10 Ways to Heighten Your Curb Appeal
Do you ever notice when you are driving through a residential neighborhood what features stand out to you about a home? Is it the lawn? Does the lighting on the home impress you? Is there a beautiful porch that looks so welcoming? Whatever it may be, here are some ideas to step up your property’s appearance.
Curb appeal is much like a first impression. Of course the first impression does not tell you the whole story, but it does encourage your curiosity. Curb appeal can draw people in and has been noted to on average increase the value of a home by 7% on a home with high curb appeal (Realtor Magazine, 2021)
1.) Create an entryway that makes a statement
Just as curb appeal is like the first impression, you can imagine the importance of a strong entryway leading to a home’s front door. One way that you can increase your entryway’s positive curb appeal is by adding a fence. There are many types of fencing that can be added to a home to lead to the porch. Many people favor white picket fences while others find wrought iron fencing to go well with their home’s exterior. A fence can cut back to an entryway or an entry gate.Flower pots can be built into a fence or simply used to incorporate more vibrant colors. Some homeowners like to include sculptures or larger art pieces that lead into the yard.
2.) Maintain a well-manicured lawn
Landscaping can engage a lot of creativity for homeowners. The landscaping can be predominantly grass or include trees, native plants, bushes, shrubs, flowers or so many more natural elements. Many homeowners enjoy adding a water feature to their landscaping design to create a calming atmosphere. Another way that a home’s landscaping can be elevated is through the use of flower beds and lighting.
3.) Update your garage door
A garage can really make a huge difference in your home’s curb appeal. Have you ever seen a home where the garage door stuck out in a way that just didn’t match the home’s exterior or didn’t blend in? Garage doors have begun to have an expanding range of styles available that really can transform a home’s look.
4.) Give your home’s exterior a good clean
As simple as this option may seem, it can really make an impressive difference on the appearance of your property. Just as the inside of your home acquires dust over time and so does your home’s exterior. For James Hardie fiber cement siding, the recommendation is to use a regular hose and a soft medium bristle brush to clean your siding every 6-12 months (Click here for the full James Hardie guide).
Pressure washing can be such a calming process to watch and even do yourself. A good pressure wash of your driveway or pathway to your front door can make an amazing difference on the overall curb appeal of your home. Additionally, touching up your home’s exterior paint can remove any eyesore spots.
5.) Transform your porch into a relaxing spot
Outdoor areas that you can relax in aren't just limited to your backyard. You can create a cozy spot on your front porch too. Rocking chairs are a lovely addition to front porches, as are a number of other types of seats. Like in the photo above, a statement chair can be a gorgeous addition to your porch. Decorative throw pillows on your porch seating is another way to make your porch more welcoming. Another addition to your porch that will step up your home’s curb appeal is adding potted plants.
6.) Add some flair to your windows
When we say flair, we do not mean cheesy buttons like you may think. Shutters can be a lovely touch for a home’s exterior appearance. Shutters are another area where you can get creative! There are a number of varying styles of shutters for windows. They can be painted to match trim, they can have decorative cutouts, and even different patterns. Shutters can also be elevated with window boxes filled with flowers or plants that compliment your home’s exterior.
7.) Give your front door a makeover
Giving front doors a makeover seems to be gaining a lot of traction lately with homeowners, especially during the pandemic which gave many extra time at home to consider how they can update their house. Platforms like Pinterest have really been a great resource for homeowners to see what people are doing to their homes to stay on trend. Brightly colored doors can also make a statement about your home. Color theory and psychology notes how different colors can evoke different emotions that are both positive and negative. A splash of a complimentary color on your home’s front door can be a great method of expressing your personality through your door. So what do specific colors mean? According to Ignyte, red can be symbolic of passion, power, strength, and more (2021). For more information on the psychology of colors and which colors evoke which emotions, visit Ignyte’s website here.
Color is a big factor in perception and curb appeal also is all about perception. Your door can say a lot about who you are and what your home is like. Another thing that can be changed up on your front door is the hardware. Just as you can switch out knobs on a dresser for a makeover, you can do the same for your front door. You can even update your door’s hardware without even removing it! The possibilities are quite vast.
8.) Freshen up your house numbers
Another relatively simple way you can add a bit of flash to your property is by simply switching out your house numbers with fresh new ones. The finish, color, font, and more can be selected to refresh your home’s numbers.
9.) Makeover your mailbox
Another means of upping your home’s curb appeal is by making an introduction with your mailbox. This is another area of opportunity to be creative. It is important for your mailbox to compliment the style of your home’s exterior. However, you can create a mailbox that looks like a model of your home, create something more modern, or even just give your mailbox a facelift.
10.) Update your home’s exterior lighting
Lighting is another way to up your property’s curb appeal and can be done on a budget. Lighting can definitely affect where a viewer's eyes go. One method that can be incorporated into the lighting design of your home’s exterior is uplighting.
Lighting provides so many options for leading the eye. Pathway lights can be found for pretty inexpensive on Amazon or at many stores. A lot of pathway lights are also solar powered and therefore will not cost more money in electricity. Pathway lights make the front of your home safer for yourself and visitors. Some pathway lighting are designed to create light patterns on your walkway, while others give you a range of color choices so that you can change up your home’s look with the seasons.
Uplighting on trees or other features of your home can add to your home’s appeal. There are also options for spotlights, downlighting, flood lights, and more.