We spend so much time decorating or doing renovations inside our homes that we often neglect the outside. But whether you live in a house or apartment, your home’s curb appeal is the first thing guests notice before stepping inside.
Not only does it showcase your home — making it visually appealing, but it also creates a more inviting space. This is especially the case if you’re selling your property and want to make top dollar.
Luckily, improving your home's curb appeal doesn’t have to cost a fortune. There are some easy and inexpensive ways to instantly transform your home’s exterior. What’s more, you’ll have the best-looking house in the neighborhood.
So, if you want to make a grand entry, check out these 7 easy ways to improve your home's curb appeal.
Plus, check out Joanna Gaines porch decor ‘minimalist and modern take on Halloween decoration’ — according to experts.
1. Refresh your front door
Your home's front door is a main focal point of its curb appeal, and if it’s looking a little worn or dated, give it a fresh coat of paint. Over time, paintwork can chip away, or become dull in appearance. You can make your door pop with a bold, vibrant color, or you could apply a good wood stain or varnish.
Before you do however, make sure you clean the door thoroughly to remove any cobwebs, debris or dirty spots around the door’s fixtures. And when cleaning fixtures, it’s best to use a metal polish to bring back the shine.
Once you’ve spruced up your door, you can also add a stylish wreath like this Pinkpum Wreaths for Front Door ($19, Amazon), or something personal that reflects your home. In any case, repainting your front door is an affordable way to really make a statement, and add to the overall aesthetic. Plus, it’s far cheaper than buying a brand new door in the long-run.
2. Upgrade your door fixtures
Another way to improve your front door is to simply upgrade the door fixtures. Be it your locks, door knocker or front door number, you can make these more personalized.
Swap out boring or dated-looking fixtures for sleek, modern brass or chrome finishes. Choose a door number font that suits the design of your home, and looks eye-catching. You can get creative with door numbers by using metal plaques, vintage styles, or vertical address signs.
What’s more, you can invest in solar powered house numbers like this MAXvolador Solar Powered Address Sign ($25, Amazon), that will offer a warm glow at night. These designs also work well to add character and spruce up your curb appeal.
3. Add planters to porch
Porch plants are a great way of improving your home’s curb appeal. Even if you don’t have a front yard, you can still showcase your favorite flowers and shrubs in large, stylish containers or box planters. These can be placed on either side of your front door, or even on porch steps.
Depending on the climate, you can display colorful plants, lush, tropical palms, topiary or small fruit trees to add greenery to your porch. You can find planters to match your home style, such as concrete, galvanised metal, or wood. Planter boxes such as this Lattice Design Planter Box ($24, Amazon), can also be a nice decorative feature to your home. If you’re tight for space, you can always invest in hanging planters to place either side of your front door.
Ensure your porch is swept clean and uncluttered to make it look appealing. What’s more, if you have outdoor grass, ensure it’s mowed and kept neat. Just don’t make these common lawn care mistakes.
For more inspiration, you might want to try these 7 best porch plants to showcase your home.
4. Window boxes
Alternatively, you can showcase flowers and plants in window boxes. These work well for smaller homes, and can spruce up your curb appeal. Simply create a mini garden by planting brightly colored flowers, and plants in a trough or container.
First, clean your window box before adding drainage holes to prevent waterlogging. Alternatively, you can line the bottom of the box with gravel, or chips from a broken terracotta pot to prevent water logging in the soil.
Fill the box with a quality potting mix, ensuring it’s evenly spread throughout. Then space and arrange your plants (still in their pots) on the ground in the order you prefer. Once arranged, you can begin planting your favorites inside and watering them afterwards.
More importantly, make sure it’s securely fixed with brackets to the brickwork under your window sill, and easily reachable to maintain.
5. Upgrade outdoor lighting
Another great way to improve your curb appeal is to upgrade your outdoor lighting. Not only can it offer the right illumination for your porch, but will instantly add a warm ambiance to your home.
Invest in one of the best solar lights to suit your home. Ranging from wall-mounted and path lights to step and ground lights, these are all water-resistant and functional. And if you had a smart home, you can even invest in the Ring Solar Pathlights which is ideal for those with other Ring products, such as the Ring Video Doorbell.
In any case, outdoor lighting will help to showcase your porch at night, and be more welcoming for guests.
6. Accessorize with lanterns
Similarly, you can place solar lanterns around your porch or on the steps to light up your walkway. These decorative features will also add instant glow and style to your home.
You can opt for oversized lanterns like this Grand patio Floor Lamp Outdoor Lamp ($89, Amazon), these Moroccan-style lanterns to add an exotic theme, or even hanging lanterns if you’re lacking space.
7. Create a seating area
If you have a sizable porch, you can create a cozy seating area. Whether it’s a single chair, or a decorative bench like this 50" Patio Garden Bench Park Yard ($49, Amazon). You can also add warm blankets, throws and outdoor cushions to make it even more cozy. Not only can a seating area offer a peaceful retreat to enjoy the weather, but can improve your curb appeal.
When buying outdoor furniture, always consider its dimensions, as you don’t want something too cumbersome or bulky overwhelming a small space. Also check that the materials are weather-resistant, or in some cases, rust-resistant, so it can be kept in good condition all year round. During winter months, it’s always advisable to cover outdoor furniture with a protective covering like this ULTCOVER Waterproof Outdoor Sofa Cover ($39, Amazon), to ensure it lasts.
And, once you've spruced up your curb appeal, here are 9 design tricks to make a big impact on a small entryway.
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