Your home’s exterior introduces you and the world to your living space. The entryway of your domain should look enticing and pleasing to make coming home a pleasant and fun experience.
Enhancing your home’s exterior or adding curb appeal may seem like an extensive project, but many enhancements and additions to a home's exterior won’t take long. If you’re ready to tackle curb appeal this weekend, here’s what you can do in that time frame.
1. Paint Your Door
If you’re not picky about paint color, a front door with a striking accent color can be one of the quickest ways to draw positive attention and accentuate a home’s exterior. Many homes lately are finding bold accent door colors that pair well with the rest of their home exterior, such as yellow, bright blue, or even pink. A lovely red, green, or brown can make an excellent choice if you’re not into overly vivid colors. A few coats of paint can make an exterior pop without taking too long.
2. Add a Wreath
One of the easiest ways to provide a comforting, beautiful home exterior is by displaying a wreath. Wreaths are typically plants, flowers, or other natural materials arranged in a circle to hang on your door. Holiday or seasonal wreaths are particularly popular, so if you love the winter holidays or can’t get enough of autumn, they’re a great way to express this.
3. Wash Your Driveway
A driveway gets consistent use from both foot and vehicle traffic. Oil drops, dirty shoe marks, and tire treads can build up and make your driveway messy. Thankfully, power washing doesn’t take much time and can bring life back to your driveway. Repaving a driveway may take longer than a weekend, but it may be a solution for particularly aged driveways.
4. Plant Life
Plants are one of the best ways to add life to a home’s exterior, and there are so many ways to do it. Window boxes, hanging plants, potted plants, or planters can make a porch or patio look beautiful. Planting trees in your yard is another way to create a comfortable, natural view (especially if they grow tall enough to provide shade for your home). Flower beds are also an organized, beautiful way to add plants to a home’s exterior.
5. Outdoor Lighting
Illuminating a path, garden, or front door is great for providing some nighttime curb appeal. String lights and lanterns can be particularly charming. Solar-powered lights won’t add to your utility bills, either. Many outdoor lights have motion sensors or timers for ultimate customization.
6. New Mailbox
Is your mailbox falling apart? Do you constantly have to attach the box to its base? Maybe it’s time to upgrade. You can add many beautiful mailboxes made of natural stone, brick, or any other material or color.
7. Front Yard Decor
Decor can provide a personalized touch that adds charm and appeal to any exterior. Wind chimes, garden gnomes, or flags are common examples of popular yard decorations. You can even get creative by making your own. A water feature can be a subtle but stunning decoration choice.
8. Clean Your Siding
Due to wear and tear, your home’s siding may look a little lackluster. Cleaning the siding with a power washer or material-safe cleaner can make a huge difference in curb appeal. Your home may even look brand new! However, the siding may not hold up after a certain amount of time, no matter how much you clean it. While replacing a home’s siding will take longer than a weekend, you may want to consider it for long-term curb appeal and to preserve structural integrity. Your climate and location may also affect the wear and tear of your home’s siding.
Alaska
Alaska’s climate is typically very cold year-round, with lots of frost, snow, ice, and wind. Frigid temperatures and weather conditions can significantly affect a home’s siding, particularly with vinyl. Ice, cold, and snow can cause the siding to warp, crack, or damage internally. It’s essential to regularly maintain and repair siding in areas with these temperatures to keep your home safer.
Florida
Florida is on the opposite side of the climate spectrum from Alaska, as there is no snow year-round. Florida experiences intense humidity and heat, which can also warp or melt home siding. Melting typically occurs when the sun reflects onto siding from a nearby window. The humidity can also cause moisture damage or mold.
Missouri
Missouri, a midwestern state, has a continental climate, seeing the harsh heat of summer while still experiencing some blistering cold winters. Therefore, siding must be regularly maintained against heat, rain, and cold. Additionally, the prevalence of tornadoes in states like Missouri can also lead to wind damage. Consulting with a home siding contractor in Kansas City or other large Missouri cities can help you determine the best siding types for their particular climate.
9. Mow the Lawn
When grass grows too unruly, it can make a home seem unkempt. While some may enjoy the wild look, mowing the grass just a little bit can make all the difference in a home’s appearance. A simple, manicured, green lawn can show you put the final touches on curb appeal.
10. Enhance Pathways
Creating paths through your garden or from your driveway to your front door is a beautiful way to connect your home’s exterior. Some stepping stones or mulch can make quick, gorgeous paths if you want to save time. If you already have sidewalks or paths, consider cleaning them or reapplying mulch to make them pop. Colors fade with time.