal significant results, making your home more beautiful. You might even have trouble taking your eyes off your house!
