The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Spring Atlanta Home Show offers ways to freshen curb appeal
Homeowners now embrace bold colors and materials from their walk- ways and throughout their homes.
“It’s more about, ‘My house is my home, and I want to love where I live,’” said Egypt Sherrod, CEO of Egypt Sherrod Real Estate Group and host and executive producer of HGTV’s “Flipping Virgins,” which films in Atlanta.
Sherrod will be a speaker at the Spring Atlanta Home Show, which is in its 40th year and runs March 23-25 at the Cobb Galleria Centre. Over 350 home remodeling
and outdoor living exhibitors will offer expertise, services
and products at the event. Sherrod and fellow HGTV host John Gidding, who also
will be speaking at the show, offered t ips to personalize your home and possibly improve its property value.
Color crush
Kitchen cabinets and appliances are being refurbished with bold choices, such as high-gloss white appliances or appliances featuring “new neutrals” such as navy, she said.
“You can go online now and search for almost any
color appliance you want —from tangerine orange to trumpet yellow,” Sherrod said.
She said homeowners are taking risks, such as matte black or rose gold appliances.
“That knocked me off my feet,” Sherrod said.
Her home show talk will focus on how homeowners can improve their homes for $500 and increase the property value by $5,000 or more.
“It’s really about following the wave of the future,” Sherrod said. “If we always stayed where we were, most of our homes would still have pea green shag rugs.”
Curb appeal at the forefront
Curb appeal can improve the property value and the neighborhood, said Gidding, an architect and designer who will be in TLC’s “Trading Spaces” reboot, which debuts April 7.
“I found that a lot of neighborhoods’ property values go up when one or two homes start to improve their curb appeal,” he said. “They certainly get every dollar they put in back once they sell the house when it comes to investing in curb appeal, and the entire neigh- borhood benefits.”
Homeowners are now more inclined to paint their facades bolder colors and feel emboldened to take risks, said Gidding, also
the host of HGTV’s “Curb Appeal.” High-end materials, such as teak decks and bluestone pavers, go a long way in making a home feel touched by luxury, Gidding said.
“Also, people are star ting to recognize these materials more,” he said. “You can use more of these exotic woods and people will actually recognize what you’ve done and give you credit for it.”