Curb Appeal Tricks That Instantly Make Your Home More Inviting
By: Hannah Warne
If your exterior has been a bit neglected, it might be time to amp up your curb appeal. From small, easy projects to major upgrades, there are countless tips and tricks you can take advantage of to make your exterior look and feel fresh. A new exterior color palette, upgraded garden beds, and even new patio furniture or window boxes all will make your home feel more warm and inviting almost instantly.
Read on to discover our top curb appeal tips and tricks to help make your dream home a reality.
From tiny tweaks to a full overhaul, the brick&batten team can help you transform your exterior. We’ll help you choose your color palette and customize your design to your preferences to make your home perfectly fit your style. Learn more about our virtual exterior design services.
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Choose a warm, welcoming color palette
One of the easiest ways to make a major impact on your curb appeal is to update your exterior color palette. While a fresh coat of paint works wonders, you should strategically choose welcoming hues that make your home look instantly inviting.
Shades with warm undertones tend to create that unbeatable ambiance. Consider creamy warm white tones like Alabaster by Sherwin Williams or White Dove by Benjamin Moore. You can use these soft hues either as a primary color or an accent. Consider also incorporating other warm tones like brown, and beige. Other earth-tone colors, like green, can also help create a neutral color palette that amps up your curb appeal.
We always recommend sampling and testing paint colors before committing. Factors such as natural lighting, undertones, and your property’s fixed elements will have a significant impact on how a color will appear on your exterior. Our friends at Samplize offer extra-large 9 x 14.75 inch peel-and-stick paint samples of the colors we love for exteriors. Order your ‘Real Paint, No Mess’ samples from Samplize here.
Upgrade your roof
Like your exterior color palette, your roof majorly impacts your home’s curb appeal. If the roof is worn, faded, or in disrepair (think missing shingles or coated in moss and lichen), it can give your home a run-down look. A roof refresh, on the other hand, will make your home look and feel more modern.
Whether your home has a gable, hip, or dormer roof, redoing the roof will create a cleaner, crisper aesthetic. It also gives you the chance to choose from a wide range of colors and materials. This allows you to transform your home to match your preferred exterior design style.
Assess your windows
One of the fastest and easiest ways to increase your curb appeal is to clean your windows. Scrub the panes both inside and out for a crisper, more elevated look. Also consider giving your window trim a fresh coat of paint (whether in the same color or a new hue). Unfortunately, however, old or damaged windows, warped window frames, or other issues prevent even clean windows from upping your curb appeal.
In that case, consider replacing your home’s windows with newer, energy-efficient alternatives. Adding new windows also allows you to look more critically at what window style best suits your home. You can add bay windows, picture windows, or even transom windows. You can also choose from wood or vinyl window frames depending on your budget and exterior, giving you plenty of ways to improve the curb appeal.
Refresh your design details
Your exterior color palette, windows, and roof are the major factors that impact your home’s curb appeal. However, there are also a lot of smaller design details that you can change to add flair and charm. Exterior elements like your front door, mailbox, house numbers, and extra details like planters or window boxes will infuse your exterior with added character and personality.
Sleek, black styles deliver a modern feel while wood accents offer an organic touch. You can also mix and match different finishes and styles for a more eclectic feel depending on the look you’re trying to achieve.
Prioritize outdoor entertaining areas
Nothing is more welcoming than an outdoor entertainment area. If you have the space, consider adding some outdoor furniture to your exterior to amp up the curb appeal. You can add anything from a few rocking chairs to your front porch to an entire entertaining area on your back deck complete with an outdoor bar and fireplace.
Whatever you choose, just be sure to strategically select furniture and accents that fit with the rest of your home. If you have a traditional Victorian, opt for wrought-iron designs that complement the architecture. If you have a mid-century home, on the other hand, choose designs with minimal lines and natural hues.
Add ambiance with outdoor lighting
Once the sun sets, be sure to keep the curb appeal going with the right outdoor lighting solutions. There are countless options you can add to your exterior to add a welcoming and friendly glow.
If you don’t have them already, consider adding sconces on either side of your front door. This not only illuminates your walkway and makes it safer to navigate in the evening, but makes your entryway look extra inviting. A lamp post, bistro lights, or even a fire pit are all additional lighting options you can consider for your front and back yards to make your home feel even more appealing.
Incorporate hardscaping
Instead of focusing only on living plants to make your yard feel fresh, consider incorporating concrete, stone, and brick elements to add depth and drama. Known as hardscaping, these design details can help you make better use of your plot and enhance your existing landscaping.
From a beautiful bluestone walkway to a stone accent wall, adding additional design elements to your yard can help you create different levels, textures, and dimensions. Gazebos, pergolas, and fountains are also extra hardscaping elements you can consider for even more flair.
Finish with lush landscaping
Once your hardscaping changes are complete, take a look at your landscaping. Starting with your grass. A well-maintained, manicured lawn goes a long way toward improving your curb appeal and making your home look well-cared for.
Once your grass is taken care of, refreshing your garden beds with beautiful flowers or ornamental grass will make your home and lawn feel thoughtfully manicured and stylish.
Think through how your yard will look in each season. If you live in a colder climate, consider adding evergreen perennial plants that will stay alive year-round for a lower-maintenance solution. Options lavender, boxwood, and hostas are all-season plants that will keep your garden beds lively throughout the changing seasons.
Adding curb appeal to your home exterior
If you feel like your home’s curb appeal is lackluster, implement a few of these tips and tricks to help you make your exterior look and feel like new. Whether you implement a single change or want a more holistic transformation, these upgrades will instantly make your home feel more welcoming and inviting!
The brick&batten team is ready and waiting to help you with your home’s curb appeal. From choosing a new exterior color palette to finalizing exterior design details, our experts will help you transform your exterior to create the home or business exterior of your dreams. Start your project today!
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