The outside of your home is the first thing people see when they drive by. It’s also a visual statement about who you are and how you take care of yourself and family. If your home looks dated, with peeling paint, an unkempt landscape, and mismatched designs, onlookers will carry that first impression over to how they think about you. Some homeowners don’t worry about the curb appeal of their home until they plan to move, however it doesn’t take much to improve the value and aesthetic look of your home and step up the curb appeal. Read on for a few ideas that will help you improve your home’s curb appeal in 2015.
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Install a New Front Door
Your front door is like a focal point directing people’s eyes toward the entrance of your home. This is a simple, yet overlooked project that will give your home instant curb appeal. If your front door is ugly or outdated, you might consider swapping it out for a new style. If you are happy with the actual door, there is still plenty you can do to spice it up a bit. Consider changing from the conventional beige tone or wood door to a more lively color that effectively contrasts with the rest of your home. Another option is to choose a door with a chiseled glass block design, for a modern fancy look.
Reseal Your Driveway
With prior planning, this is something you can do yourself, and it will only take a few hours. Most driveways need to be re-sealed with new coating every few years, because changes in weather cause them to crack, fade and stain. A few hours of work can make a remarkable difference in the looks of your driveway, giving it a newer, finished appearance. If you like the vintage country look better, consider having your driveway re-paved in cobble stone. Not only is a new driveway attractive, but it makes the area safer once you replace any broken or crumbly areas.
Install Outdoor Flood Lights
Diffused lighting on your landscape can add a romantic atmosphere to the outside of your home, while highlighting the best parts of the property. Add it to your patio, your deck, or as a focus light for your entryway or garden. Softly colored lighting is especially striking during the evening hours, and allows for better visibility. You’ll simultaneously make your home more attractive to onlookers and less attractive to burglars.
Replace Your Siding
Many older homes have siding that is difficult to maintain, or looks pale and outdated. According to the professionals at Rusco Industries who specialize in siding in Calgary, old siding can eventually lead to cracks and damage that will allow moisture to seep in—leading to rotting in the wood or siding material. To avoid this issue and improve the look of your home, you might consider tackling a siding project in 2015. If your home has outdated or decrepit siding, replacing or refinishing it is much easier than you think. You can take on the project yourself, or choose a more durable, updated material and enlist the help of a professional to improve the situation.
Put Shutters on Your Outside Windows
While curb appeal takes a dip when the home’s exterior is outdated, your home might just be too plain Jane from the outside looking in. Adding shutters to your outside windows will step up the curb appeal and allow you to personalize the look a bit. You can match the shutters to your new front door, or color-coordinate with other elements of the home. Not only will new shutters add a little something different to the look of the house, but they are very practical for keeping the inside warm in the winter. Try the vinyl shutters, instead of the older wood version, for a product that is much easier to maintain and doesn’t need to be painted to maintain its appeal.
If you’ve let year after year pass while the outdated elements of your home get worse, 2015 is your year! It is time to give your home’s exterior the update that it needs, and with a little TLC, you can easily improve the curb appeal in no time.
