DECORATING
Enhance curb appeal and the beauty of your home with these tips and tricks.
Enhance curb appeal with these tricks for a fashionable facade
Clean, repair, polish
The first step to freshening up the front of your home is to give it a thorough spring cleaning. Once that’s done, assess whether certain items are in need of repair and get those fixed first. Next, look at the paint, whether it’s on bricks, siding, railings, stairs, front door or window trim. You may need to make touching up your paint jobs a priority. A fresh coat goes a long way to making your home look like new.
Highlight your front door
If you’re thinking of a change, the latest trend is to add pops of bright colour—and the best place to do that is on your front door. A beautiful, colourful door lends character, especially if the rest of the exterior is neutral. Yellow, orange, turquoise or hot pink are great options for those who like to make a bold statement, while deep, saturated shades of classic red, navy blue or forest green are always in style. You can also create contrast through your door's composition. For example, a wooden door will add richness and warmth to a cool-hued grey house. You can also choose to highlight the oft-neglected garage door with a dash of colour.
Consider architectural elements
Architectural ornaments should be well proportioned to the home. For instance, entrance columns are often much too small for the size of the house. Replacing them with larger models can better emphasize the entrance and give the residence some presence. You can also replace the plastic or metal coating that adorns the portico with wood, a more chic and warmer alternative. Swapping out an ordinary guardrail for an elegant one in wrought iron can give the facade a lot of character, too.
Swap out accessories
We tend to neglect the details, such as the house number, doorknob, mailbox and porch light; however, trading up on those smaller accents can be enough to give your home’s exterior a facelift without spending too much money.
Plan the landscaping
Ideally you would call a professional landscaping team to make major changes. If you opt to do it yourself, be prepared to do some serious research and planning. You'll need to consider not only the style and design you hope to achieve, but also the direction your home faces, how much sun or shade it gets, the soil condition and your hardiness zone.
Add decorative accents
Place one or more lanterns, pretty flowerpots and a beautiful watering can near the front door or on the steps, hang a balcony planter on the railing, attach pretty hooks to the wall, and add a stylish doormat to the decor. If you’ve got room for seating, add some chairs or a bench outside for a fashionable spot to relax al fresco.