You can improve the curb appeal of your home with dozens and dozens of small, affordable improvements. You can have a beautiful home with a few small upgrades.
If you are selling your house, enhancing its curb appeal will have a significant impact. Some of these updates are cosmetic while others involve landscaping or maintenance.
It’s important to first consult your listing agent for their advice. Their experience can be invaluable when preparing your home for a sale. We have DIY and store bought ideas for making your home the envy of the neighborhood, no matter how big or small your yard.
1. Paint Your Front Door
Painting your front door is one of the easiest and quickest ways to change your home’s appearance. You can choose a shade that will blend in with the existing materials of your home, or you can add a splashy color. The project is easy to complete and can be completed in a matter of hours.
2. Add Curb Appeal with a Rug
Add a rug to your outdoor space for a relaxing atmosphere. A rug adds softness to the front porch, deck or patio and encourages guests to sit down and stay. If you place a drink table within reach of your guests, they might not want to leave.
3. Light the pathways
Landscape lighting can enhance curb appeal even after the sun has gone down. Landscape lighting can be used to highlight pathways and trees. This can improve safety as well as the appeal of your home at night. Solar landscape lighting is a great way to save energy and be environmentally friendly.
4. Add Container Plants
You can create instant curb appeal with potted plants on a tight budget. Add a few carefully chosen and well-arranged plants to your front porch. This will transform the entrance of your home into a welcoming focal point. Arrange the plants and containers on different levels and in different sizes.
5. Accentuate with Colorful Furniture
Outdoor furniture in a vibrant shade will add a splash of color to the front porch. Find a color that complements your home using the color wheel. Tangerine orange contrasts beautifully with the dark blue gray siding. Updating the porch with colorful furniture can be a great way to increase curb appeal.
6. Upgrade Existing Light Fixtures
Consider both the style and function of your new fixtures when you buy them. They should be able to adequately illuminate your entrance and make it safer. To save money and time, look for fixtures with the same mounting system that you currently have. You can find exterior light fixtures starting at $25. If you are looking for vintage lighting that matches the look and age of your house, check salvage shops.
7. Plant Trees
If you are planning to sell your house soon, it is worth planting small ornamental trees. If you plan to stay put, consider large, robust trees like oaks, honey locusts or maples that are suitable for your area. Consider small or fast-growing ornamental trees such as pagoda dogwood, redbuds, flowering pears, river birches, or Japanese maples. These can add dramatic appeal without taking years to establish.
8. Window Curb Appeal
Increase the curb appeal of windows with budget-friendly solutions. Install shutters on windows that lack character or paint the trim a bright color for a playful contrast. Window boxes with lush foliage will bring life to the exterior of your home.
9. Install a Trellis
Use an arbor or trellis for exterior design on the cheap. They will give your front yard form and compliment your plants. Build a DIY Trellis to make this curb-appeal idea even more affordable. Train a flowering plant up the trellis to create a beautiful living wall treatment.
10. Upgrade concrete
A plain concrete path can be refinished to give your home a new look. For a playful look, apply a colored concrete stain or brick edging to the surface. This curb appeal idea will transform your driveway, garden path, or front entry in a matter of minutes.
11. Landscape for curb appeal
Improving curb appeal might be one of the easiest tips to sell your home faster. It gives a great first impression before the buyer even walks through the door. Landscape ideas are inexpensive and can be used to create a smooth transition from the street to your front step. It is visually pleasing to have a clear, curved pathway that leads visitors towards your front door. Plant mid-sized shrubs and flowers around the walkway. Passersby will notice groupings of plants more than individual flowers.
12. Hang a Wreath
A wreath can be used to decorate your entrance, whether it is placed next to your front door or on top of it. Spray-painted cedar board and chicken wire were used to create this living monogram planter. The interior of the planter is filled with succulents, peat moss, and other succulents.
13. Get a Healthy Lawn
Two simple steps are all it takes to increase curb appeal.
- Use a weed and feed treatment on your lawn so that the grass gets the nutrients it requires from the soil, but doesn’t compete with the weeds.
- Sharpen the blade of your lawnmower regularly, and make sure you are cutting the grass on or near its highest setting.
Consider installing new sod if your lawn is unhealthy or overrun with weeds. Replace the old sod with new, and water it for a couple of weeks.
14. Create Porch Appeal
Use furniture and accessories to create an inviting outdoor space if you have a large front porch. Create a conversation area by adding a bench, a porch swing or chairs. As a cost-effective way to increase curb appeal, keep the porch open for social gatherings.
15. Garage Door Upgrade
A garage door that is attractive will add curb appeal. Some sectional doors have windows on the upper panel and others are designed to look like carriage-house style doors. If you can’t afford a new garage, consider adding character to your existing door with a pergola or new lighting. You could also paint it in a color that matches the exterior of your home.
16. Give Planters an edge
With stylish edging, you can prevent your lawn from encroaching on your flowerbeds. Concrete edge planters can be a simple and inexpensive way to add curb appeal to your landscape.
