HOMES JULIA GRAy

First impressions always count when it comes to houses. shows you how to smarten up the exterior of your home to make it more of a des res

IF you want to increase your home’s ‘kerb appeal’, giving the front a makeover is a must, whether you’re selling or staying put. Here’s how to do it: the look of your front door is to change the door furniture – chrome or satin nickel is more fashionable than brass and gives a smart, contemporary look, suited to both period and modern doors.

Get metal door numbers to match, or consider frosted-film numbers if you have a glazed or partially glazed door or porch. They can be fiddly to fit, but look great. or other exterior finish, and suit its age and style of architecture.

While some of the classic colours are always popular for front doors, including red, black and stately dark blue, there are also colour trends – greys and duck-egg blues and greens have become popular in recent years.

AWEEDS and moss will always form on block paving, especially in shade. Regular pressure-washing removes the top finish – then the surface is no longer smooth and even harder to clean.

Gravel is the solution. It’s easy to lay and just needs a rake now and then. It’s also a deterrent to would-be burglars as you can hear them coming!

QWE recently removed an ivy growing up a painted roughcast wall. How do we remove the mess of tendrils?

have no chance of removing those pesky tentacles – I recently wore a screwdriver down to a metal pin trying to get the little suckers off. I eventually gave up. I tried a heat gun, wire brush and jet wash but ended up painting the wall. I can still see them.

is the best way to remove several layers of concrete floor paint in preparation for re-sealing and painting?

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