Creating Curb Appeal: How to Make Your Home Stand Out on the Block

Image Source: HGTV

First impressions can make or break a relationship - and the same goes for your home! The first image that someone sees of your home will likely be its exterior (unless, of course, you’ve been posting your interior pics on Instagram! Get it, girl.), and you want to make sure you have some serious curb appeal if you want to make a statement.

Contrary to popular belief, adding that polished look to the exterior of your home doesn’t have to involve projects with multi-thousand dollar budgets. We have a few quick tips for making your home stand out on your block by creating the curb appeal you’ve always wanted.

How to Create Curb Appeal

Update your landscaping and create a maintenance plan

Whether you’re more of a minimalist, or want to create an English-style garden in your front yard, keeping your landscaping clean and fresh adds a lot of visual appeal to your home. Trim up your shrubs, pull weeds, and clean up dead or dying plants to give your yard a fresh start. If you want to take it to the next level, you can bring in new mulch or rock and choose new plants that fit your style and your climate. Even these small actions can make a big difference in how well-kept your home looks.

Image Source: Eichler Network

Switch out your house numbers or your mailbox

There are two design features that are consistent on the exterior of most houses: your address numbers and your mailbox. If you moved into your home a while ago and never changed either of these pieces, this is your chance! Choose a font that matches your aesthetic (Are you traditional? Modern? Do you prefer serif or sans serif?) and hang them proudly near your entryway. Switching out the old mailbox and choosing something with a clean coat of paint or a contemporary shape shows that you are a homeowner who cares about keeping their home updated.

Repaint your railings or your front door

Paint fades over time and can leave your home looking neglected from the street, even if the interior is impeccable. First, give the exterior of your home a good scrub down, including your window trim, so that you’re starting with a clean slate. Choose a color that contrasts or complements your exterior’s main shade, depending on how bold you want to go, then touch up your porch railing or front door. Depending on the material you’re working with, you may want to opt for spray paint vs. a brush and roller technique.

Image Source: Domino Magazine

Add indoor/outdoor decor

Finally, adding curb appeal to your home can be as simple as adding new pillows to your porch seating, laying down a colorful rug, or hanging up a wreath or art piece (yes! Even outdoors!) in an area that won’t be touched by rain or snow. We’re big fans of adding live plants to your setup in the summer, and opting for twinkling lights and boughs of evergreen for winter. 

It can be easy to forget about your home’s curb appeal - after all, out of sight out of mind! However, treating the exterior of your home with the same care that you give to the rooms inside will only add to its overall visual impact, and likely raise its value while you’re at it.