Choosing what to change about the exterior of your home, whether it’s a charming cottage or a bland colonial, can be a challenge. While you shouldn’t try to impose your personal style on your home, the right exterior improvements can have a significant impact on its overall curb appeal and value.
Hang a Lantern
Make a flat facade more interesting by using the right lighting. For a farmhouse, colonial, or other traditional-style home, a gas lantern is a perfect fit. A Cape Cod or a cottage-style home would benefit from the addition of nautical-themed lanterns.
Install a New Door
A door with a unique design can have a significant effect. You can lighten up a heavy facade by choosing a new door with panes of glass, like the one shown here or in the previous photo. Seek out a replacement door that not only matches your house’s architectural style, but also has more features such as finer detailing, a more sturdy construction, or more windows to let in light.
Hang Seamless Window Boxes
Everyone knows that window boxes are a wonderful addition to any home. Take the time to find window boxes that go well with your house’s style instead of just slapping on any old ones. A little extra effort will pay off, as window boxes can function as architectural features without the cost of a full renovation.
Add a Gate
Your home’s exterior can be enhanced by a wood or low masonry fence with a metal or wooden gate. With landscaping in front and beyond the gate, even the tiniest of front yards appear to be much larger.
Plant an Arbour If Possible
Adding fragrant plants to an arbour over the gate can make it even more charming. For a magical nighttime effect, incorporate landscape lighting into the arbour’s plantings.
Redo the Driveway
Unless it’s in bad shape, you might not even notice the driveway when looking at the exterior of your home. Your home’s curb appeal may suffer if your driveway has been damaged or does not match the design of your house. A driveway made of brick, masonry, or stained concrete can be beautiful and long-lasting.
Decorate the Garage Doors
Your garage doors, if they can be seen from the street, should match your house as closely as possible in terms of style and design. Adding lighting in the same style as the main entrance and painting the garage the same colour as the rest of the house can make a big difference. Replace the garage doors or build a pergola over the garage if you’re willing to spend more money.
Add Dormer Windows to Your Home
Dormers can be expensive (and disruptive) to install, but if they’re a good fit for your house, they’ll improve its curb appeal and let in more natural light inside. If you’re thinking about adding a dormer to your home, you should speak with an architect right away.
Decide on the Right Kind of Roof
You may not notice a problem with the roof if it looks fine, but if something goes wrong, it can be disastrous. In the case of replacing your roof, the practical must take precedence over the speculative.
Pebbledash the Exterior
For pebble dash, cement and numerous small stones and rocks are combined.
Pebble dash, which was popular between the 1920s and the 1950s, was often used by builders to hide poor brickwork and add character to new buildings.
For exterior brick walls, pebble dash was applied by covering brickwork with a layer of cement and then tossing the stones and small rocks into the wet mortar mix.
Pebble dashing has a number of advantages. It’s a hard-wearing, long-lasting, and reasonably priced way to hide flaws.
If you already have pebble dashing, but it’s looking a little worn, you may want to consider painting it. This is a popular choice among property owners and landlords who want to enhance the appearance of their buildings from the outside. However, preparation and tools are needed to successfully paint pebble dash.
Let There be Light
Having a dark entryway isn’t welcoming. Put something new and exciting in place of your existing front-door sconce or hanging pendant light. Get rid of any spider webs and other accumulated gunk from around the outdoor light fixtures for an instantly brighter appearance. If you want to brighten up a walkway, consider installing solar-powered lanterns or porch string lights.
Embrace Symmetry
Symmetrical patterns create eye-catching focal points that instantly elevate the appearance of any space. Decorate your entrance with a pair of matching wall lanterns or plants. The same can be done around your garage door if you don’t have room at the front door.
Makeover Your Letterbox
Replace your old mailbox with a new one that’s more up-to-date. It’s a simple but effective way to spruce up your home’s exterior, making a subtle but noticeable difference. It will cost between $50 and $200 to replace your mailbox, depending on what kind it is (i.e. a standing mailbox or one that is attached to the wall).
