DESIGN

A lot of the info online about curb appeal is specifically for people getting ready to sell their homes, which isn’t necessarily helpful if you want to spruce up your house’s exterior just for your own enjoyment of your home. Exteriors are huge and complicated and it can be hard to know where to start with improving them, and most of us don’t have the time or budget to re-paint and re-landscape on a whim.

Luckily, there are plenty of smaller tweaks you can make that will make a surprising difference to your home’s facade. Here are four easy, approachable starting points for creating a welcoming and attractive exterior that you can enjoy every day.

Cleaning & maintenance ideas

Besides regular maintenance like mowing your lawn, there are a few odd cleaning tasks that can make a surprisingly big difference.

Often overlooked in regular maintenance routines are exterior elements of the house that accumulate dirt and grime over time. Neglected areas such as the exterior walls, windows, and gutters can significantly detract from the overall curb appeal if left uncleaned.

The quickest way to restore the luster of your home's exterior is by using a pressure washer, which can be rented from a hardware store (and is extremely fun to use). If you want something you can keep on hand, there are hose attachments designed for spraying and rinsing specialized soap onto brick, siding, concrete, etc..

For windows, a simple solution of water and vinegar sprayed onto the glass and wiped with a squeegee can effectively remove streaks and smudges.

Dirty gutters and cracked sidewalks are two issues that may or may not be DIY-able. Repairing a majorly uneven sidewalk should be left to the pros, but smaller cracks can be repaired DIY.

Last but not least, don’t forget to do the most dreaded chore, cleaning out the dead bugs in the outdoor light fixtures!

Small paint projects

You don’t have to repaint the whole house to breathe new life into your house’s facade.

Giving your front door a splash of color or freshening up tired shutters and trim are both relatively low-cost projects that you can tackle over a weekend.

Using planters to frame the door

A pair of big ceramic planters on either side of the door is a fantastic way to add more color to the facade, and add greenery and symmetry.

Adding planters is a toofer, since the planters themselves add flair and charm, but they also provide a spot for extra greenery or flowers. Hostas are a classic front porch plant because they’re low maintenance, come back year after year, and are gorgeous whether or not they’re in bloom.

Elements to consider upgrading

Lastly, there are a handful of decorative items that can be easily swapped out if they’re looking tired or if you’re simply ready for a change.

New door hardware and a new mailbox both can have a big impact on the overall look and feel of your home's exterior, especially if you’re able to find some you’re excited about. Similarly, a new doormat always makes a porch feel refreshed.

Upgrading to new exterior light fixtures can instantly modernize your home's facade and enhance its nighttime curb appeal.

Curb appeal isn't just about impressing potential buyers; it's about creating a welcoming and attractive exterior that you can enjoy every day.

If you still don’t know where to begin, take a walk around the block and look for things you love about other houses in your area. There are a million and one ways you can update a facade, and chances are your brain will start generating ideas for you. Happy curb appealing!