Plant annuals with perennials for a variety of texture, color, scale, and form. As the plants grow, you will need to allow enough space.
17. Create an inviting Seating Area
Set up a bench or chairs in your yard to make it more inviting. You can use it to give your home a little personality and color. Plastic lawn chairs come in many bright colors and are affordable. You can also bring an indoor piece of furniture outside by spraying it with fabric waterproofing or weatherproofing varnish.
18. Reseal the Driveway
It is important to keep your driveway clean and neat. Fill in cracks if your driveway is discolored or has cracks. Apply a fresh coat of sealer. Asphalt driveways should be resealed every two to three years. Concrete is less likely to need regular maintenance but can stain more easily, so it may require more frequent pressure washing.
19. Pressure wash exterior surfaces
Spend a weekend refreshing the exterior of your home. Power washing is safe for aluminum, wood and vinyl siding, as well as wood decks and concrete walkways. Rent a power wash from your local home improvement store if you don’t have one. It’s easy to increase curb appeal with a power washer.
20. Clean the roof
Roofs covered with moss or debris can ruin your curb appeal and cause extensive damage. If left on your roof for a long time, moss, algae, and fungus will cause stains, and the wood and shingles beneath the shingles can rot. You should clean your roof at least once per year. Hire a professional if you are not comfortable climbing up to the roof. The cost will be a bit higher, but it is worth it if they do an inspection. It’s better to find out as soon as possible if your roof is damaged.
21. Clean and repair the gutters
You can remove the moss and debris from your gutters without having to climb a ladder by using a garden hose with high pressure. Not only are sagging gutters unsightly but they can cause damage to fascias and soffits if water doesn’t flow properly. Check that all brackets and screws have been tightened and are in place before calling a professional. Rubber mallets can be used to straighten out gutters that are twisted or bent.
22. Coordinate Hardware
Simple curb appeal improvements include mailboxes and locksets. Porch lights, too, are a great way to add some glamor. These small elements can add a lot to the look of your home. Keep the finishes uniform so that the pieces appear as a collection of accessories and not mismatched hardware.
23. Add Style to Your Slope
For sloped areas in need of terracing, use cut stone or decorative precast wall blocks to create a landscaped look. Build retaining walls yourself to save money on landscaping.
24. Exterior Door Trim Ideas
Trim your front door to make a statement. Trim in bright white highlights bold colors on the front door, such as this robin’s egg blue. Consider an exterior trim that matches the style of your home. Trim with decorative accents and moldings suits a traditional style, while trims without curves give a more contemporary look.
25. Coordinate Colors
Paint can make a home look well-maintained and refined. A few gallons of paint will do the trick. Paint or stain can be used to match architectural elements of your home, such as the garage door, front door, shutters and trim. Your palette should be limited to no more than two or three colors. Any more and your house may look too cluttered. You don’t have to use the same color for all three. Instead, you can choose one color and then go with a lighter or deeper shade of that color. A common method is to match the siding color with the main trim, and then add an accent color. This can be done like the house pictured.
26. Replace the Mailbox
Consider replacing your street mailbox if it is old and worn out. A new mailbox costs around $20 and a concrete post is not much more. Installing your mailbox requires that you follow the United States Post Office regulations.
27. Plant a Mailbox Garden
It’s easy to add curb appeal with a new mailbox, but an old post is boring and difficult to mow. Plants and shrubs will help to beautify this small patch of lawn. A small mailbox garden can be a good way to get your feet wet if you are new to gardening. Mix annuals with perennials and vines for interest all year round. Use low-maintenance, drought-tolerant plants if dragging the water hose to your mailbox will be a hassle. Daylilies are our favorite plants for mailboxes. They also include clematis and black-eyed Susans.
28. Accent Chairs
Place a chair or two on your porch to create a welcoming outdoor area. Do not worry if the chair is not in perfect condition. You can make a chair look more charming by using a flea market find or re-used chairs.
29. Driveway Beautification
You can boost curb appeal by lining your driveway with lush plants. Plants with different textures and colors can soften the expanse of a driveway and make it appear less utilitarian. Beds along the driveway are ideal for low-growing groundcovers.
30. Hang Wall Art
Not only is wall art for the interior. Hanging wall art will give your home exterior personality. For around $50-75, you can get fun art like this cool metal sun. Exterior wall art can be used to cover up imperfections, add color or fill in a blank area. Choose weatherproof materials such as powder-coated steel, ceramic or stainless steel. Also, make sure you securely hang the artwork to prevent it from moving in strong winds.
Curb Appeal Summary
As you can see, beautifying your home’s curb appeal is a lot like staging your home for a sale. Making some of these small and inexpensive improvements can make your home more appealing to potential buyers.
There are also other benefits to improving the curb appeal of your home, such as possibly helping your property’s appraisal value. But most importantly, your home will look higher-end and better maintained, which is a big plus for getting the best possible sales price.