The Great Escape
Your house can 'blend in' without being bland
Image courtesy Behr Paint
With family visits and neighborhood get-togethers filling the calendar, many Americans have reason to want to improve their home's "first impression." From the doorway to the mailbox, design and landscaping experts say there are a number of simple methods to enhance your home's "curb appeal" before your guests even step inside.
"The key to enabling your home to put its best face forward is proper maintenance of the materials that give its façade its character," says Jean Nayar, editor-in-chief of Woman's Day Special Interest Publications and author of "Staged to Sell (or Keep): Easy Ways to Improve the Value of Your Home" (Filipacchi Publishing, 2009).
Fresh Face
"The front entrance - the door, front steps and lighting - is key to making your home 'smile' verses 'frown,'" says New Jersey-based Paige Rien, designer for HGTV's "Hidden Potential" and principal designer for Rien With an Eye for Design company.
"Sounds trite, I know, but houses are like faces and some are definitely happy and others are definitely not."
Rien suggests ensuring that your front entrance is clutter free, unobscured and features "properly sized lighting that is clean, bug-free and operated with soft-lighting - either frosted glass or a low-wattage bulb. No one wants to stare at a light bulb when they are two feet away at your doorstep."
Consider metals for eye-catching fixtures. "Think of this as the bling for your house - coordinated metal fixtures for knocker, mailbox, lighting and house numbers," Rien says.
"Remember that even though brass and iron are the most prevalent materials, there are others that might work well for your house - copper, nickel, etc. Choose fixtures that you can see from the street or curb that contrast with the primary color of your home. Most people buy fixtures that are too small or understated - especially if they live in a larger home."
Nayar suggests adding personality to the door itself through painting or other upgrades.
"A deep red hue or rich blue-green will call attention to the door and offer a hint of your personal style, too," she says.
Put your best face forward: Create an inviting first impression by focusing on your home's "face" - its door, steps and lighting are crucial to establishing a cozy, guest-friendly atmosphere. Image courtesy Behr Paint
"Or upgrade the entrance by installing a new front door altogether. If you install a new insulated energy-efficient front door before the end of next year you may not only qualify for a tax credit, you can save money on energy bills at the same time as well as increase the beauty of your home."
Paint Solutions
A paintbrush can also improve your curb appeal in unexpected ways.
"I often suggest painting brick to make a major change - it's a totally new look and can really freshen the house up. Especially if the brick is tired or worn or not appreciated by the owners in its original form - paint it!" Rien says.
"Don't be afraid - yellow, white and grey work well."
The Groundwork
"During cooler months, pull out spent summer plants and toss in the compost," Nayar suggest. "Replace them with tiny evergreens like boxwoods or small junipers that stay green all winter long."
Rien suggests landscaping with annuals that change season to season or with small long-term shrubs. For the front porch, consider adding planters that coordinate in different sizes but are made of the same material.
Spending a little time pruning can go a long way towards improving curb appeal, says Ft. Lauderdale based horticulturalist Dan Pestretto.
"Take a look at your trees and shrubs," he says. "If you're in good shape, get a six-foot step ladder, a sharp pruning saw, loppers and hand pruners. Tend only to trees and shrubs less than 10-feet tall for safety reasons. Remove dead wood and branches that cross over each other as well as branches and twigs that grow past the center of the plant.
To ensure good flowering on seasonal flowering trees and shrubs, wait until just after flowering has finished. Rake the tops of the smaller shrubs and remove debris from the ground."
Pestretto also suggest adding a small planting bed around the base of your mailbox for a splash of seasonal color.
"It doesn't have to be fancy, just attractive."
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