Does Your Home Create a Lasting First Impression?
Whether you’re building your first home, remodelling an old one or putting your house on the market, you can’t afford to overlook its curb appeal. It’s often the first thing that attracts you or a potential buyer to a home and one of the most important features of any building. The porch often reflects the home’s style and character and plays an important role in distinguishing one home from another. If a complete curb overhaul seems too overwhelming, here are a few simple but sure shot ways to upgrade your curb appeal.
Clean up: Treat your your windows and walls to a power wash to remove accumulated dust, dirt and any stains. Remove any visible clutter such as toys or unused furniture blocking your driveway. Trim tree branches that block the view to your house. Clear away old, fallen leaves, replace old mulch with new, prune your garden beds and bushes and pull weeds. Take a look at your curb from across the street and see if there is anything else that needs immediate attention. More often than not, simply eliminating clutter from your driveway and porch will work wonders for your curb appeal by exposing more of what is already a beautiful feature.
Spruce up: If your door could use a fresh coat of paint, experiment with a bold color that contrasts with your walls and those of your neighbors. New paint, siding and trim can dramatically improve the appearance of your home while giving you the chance to check and fix any cracks, rotting surfaces and other visible damage. Replace or touch up hardware such as the door knob, handles, your mailbox and the home’s number plate.
Liven up: Add decorative lanterns or wall sconces that flank your door and introduce a sense of symmetry. Use planters and interestingly shaped pots with a mix of decorative and vibrant, flowering plants to create an instant garden. Arrange these pots and planters so they enhance your porch without blocking usable space. Add a garden fountain feature or statue that complements your home’s style and makes your home more inviting. Garage and yard sales as well as flea markets have great finds, so take the time to look when you pass by one.
Deck up: Treat your railings and porch columns for moisture and insect damage if necessary. Alternatively, consider replacing old wooden columns, rusty railings and other porch features with those made of durable PVC and other weather-resistant materials. These low maintenance alternatives last you years, come with lifetime warranties and are usually untouched by weather exposure and insects. PVC column wraps are also easy to install around existing posts. On the same note, consider retiling your porch or a small area in front of your door that gets maximum foot traffic. Adding pergolas and trellises to your front yard creates a beautiful private walkway to your doorstep or cozy garden retreat.
Choose as many of these as you can execute or even just one or two. Remember: even one small change can make a big impact when it comes to your curb appeal.
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