Your Recipe for Curb Appeal

It’s easy to get caught up with interior decorating and forget about the outside of your home. However, your outdoor space can be used as a place for entertaining or spending time with family. With some quick and easy fixes, your exterior upkeep won’t feel like such a chore. Here are 6 steps for making your home the cutest on the block.

Photo by Bret Gum. Get creative with your paint color. White is always a good choice if you want to experiment with the color of your front door or shutters. However, colors like navy blue and dark green are growing in popularity and definitely give your exterior some style.

1. Paint on Point

No matter the color, make sure your home’s paint job is neat, tidy and up to snuff. Nothing says neglected home like peeling paint and stained walls.

Photo by Bret Gum. Landscaping is key when making an outdoor oasis. For a cute cottage look, grow some vines on the side of your home. For a coastal bungalow, make sure you have plenty of palm trees. Create the environment you want for your home.

2. Trim and Tidy

Your greenery should all be well maintained. Trim back overgrown hedges and shape your shrubs, and you’ll be surprised how it instantly opens up the look of your home This small cottage makes a big impact, thanks to its neat, tidy appearance.

Black paint makes the mostly symmetrical trim pop and the white siding feel crisp and modern. If you have a flat façade like this, contrasting trim adds interest. Cute accents like a pair of patterned pillows and Adirondacks framing the entryway create a grander entrance.

3. Get Growing

Spice up a boring front yard with a vegetable garden! These raised beds add homegrown charm while taking advantage of a great trend of maximizing usable space and minimizing lawns. Keep your beds well-tended and groomed for a shipshape look.

Photo by Bret Gum. Whether it’s summer all year-round or snowy in the winter, an outdoor space is perfect for entertaining and adding a welcoming feel. Use this space to relax in the mornings or watch the kids play in the yard. Just a few chairs can transform the feeling of your exterior.

4. A Gathering Place

Porch or no porch, most homes have a small space to carve out at least a basic seating area. This will add an element of design to your façade. And a small spot for rest—a porch swing, a pair of chairs or a small bench—adds life to your front yard.

Bring life to the front of your home by outfitting your porch, doorway or walkways with cozy lifestyle touches. These rockers got a fresh coat of brick-red paint to pop against the historic brick walls. Pillows with a simple but graphic motif that can be seen from afar also add personality. Keep your décor simple and uncluttered for a look that’s fresh, not chaotic.

Photo by Adrian Tiemens.
Greenery is essential for any look you’re trying to achieve. Adding symmetry is easy with greenery. If the architecture is more embellished on the left, add a big tree on the right. Good design is all about balance.

5. Symmetry

Add balance to your home’s architecture where you can with pots, topiaries and accents. Psychologically, symmetry creates a sense of calm, order and a feeling of welcome.

Photo by Bret Gum.
In the end, it’s your home and it’s all about achieving the feeling that you want. If your style is a little bit funky, show that with your paint colors. If you’re a little bit more traditional, keep your front yard clean and simple.

6. Stand out

Between the yellow door and the off-center paver path, this Craftsman bungalow puts a twist on tradition. Choose a paint color for your door that contrasts with your clapboard paint for a little pop. Then play with your hardscaping for graphic interest. This concrete path draws your eye to the door in a fun way.