If you’re sick and tired of the way your home exterior looks, perhaps it’s time to change something. Even if you don’t have too much money to spend on an expensive renovation project, there are still things you can do to revamp the exterior of your home quite successfully. Not only will your house look much better after you finish, but it will also be more valuable, and if you decide to sell it, you will discover that more people are interested than you thought at first. Improving your home exterior can be done in a number of ways, and we’ve put together a few simple ones to help you:
Pay attention to the driveway
When people come to your house for the first time, their first impressions are based on what your driveway and sidewalk look like. This is the reason why you should pay attention to them and make sure they’re in good condition. If there are weeds growing between stones, get rid of them because they make your home look shabby. Cracks in the driveway and dirt on the concrete give a really bad impression, and by taking care of these small problems, you are ensuring that the first impression of your home is a positive one. You won’t be able to believe just how big of a difference spraying the weeds and power-washing the driveway and the sidewalk can make.
Landscaping tips and tricks
You should make an effort and regularly cut the grass in your yard so that it doesn’t look abandoned or overgrown. If you have bushes or a hedge, try to keep it freshly trimmed, and your flower beds should be neat too. If you’re thinking about planting hedges, flowers, and bushes, it’s best to stick to the smaller ones because these are easier to maintain. Mulch is great for making sure your plants stay healthy and that your garden looks good, so get mulch, or perhaps stones, that match the color theme of your house exterior.
Update your front door and windows
The point of entry into your home deserves special attention, so it’s best to update your outdated front door. You can replace them if they’re looking like they’re ancient, but if you don’t want to spend money on a new front door, you can update your old ones with a fresh coat of paint. Paint them something daring and get a new doormat that will match the hue, and if you’re really feeling adventurous, you can even replace the old handle with a modern one. Make sure your windows are always clean and keep colorful curtains on so that they add splashes of color when people look at your house from the outside.
The best exterior finishes
In addition to landscaping, the most inexpensive and simplest way to update your home exterior is to add a fresh coat of paint. Your color palette should be simple because these give the most dramatic effect, and simplicity paves the way for elegance and charm. If your home is made of brick or natural stone, it definitely shouldn’t be painted, but if you feel like it’s too grimy and dark, you can power-wash it to restore its former shine. If you want to protect as well as to update your exterior walls, you might want to give metal cladding a try. This will ensure that your walls are well protected, and it will give your old house a completely new and updated look.
Change the lighting
If you want to make your house stand out during the night too, you might want to invest in good exterior lighting. Not only will it make people notice it, but you will like spending time in your well-lit yard, and burglars will not see your home as an easy target. If you like spending time outside in the evening, you could try placing small lights in the ground along the sidewalk or place several ones at the steps. This will make it easier for people to get around your yard and garden in the evening. You could also place solar lamps in your flower beds or hang lanterns in trees to make your garden look like a mysterious fairy land.
Roof maintenance
When you notice that there are shingles missing from your roof or that it’s gotten really dirty with streaks, perhaps it’s a sign that you should start paying more attention to its condition. Hire professionals to clean your roof and do some shingle patching if necessary because this will keep your attic dry and make your home look better on the outside too. If you ignore your roof, sooner or later you are going to have to replace it entirely, so try to do regular maintenance.
Conclusion
Even though safety and comfort should always be your priorities, the way your home looks shouldn’t be ignored completely. The appearance of your home can be significantly improved through several smaller projects or a couple of big ones, and it’s up to you to decide which ones would be best for your home and your budget. It doesn’t matter if your home is old or new, you should make plans and budget, pick the right exterior finishes and decide what needs to be repaired or replaced.