Curb appeal. This small phrase can bring with it a whole host of problems. What is curb appeal? Why is it important? How do I actually get it? Well, don’t be afraid, this article will talk you through the whole thing.
First thing’s first. What is curb appeal? It means how attractive the property and its surroundings are when viewed from the street. So, it’s very important for you if you are selling (or are planning to sell) your property. Additionally, if you’re a house-proud person then it’s likely that curb appeal will be very important to you.
So, if you’re looking to fix up your home in preparation for sale, or you’ve moved in somewhere that needs a little love, read on for some top tips and tricks for giving your house some curb appeal!
1. Paintwork matters
Even the most beautiful house on the perfect street won’t look appealing if there’s shoddy paintwork. If you’re living on your property, it can be difficult to spot tired paintwork, as you’re seeing it every day. So, take a step back and assess your property properly. Is the paint peeling off the windows? If you’ve painted the frontage, is it all neat and unstained? If so, it’s time to get painting.
The best thing about a new paint job? It’s a very cheap way to make your house feel much fresher. So, if you don’t have a huge budget, this is a simple step.
2. Keep an eye on fixtures
The state of simple things like guttering and mailboxes can be a dead giveaway for the state of the rest of the hope. So, make sure your gutters are in good working order and your mailbox is working well and looking smart. Make sure to thoroughly clean and scrub your gutters if you can, or replace them with new so they look great. Swapping an outdated, tired mailbox for a new, smart one can change the look of the whole place. These are small, finishing touches that make a huge difference.
3. Landscape, landscape, landscape
Whether you have a huge, fifteen-bedroom home with a one-mile drive or a small terraced house with a little patch of green outside, landscaping is important. To make your house look at its best, make sure it’s sitting in the right setting. That means ensuring your lawn is mown and tidy, that flower beds are carefully cut in and there’s a good garden path if your property requires one.
So, that means that the front garden enhances the state of your property.
4. Embrace plants
There’s nothing more welcoming than flowers at a front door. So, embrace greenery and flowers to create a fresh, vibrant entranceway to your home. If you don’t have a huge amount of space, hanging baskets can add a touch of flair to your entranceway. By using plants and flowers around the place, you can bring attention to focal points such as windows or doors.
If it’s winter and you’re not sure how you can bring some greenery in, then evergreen shrubs like bay trees or even bring in a touch of the exotic with bamboo. Additionally, if you want to play the long game, you can encourage a canopy to grow across the front of your door.
5. Smarten up your front door
This is one of the most obvious features of your home as seen from the curb. So, make sure that it’s looking as good as it can do. If it’s looking a bit old, then consider the difference that a brand new door could make to the place. Choosing a contrasting color to the walls of your home will really make the feature pop. And by choosing the right door knocker or number, you can make the place look considered and elegant.
6. Add lighting
To avoid having a dark, gloomy entranceway (which isn’t a welcoming sight) add-in or update the lighting by the front of your home. Updating your residential landscape lighting design could completely change the aesthetic of your yard and home. Modern sconces or pendants can transform the look of your home, changing it from dated to contemporary in one fairly inexpensive move.
If you’d like to go further and make more of a dramatic difference (especially if you will be viewing the house in the winter or at night), add uplighting around the front of the house. They will make a dramatic change, making the house appear modern and cared for. It really shows the place off!
7. Don’t forget the garage
This often-overlooked building is important to the curb appeal of your home. Make sure the garage door is looking neat. Replacing the door completely is an expensive job, so if you don’t want to part with your cash over it, you can make it look like new with a fresh stain. You’ll need to ensure the door’s surface is totally clear and prepped for the stain, then you’re good to go.
8. Make it symmetrical
Creating an asymmetrical look to the front of your home immediately makes the place look more attractive. If you can, flank your front door with matching plants and work to ensure the planting enhances that feeling. It makes the place look much more put together and considered, which boosts the curb appeal of your place significantly.
9. Add new hardware
It’s such a simple change, but replacing the numbers on the front of your house and the latches on the windows can really improve the look of the place. It’s the kind of thing you don’t do often, so you might not realize that your existing hardware is looking pretty beaten up by the weather.
10. Replace the windows
This is a big job, but it’s definitely worth it if you’d like your home to look like new again. Not to mention, if your windows are very old, they can add to the value of your home. It’s also a great move if you’d like to make your heating more cost-efficient, as new windows will reduce the amount of warmth that’s lost from the windows.
