Make a perfect first impression

It’s not always what’s on the inside that counts. Luke Rix reveals 11 waysy to boost yyour home’s exterior…

1

A lick of paint

Never underestimate the rejuvenating effects of a fresh splash of paint. In or out of the home, your paintwork lays the groundwork for your look, and keeping it tip-top will keep your outer walls looking their best. If replenishing your home’s whole facade seems a lot of efforrt, your front door is a good place to start. For extra points, paint the trim as well as the door itself.

2

Outside lighting

The lantern-either-sideof-the-door look is classic for a reason, and having an illuminated exterior can be as important for safety as it is for aesthetics. Most outdoor lights will be wall-mounted, but for homeowners with porticoes, floor lamps are equally effective. Aesthetics range from ornate, old-fashioned metal torches, to sleek, contemporary spotlights. More traditional options often look elegant during the day but by night, targeted modern lamps can ‘ wash’ your outside walls by splashing them with a sheet-like glow.

3

Front door furniture

Metal isn’t your main material for domestic decor, but it comes into its own on the front door. The brass lion’s head door knocker never went out of style - nor did burnished letterboxes, elegant door handles, and ornate house numbers.

4

Smart shutters

There’s any number of ways to banish light from your interior – curtains, blinds, putting something large in the way – but only shutters amp p up your aesthetic on both sides of the brickwork. These statement window dressings are more expensive than their peers, and may periodically need restorative coasts of paint, but they more than make up for it with a breezy, Mediterranean feel.

5

Verdant vegetation

You don’t need a garde en to get into gardening. Install window boxes, flank k your entrance with pot

ypplants,lt fframe your ffrontt ddoor with creepers, or hook hanging baskets onto your porch. Choose your flora wisely, as you wouldn’t be the first homeowner to pick out their fave flowers, only to find that winter withers them into it skeletal kltl stalks. t lk Consider C id evergreen shrubs or attractivettti azaleasl ththatt flflower twice a year.

6

Install a bird feeder

A firm favourite in the nation’s back gardens, there’s no reason a bird feeder shouldn’t be just as pleasant l t round d the th front. f ta A boon more for the ears than the eyes, you can help your local wildlife while adorning your housefront with the sound of tinkling birdsong. It’s a win-win.

7

Embrace symmetry

The human brain adores symmetry – in art a it’s soothing, in people it’s sexy – and it can be a guiding light in almost any form of vi isual design. The front door is your centrepiece, nd n you can mirror your de ecor around it - two la anterns, two windows, two t plant pots.

8

Move the bins

The devil is often in the detail, and something so simple as moving or hiding your rubbish bins can help make your home exterior feel far fresher. The equation is simple: what do you want your y visitors to see when they first arrive – a gate, gard en, welcome mat, or a bin?

9

Clean your gutters

CThis T is the outdoor eq quivalent of cleaning your toilet – wholly unglamorous but essential. An unattended gutter can quickly transform into a sodden, foul-smelling mass of insects and debris, causing leaks into the masonry and through the roof. Out of sight should not mean out of mind. Gloves on, ladder up, mess out.

10

Pick up a power washer

Whatever you have in front of your house – porch, doorstep, garden path – it’s most likely coated with dollops of dirt, and there’s nothing more satisfying that purging the lot with a high-pressure power washer. Easily one of the funnest household chores, the compact power pack and vacuum-like nozzle come with strong Ghostbusters vibes, and indiscriminately scour everything from fence-post to driveway.

11

Add a friendly doormat

If you want your home to be more welcoming, why not say it in as many words? If a traditional welcome mat seems a little elementary, the remarkably extensive novelty doormat market will open a new world of possibilities. possibilities