The exterior of your house is the first thing people see when they are approaching your home, which is why you want to make sure you put your home’s best face forward, so to speak. A generic home without a personality is just that: unappealing,but add a few touches of color and texture and your home could come alive. So whether you’re looking to give your home a more modern style or just want to keep it looking fresh and updated, curb appeal is key to creating a welcoming entrance. There are six simple projects to help improve your home’s appearance and increase your property’s value.
If your exterior stucco is peeling, showing its age or the texture is from a time long ago it would help to freshen it up a little with a new color coat. Adding or replacing your old siding with a maintenance-free vinyl or cement-based siding can increase your home’s look and value, but only if you do it right. The key thing to remember is that you have to be very careful about the appearance so you retain the architectural integrity of the house. For example, if you have an old house with real brick, updating the outside with vinyl siding can hurt the value of the home.
If you need one reason to replace your roof, consider this: the wrong roof can be a true eyesore, but on the other hand, the right roof enhances the exterior of your home So, what exactly is the “right” roof? One that has aesthetic dimension, it’s color complements the rest of the house and architectural elements. If you’re not sure what you’re looking for in terms of design, the right design expert can help you understand what works best for your home and what materials are available.
If you haven’t replaced your windows in the last ten years or so, you’re probably behind on energy efficient improvements. Replacing your windows not only improves curb appeal, but it can also save you money in utilities in the long run. Older windows are usually painted wood and require constant maintenance, but by replacing these units with metal or vinyl-clad windows, you can substantially reduce annual energy costs and enhance your home’s appearance at the same time.
If your garage doors are clearly visible to passersby, you shouldn’t ignore them. In fact, you should put extra thought into their design. Some people just think anything will do, but the truth is a garage door should be a style that reflects the house’s style. What’s the easiest way to get garage doors to match the rest of the house? By replacing your existing garage door with one that complements the overall exterior of your house, including the color and style. You can choose a garage door with windows or window panels as one way to add style and let in some natural light.
Another way to boost up the appearance of your home is with a nice simple coat of paint. However, don’t go too crazy with the colors, as this could turn off potential buyers when you decide to sell your home. A neutral color works fine for most people’s tastes and fits in with most homes in a neighborhood. If you want to add some bold colors, consider painting the trim with contrasting colors, along with shutters and strong color on the front door is always a nice touch. Whatever color scheme you and your design professional decide to use you want to keep the number of different colors you use to three to four maximum.
One of the best projects to help increase your home’s outer beauty is landscaping the front of the house. To start, trim back overgrown bushes (or take them out completely if they’re too big) and plant new flower beds to bring some color into play and don’t forget to add soil where needed to fill in any bare areas in the grass. While you’re landscaping, you should also take a look at the pathways and driveway around the greenery. If they don’t look their best, do something about it. Applying a driveway sealer to your driveway or repairing the walkway to your front door will give your home a fresh new look without spending a whole lot of money.
The home presented in the ipost mage is a renovation project ARCHITECTUS completed in the Carrol Park Historical District in the City of Long Beach, California.