Improve These Six Items To Make Your Home Stand Out
Your home is an expression of who you are and I want my home to look inviting and neat as it is a place I can say that I’m proud to own. Aside from the structure itself, the yard and passages leading up to your home deserve some attention. I’ll be sharing what I’ve done to many outdoor areas at my properties to improve the look and feel of the homes. These projects can be done by any DIYer with standard tools and they won’t break the wallet.
Front Door
The front door is the main focal point eyes are drawn to when looking at a house. A dingy and faded door is one of the first things people will notice so having a nice front door will set the tone for the house. This doesn’t mean a large or expensive door with intricate glass sections is required but a nice finish, modern color, and some lighting can go a long way. The duplex I own has a regular exterior door as the front door. It was formerly white but weathered with lots of marks on it. I gave it a coat of matte black paint to make it pop and match with the black mulch. It’s a metal door so I used Rustoleum in a can and painted it with a foam roller. The results show a significant improvement from just painting it.
The white door was fitted with gold hardware and knobs. Not only was it out of style, but also peeling and corroded. We swapped out these handles with brushed nickel ones and a brushed nickel digital keypad for the dead bolt. These small details can make a big difference.
The old hooks were removed and a modern looking wreath can be hung to give the door maximum style and appeal.
Porch
Similar to the front door, the porch and steps is an area where eyes are drawn. The front porch visually connects the front door to the walkway or ground. Since you and your guests are going to be walking on them daily, it’s important to have safe and appealing steps or porch. Plain concrete looks industrial and if it’s older, can be worn down to the point where it no longer looks nice. It was time to do something about the three small concrete steps that made the exit look like something you would see at a shop or commercial garage.
Rather than breaking the concrete out with a jackhammer or sledgehammer, I decided to let it stay and build a porch on top of it. Since the steps were not in the way of the porch posts and would be hidden underneath the new porch, I was able to leave them and save myself the hassle of having to demo the old concrete steps.
For the new front porch, I opted for a pressure treated wood support structure and composite decking boards. I chose black metal spindles for the railing and used standard pressure treated 2×4’s for the upper and lower rail. There is also white vinyl trim for the outside fascia as well as on the risers and stair sides to give the porch a packaged and complete look. Small accent items can be added to the porch to increase its character. For the post tops, I sourced some black plastic 4×4 post covers with solar rechargeable batteries and LED lights. These lights were only $10 at a discount store and illuminate the deck area nicely when the sun goes down. For the rear posts, I used standard, square point black metal covers. I didn’t get carried away on the ascents for this project as it was for a duplex rental property but for other homes, the possibilities are endless.
The last item to address at the front porch was the house number and porch lights that are mounted on the house. The old lights were torch style and gold in color with rust spots all over them. The gold house number was in the same condition and in desperate need of replacement. I selected an elevated number with a modern font in the color black and two new black and clear glass porch lights for each side of the front door.
Walkway
The walkway at any property serves many functions. To start, it is the pathway for visitors to follow as they approach your home. In large yards with intricate landscape features, a walkway is even more important. They can highlight other elements of your front yard, such as gardens, lighting, and decorative elements, creating a cohesive and attractive outdoor space. A functional and well designed walkway can add value to your property as it improves the physical appearance that would attract potential buyers. A proper walkway helps prevent accidents by providing a stable and even surface to walk on, reducing the risk of tripping or slipping, especially in climates that experience significant rain, snow, and ice. A front walkway is a key element in making your home more appealing, accessible, and unique.
The walkway at this property is made of poured concrete and is still in pretty good condition. If there are no cracks and missing pieces of the walkway it makes sense to keep it if you are on a budget. I was able to improve the look of the walkway using a pressure washer and some concrete cleaning agent. Stains from rain water runoff, grass clippings and foot traffic build up over time and can be removed easily to make the concrete lighter in color and more clean looking. You can add cobblestones or other border stones to the sides of an existing walkway to improve the aesthetic. If the walkway is in rough shape and beyond repair, it might make sense to remove it and replace with paving stones, crushed stone combined with porcelain outdoor tiles, or repoured concrete that can be stamped to improve appearance.
