Have you lived in your home for years and are tired of the same old exterior when you come home? You may be planning on selling your house soon and want more home exterior ideas to make it more attractive for sellers.
Whatever your reasoning, exterior home design can boost the entire look of your home and enhance its curb appeal. Although many of these ideas take time to implement, you’ll find that the majority of them can be flexible with your budget.
Read on to learn our top six recommendations when it comes to refreshing your home exterior and enhancing your curb appeal!
1. Fixing the Roof
Your exterior home design shouldn’t begin before you address all structural defects and damage. If you don’t, the damage will grow worse over time and potentially undo all the work you did on the exterior of your home. This includes fixing the roof!
You’ll know it’s time for a new roof or a repair if you notice any of the following:
- The ceiling appears to be sagging
- Water damage on ceilings and walls
- Decaying, missing, or broken shingles
- Moss growing on shingles
- Damaged chimney flashing
If you know that your roof is over 20 years old, this is also a good indication that it may be time for a new roof soon. Reputable contractors such as Phoenix Roofing also enable you to choose from a variety of shingle styles and color options. You’ll be able to enjoy a new roof that also improves the look of your house!
2. Exterior Home Painting
Painting the exterior home is one of the easiest and most affordable ways to make a drastic difference. On average, you can expect to pay about $2,500 for a 2,400 square foot, two-story home. Of course, this cost is reduced if you discount the cost of labor if you decide to do it yourself.
You’ll first need to decide on exterior home colors. If you like the colors of your home already, you can take a photo of it and let your local paint store take a look at it.
Although it’s not guaranteed, they may be able to match the color of your home with an in-store spectrophotometer. You can also collect a paint chip from the outside of your home and take it into the shop to be color-matched with your eyes.
If you’re ready for a fresh new look, natural colors can be your best option as they’re able to blend together seamlessly. A modern home exterior tends to feature natural colors as well, such as:
- White
- Gray
- Tan
- Brown
- Putty
Consider pairing these main neutral colors with white or black accents in order to make features like your window shutters pop.
3. Exterior Home Lighting
Another fairly affordable way to enhance the look of your home is exterior lighting. Outdoor lighting can add interest to your yard by making landscaping features more prominent. It can also help you enhance security and safety by lighting up pathways and dark areas behind the house that burglars may take advantage of.
Pathway Lighting
Landscape or pathway lighting is the easiest to do because you can purchase solar-powered lights that just need to be stuck into the ground. These lights will automatically turn off when they sense that it’s daylight and turn on as it gets darker. Consider placing them at evenly spaced intervals around the perimeter of your house.
You can also place them along the edges of your flower beds as well as along all of your pathways. They come in numerous shapes and designs so that they add an interesting element even during the day.
Front Door Lighting
The next way to make a large impact on the appearance of your home is lighting for your front door. Lanterns and pendants that hang above are ideal for tall, covered entryways that are otherwise empty. You’ll be able to make a big statement that matches the aesthetic of your home.
If you don’t have a covered entryway, you can also add or change up a light on the side of the door. These front door lights can either flank each side of your door, or you can opt to only have one instead. You can either choose intricate, detailed designs that harken back to the Victorian era or modern, geometric shapes.
Patio Lighting
Patio or porch lighting is important if you want to entertain often on your porch. Not only do they need to illuminate the area so that you can see your guests, but you also want to create a warm and inviting presence. For this reason, we recommend string lights or a combination of overhead lighting and torch lights in order to create the right ambiance.
Overhead lighting can appear too harsh and bright on people’s features, so we recommend soft LED dusk-to-dawn bulbs. You may also want to consider pairing overhead lighting with a fan. During the summer, a fan can help you feel cooler by replacing hot, humid air with cooler air.
Fans are also great ways to keep mosquitoes away, as they are weak flyers that aren’t good with high winds or breezes.
4. Update House Numbers
One of the fastest ways to upgrade the look of your house is to simply replace your house numbers. You’ll find over time that your house numbers are fading and becoming almost impossible to see, especially at night. Make sure you check with your municipality when it comes to their stipulations about house numbers.
Most cities require them to be three to six inches tall in a color that contrasts with the background. It’s also important that they face the street that is in the home’s address. If the house isn’t visible from the road, the numbers also need to be visible in the driveway entrance.
Once you know the rules, you’ll be able to find numbers of all different shapes, colors, and sizes at your local craft store. You can also find them made of wood, metal, plastic, and more.
Installing them is easy, as the majority come with pre-drilled holes as well as templates to follow. As long as they’re easy to see, you’re free to install them horizontally, vertically, or even diagonally up or down.
5. Replace the Windows
Although this is the most expensive option out of our list, it may be the most worthwhile. Not only does replacing the windows help enhance your curb appeal, but you’ll also find that modern windows can save you hundreds on your yearly utility bill. If you’re planning on selling your house soon, this can be a huge selling point to buyers who are looking for a more turn-key home.
If you have a home that was made in the ’50s or ’60s with small windows, expanding them into larger windows can improve the lighting quality inside as well as the look of your home.
You can also make your home look more distinctive in a suburban neighborhood by adding windows such as:
- Picture windows
- Double-hung windows
- Casement windows
- Transoms
- Bay and bow windows
- Garden windows
- And more
Remember to make sure that your planned windows will comply with any building regulations in your area. You can also work with an experienced and insured installer who’s able to self-verify their work.
6. Upgrade Your Landscaping
If you’re planning on selling your home but don’t want to spend an arm and a leg on home renovations, your landscaping is a great way to improve curb appeal on a budget. Consider planting perennial and annual flowers near the entrance of your home or around the edges in order to enhance its appeal.
However, you can work on improving your landscaping even if you don’t want to sell your home soon. Focus on using plants that are able to thrive in your environment and weather. If you live in the southeast, azaleas, hibiscus, and spirea are all low-maintenance plants that will thrive in humid and bright environments.
You’ll also want to focus on adding new mulch around your garden beds. Lastly, remember to focus on creating attractive vignettes by planting the tallest plants in the back and the smallest plants in the front.
Upgrading Your Home Exterior: One Step at a Time
When it comes to upgrading your home exterior, it’s important to remember that it takes time. Don’t jump to planning upgrades if there are major structural defects that need to be addressed, such as foundation or roof repairs. Once this is all taken care of, focus on renovations or upgrades that will provide you with “big wins” at first.
For instance, painting your home can completely change up the look of your home in a relatively easy way. You can then focus on smaller details such as the lighting of your landscaping, new house numbers, and new hardware for your doors and windows.
Ready for more ideas on how to upgrade your home? Keep reading our blog for more tips and tricks!
