When it comes to designing a great-looking home, many people neglect to consider the front of their house. It’s only natural to focus on the part you’ll actually be living in and where you’ll be entertaining guests, but given how important first impressions are, it’s essential to give the exterior some TLC, too.
Of course, this can seem quite a bit more difficult. Most people don’t have anywhere near as much experience remodelling the exterior as they do the interior, so it can be hard to know where to start.
This article has you covered: here’s how to get started with improving the appearance of the front of your home in a few easy steps!
1. Remodelling Your Driveway
Your driveway is one of the most central elements of the exterior, so it’s a good idea to place it as a top priority.
Poorly maintained driveways exhibit cracks and holes, and generally look dirty, detracting significantly from the look of your home. If yours is in this sort of condition, you have two options: repair the driveway (either by yourself or with the help of a professional) or have a new one installed.
The best place to start is with a thorough power wash. It may be that the poor appearance is mostly due to ingrained dirt and grime, and that once washed away, the area looks as good as new. If there are only a few minor cracks, you can fill these yourself with a driveway repair kit.
For extensive damage, usually present in old driveways, it’s best to get an evaluation done for a full repair.
2. Rearrange the Plant Life
Greenery makes a huge difference to the appearance of the front of your home, and given the amount of maintenance involved, it usually ends up neglected.
Start with the lawn. Cut it nice and short, and spend time edging in the borders. If you have a hedge, make sure this is nice and trim, too – you can do the job yourself with a basic hedge trimmer. Regarding the plants themselves, the best approach is to choose plants that are native to the climate, as these will require the least maintenance: some popular choices include geraniums, lavender, and daylilies.
3. Updating Your Front Door
And finally, a simple change that can make a big difference – updating your front door. Your front door is an area that people’s eyes will naturally be drawn to as soon as they see your home, so it stands to reason that a clean, well-maintained one carries a lot of weight.
How you refashion your door will depend on the sort of door you have. If you have an old house with original features, you need to be careful to preserve the look and feel of the architecture: a light sand and a fresh coat of varnish usually works best here, and you can take the hardware off and give it a polish. If you have a newer door, consider painting it an entirely new colour, matching it with your window frames and cills.
Wrapping Up
You should now have a better idea of where to start when it comes to redesigning the front of the house. This is by no means an exhaustive list, but having completed these steps, you should have a better idea of where to go next.