Flower beds
Mulch and flower beds are a great addition to any home no matter the location, climate, or type of property. These features add contrasting colors and texture to the landscaping which can make your yard more pleasing to the eye. There are ecological benefits to planting native species of plants which will attract pollinating insects. It’s easier to define spaces for different purposes by organizing the yard layout as it flows from one end to the other.
This property had the lawn extending all the way to the foundation and enclosed front porch. There were no beds around the property or designated areas for plants and shrubs. I decided to cut some beds a few feet away from the structure to create a space to plant some bushes and spread some mulch. The use of landscape edging is not necessary but I like to use it so that grass will not start to migrate into the bed. The edging creates a clearly defined line that will stand the test of time. There are plastic and metal options for edging and I typically use the black plastic as it is more cost effective and easier to work with especially if the beds are shaped or have many curves. Some homeowners prefer using landscape stones, pavers, or other edge stones to build out a barrier between the lawn and mulch bed.
Weed block fabric inside the beds is essential for preventing weed growth in the newly formed bed. I will usually level the ground after digging up the grass before rolling out the weed block fabric. I also use metal stakes to pin the weed block fabric in place so that it doesn’t move, especially in the fall when the beds are being blown or raked out to clean them. The fabric can be tucked under rocks to hold it in place too.
The final step to creating the bed is to spread either mulch or stone to cover the weed block fabric. There are pros and cons to either choice and I have used both depending on the property. It’s even possible to use both and delineate areas where the mulch will end and the stone will continue or vice versa. Stone is maintenance free and once you install it, it will last for decades. There are various color options for stone and choices such as smaller pea gravel or larger river rocks. Crushed bluestone is also appropriate and is available in a few different sizes.
Shrubs and plants
Shrubs and plants in front of a house offer numerous benefits. They can provide privacy from neighbors and those who are passing by. They can also attract beneficial insects, birds, and other wildlife. Shrubs act as a sound barrier which helps homes that might be on a busy street or near a public park. When shrubs are carefully selected and placed strategically throughout a yard, it can make for a pleasing layout.
I recommend doing some research on plants before buying any to make sure you understand how big they will get and what maintenance is entailed. Some plants will drop leaves and stalks which require a yearly cleanup. Others are pretty much maintenance free but might need a trimming or pruning every now and then. I’ve planted some trees and bushes that ended up getting quite large so I had to move them further from the house or away from utility lines. Selecting plants that are native to your location and climate will make it much easier to keep them healthy. Most hearty plants will live in any soil and rely solely on rain water without needing any irrigation. That said, planting new shrubs with high quality outdoor soil and adding some fertilizer now and again will ensure the plants establish themselves and survive in the first few years.
A mix of plants is nice as it adds variety to the yard. I like to incorporate low lying shrubs, narrow small trees or bushes, grasses, flowering perennials, and a few other hedges. Hosta, daylily, and boxwood are a few examples of plants that look great with very little maintenance. Hosta and lily stalks die and regrow each year so they look fresh when spring comes back around.
Lighting and illumination
Lighting and illumination in front of a house serve various purposes. Lights draw attention to certain areas and highlight architectural features of the landscape. This will ensure your home looks great even when the sun goes down. Illuminating driveways, walkways, and entrance and exit points helps prevent accidents and allows people to safely navigate the property at night. Illumination acts as a security measure as well and will deter intruders by making it easier to spot suspicious activity around the home. The proper outdoor lighting configuration can create a positive atmosphere that enhances the overall vibe of the space.
There are many different lighting products available with options for any application. For driveway and garage areas, LED flood lights with motion sensors work well to help people see when walking or driving. There are solar options available for railings, posts, and mulch beds. The powered versions don’t use too much electricity and are more reliable at times when sunlight is lacking. New lighting trends include adding lights to the ground to illuminate patios and walkways. Stair lighting is common as well whether the fixtures are built into the risers or treads. Spotlights can be used to emphasize entry ways, trees, or aspects to the front of a property. A combination of lighting types working together will produce the most dramatic and embodied effect.
With this article I hope to help you get the ideas flowing for your outdoor space. The possibilities are endless for what can be done in increasing curb appeal. It’s important to remember that clean and efficient is usually better than complex and overdone. It’s easy to get carried away with certain aspects of the outdoor space so I try to avoid cluttering and excessive addition of features. Please share your ideas for increasing curb appeal in the comments. As always, thank you for reading and best of luck with your home projects.
