6 essential tips for beautifying your home's exterior

Lily Cichanowicz Lily Cichanowicz
Doppelhaus BP11 im Neckartal, Schiller Architektur BDA Schiller Architektur BDA Minimalist houses
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Outward appearances ought not matter, except of course when we’re talking about a home’s exterior. Curb appeal is a real phenomenon to be reckoned with. Think about it; we've all bore witness to homes with overgrown front yards, cloudy windows, and unmaintained front pathways. Sometimes these houses even become subject to spooky neighbourhood lore, no matter how kind the inhabitants actually are! Moreover, you can sell your home much faster if it makes a great first impression. Even if you’re not intending to sell your house, curb appeal makes your home look more welcoming and liveable. With these simple guidelines, you will see your home’s exterior transform into a sight to behold. Trust us on this one; it’s worth the investment.

Proper pathway

Your home’s front pathway ought to be well kept and clearly indicated. These simple considerations can make a world of difference in the kind of impression you home makes. Think of the times you’ve gone to someone’s home and been confused about where the walkway is and were subsequently forced to walk across the front lawn. Don’t let that house be yours! In this way, the front passage plays a functional role. Additionally, the front path will help to incorporate your home more succinctly with the surrounding area. Note this home where the colour tones of the walkway match the home well and extend these same colours and textures further into the yard. Its multilevel construction makes the front door easily accessible, and the lamps lining the edge allow for better illumination. Having a well-constructed pathway like this one can also give your home an air of grandiosity.

Add some flair with your front door

Including a splash of colour to your home’s façade with the front door can help make the exterior stand out. We love this example of a cherry wood door that creates just the right pop of colour to accentuate the façade's predominating cream tones and chocolate accents. It draws the eye to the door, which is off-centre, thus cultivating colour balance amidst the asymmetry. Painting your door in a colour that complements the scheme of your home's façade is another way to make it stand out. Further, making a statement by putting your house numbers on your door in a decorative way will both ensure that your home is clearly marked and add a unique flair. Alternatively, adhering a seasonal wreath to your front door is a simple way to keep it looking fresh. Finally, do keep your front door clean, and consider giving it a fresh paint job or coat of stain every few years. The front door bears some harsh elements, after all.

Top things off with the roof

Don’t forget about the roof! Paying special attention to the roof can be the perfect means of enhancing the overall design, colour and symmetry of your home. If you have a flat roof, it can also be transformed into a functional space like a rooftop garden or outdoor lounge area. Otherwise, the roof is actually one of the most visible elements of your home’s exterior. First off, make sure your roof isn’t looking shabby. If so, maybe it’s time to give it some TLC with a re-shingle. This home is a fascinating example of what paying a little extra attention to the roof can do. The materials of the roof and window treatments go together famously. Even the solar panelling and sky lighting contribute to the look. The takeaway point when it comes to beautifying your home’s exterior is that incorporating your roof into your vision for design is an excellent idea.

The geometry of windows

Rule #1: make sure that your windows do not look dirty or murky! We cannot stress this enough. This will automatically set your home off on the wrong foot. Crystal clean windows are a the ticket to making your home look positively dazzling. Play up your large windows with window boxes, shudders, or by painting the windowpanes to make them stand out. Pay mind to geometry, repetition of shape, symmetry or even conscious asymmetry if you’re feeling adventurous. We love this woodsy home for its contemporary architecture whose entire façade features windows. The windowpanes are dark brown, which offsets them from the rest of the house’s white exterior and helps to tie the wooden panelling into the look. They enhance the contemporary architectural style of the house with their asymmetrical sizes. Plus, windows like these are a fabulous way to take advantage of the amount of privacy this home in the woods affords its owners. Work with your surroundings!

Accentuate with plants

If your home’s exterior is of a neutral tone or you don’t have the budget and the time to do something more drastic to improve your home’s façade, get yourself some plants. They can bring definition, colour and symmetry to your yard in such a way that can completely alter its exterior for the better. It is important to keep overgrowth from blocking the entrance, however. A way to ensure that this doesn't happen is to plant your garden in pots or planters. This home by Elías Arquitectura for instance is of a pale colour tone with asymmetrical windows. The plants are tastefully arranged so that they echo the asymmetry of the home and incorporate more colour to the overall façade. The plants also help to highlight the front path. A beautiful garden can make your home’s exterior look polished and pulled together.

Details, details, details!

A final piece of advice for improving the look of your home’s façade is to pay attention the materials you use in your home’s exterior. Be it brick, plaster, conventional siding, or concrete educate yourself on what it takes to maintain these materials. Also think about which colours and textures might enhance their aesthetic appeal. Don’t be afraid to splurge on those little architectural details, either. Going with that decorative trim you've been eyeing will help to beautify your the façade. Maybe changing the moulding or trim will catch the right buyer’s eye if you’re looking to add curb appeal so that you can sell your home for the best deal. Revive these smaller elements of your home with a new coat of paint or stain and watch what a difference it can make in giving your home a facelift. This example shows the way that white moulding, arched window frames, and overall colonial style architecture really brings out the best in this sultry pink exterior.

If you found this guide helpful, check out this interesting take of this Home Designed in Nature’s Image.

Which of these tips has made the biggest difference in improving the exterior of your home? We would love to hear. Leave us a note in the comments ...

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