No matter where you live or the size of your house, curb appeal is important.
When your home looks great from the outside, it sends a positive message to everyone who passes by. A well-maintained home makes a good impression – and might even cause people to think, “I wish I lived in that house.”
Good news…
There are several ways to improve the curb appeal of your home.
While you might not have the budget or the desire to make drastic changes to your home’s exterior, the following are some cost-effective and relatively simple steps you can take that will make your home look newer, cleaner, and better looking.
- Paint the entire exterior of your home, including the trim. If you are going have the exterior of your home painted, make sure to paint the whole structure and not just one side or one section. A fresh coat of paint on all areas of your home’s exterior will yield the best-looking results. Also, make sure to use complementary and appealing colors that both you and your neighbors will appreciate.
- Use the right colors. While it’s important not to be afraid of using colors on the exterior of your home, bold or excessively bright colors can sometimes transform your home into a neighborhood eye sore. Make sure to use colors that match your home’s siding and/or brick. Also, use colors that blend well with the rest of the homes in the neighborhood.
- Hire a professional painter. Painting the exterior of a home can be more difficult than it looks. Not only must you use a high ladder to reach the second story, but you must also know how to remove, repair and/or replace rotting or split wood trim or siding. This requires skill and a specific set of tools. Hiring a professional painter to paint the outside of your home alleviates the need for you to climb ladders and perform difficult repairs.
- Select high-quality paint. You might be able to get away with lower quality paint on interior walls, but the exterior of your home must endure environmental elements. For best results, make sure to use high-quality paint. This will ensure that your house looks great for an extended period of time.
- Update your landscaping to compliment the new paint. If you want your home to have curb appeal, consider updating your landscaping after painting the exterior of your house.
In order to get paint color ideas, take the time to drive around different neighborhoods to observe the colors on other homes.
Also, look at paint magazines and paint websites for inspiration. Make sure to consider the age, architecture, and location of your home before you select colors for the body as well as the trim of your home.
If you are not confident in your ability to select the best possible exterior paint colors, enlist the help of a professional color consultant or an experienced house painter.
Improving your home’s curb appeal is not difficult and is easily accomplished with something as simple as a fresh coat of the right shade of exterior paint.