Curb appeal advice needed

Carolynn Dube
by Carolynn Dube
We recently moved in to our new construction home. I would love advice and ideas on several things things to help me give our porchless home some great curb appeal. My style is definitely modern and I'm not afraid to change it up!
  1. How do I make my front door pop and my entry way feel inviting?
  2. Should I paint our garage door?
  3. I would love a modern, clean-lines, fresh garden. living in a Canada, so we have a short planting g season!

Thanks for your suggestions!
  14 answers
  • Hillela G. Hillela G. on Feb 16, 2017

    I think it would look great if you painted your garage and front door the same color. I'm a big fan of pale to medium blues

  • B.I.Green B.I.Green on Feb 16, 2017

    Yes, definitely paint garage door to either match--grey w/black--colours of house itself, or paint it out in just the grey, or even slightly lighter, so it will blend in. Right now it is the focal point, but shouldn't be. To bring out the front door and entrance-way, pick a bright, light colour YOU like that will be welcoming, and give the illusion of bringing forward the deep-set front door. Paint or stain the stairs, and have a low platform, or stoop, at the bottom of the stairs that extends out to at least the front wall of the house, eventually to join up with the walkway to the driveway. This way you're not stepping from dirt right onto the steps. Also, left side of garage would be the perfect place to have a partial wall, in matching colour, to hide your recycling bins. Plant-wise, something hardy, full and sturdy, at the right corner would start you off on your gardening adventure. Bonne chance!

  • Toc15434384 Toc15434384 on Feb 18, 2017

    small shrubs not too close together plain & simple

  • Bro17793180 Bro17793180 on Feb 19, 2017

    I also love clean lines- contemporary. Bring pics of exterior of home. Include samples - siding, window trim to show exact colour. Front door - absolutely the focal point. Sexy, welcoming and to draws you in! Exiting front door, extend entire stoop area and widen right out beyond both walls of home for added room, or may require another level down, then with step(s) to driveway grade. Add couple chairs, planter to create warmth & excitement. Adding larger entrance space is multi-functional. Add custom railing. See city bylaws re:railing requirements & total stair(s) Ht. Stair system that is walk friendly, prevent falls. Reputable pro for this - NO HOMER job. Garage door, lighter shade of siding - blend it, not stand out. Lights at side of garage- probably builders grade, size matters! People are shy of going bigger. Again- go to lighting store for opinions. Seek "paint consultants" with decorating backgrounds-they know colours. Two front windows - add flower boxes. Custom wrought iron or wooden, bright colour same as front door or lighter shade of. Brilliant flowers and ivy's.

    Street and house number; black cursive writing (stands out from wall by couple inches). Beautiful flair, never rusts or requires painting. I live in Burlington On, we have a very decent growing season of flowers and more! :)

  • AJ AJ on Feb 19, 2017

    The garage door needs to be a softer look and blend in. Don't do it the same as the front door… it's so large it will detract from the front door area which should be your focal point. You want to neutralize it. I's paint it the color of the house, and put darker gray trim. Maybe even add fake hardware & fake windows to make it look like carriage doors. Leave the trim around it white. Front door idea: a beautiful cherry cool color, and add some plants that bloom in a dark red color or pale pink, and some plants like crepe myrtle or Japanese maple that in the Fall turn a nice cherry cola color. That way you have that accent color starting out in the yard, making the front door more noticeable. Greenery in a large planter or white blooming plants on the entryway area also would make it more of the focal point. Good luck!

  • Tammy Marie Tammy Marie on Feb 19, 2017

    Your front steps need to be stone and match somewhat with the stone on the bottom of your home. I would bring the steps out somewhat with a curve that ends up nearer the drive way. You can build in a garden box as well and have some annuals in the box. The rest should be shrubs, easy care and contemporary. And as others have said, paint out the garage door to blend better and paint the house door to pop and add a large wreath.

  • Kathy Lovenburg Kathy Lovenburg on Feb 20, 2017

    Hi! Pretty home! I would paint the garage doors a charcoal color to match the stone work. For your front door, I would go either with a berry red or a robin egg blue. Either will make it stand out. Hang a pretty wreath on the door, and add a small plant stand with a pot of annuals. I would put my house number either above the garage, or on either side of the house just before the sidewalk starts


    As for landscaping, if you have a homeowners association, check to see if they have regulations on plants, trees, etc. Then I would take your pictures to a local greenhouse and ask about designs, or at least about trees, shrubs and plants that do well in your zone. Don't rush into it all at once. A drive or walk around the neighborhood in the spring can give you ideas that others have used. I would plant a tree that will shade the front of you home I the mid right side. . One or two small bushed on the right side of the house woul look good under the Windows--dwarf lilacs? Take a watering hose and lay it out where you would like a flower garden. Look at it, play with it, until you feel it suits the house. Remember, year one, you can use annuals to get immediate color and add a few perennial, or jump right in with perennials (those return year after year). best of luck!!

  • Chuckee Notelling Chuckee Notelling on Feb 20, 2017

    Beverly Green's ideas are really good. Spot on about the light colour that is loved. It is a chance to be a little wild and that will make you happy every time you walk up to it. I would look into a wood effect finish for the garage doors. And it would be very cool to make the front steps bigger and more interesting, by adding large landing steps to them,. Bold modern steps, not traditional rectangles ! Starting with the 3rd step from the bottom make a landing, angle the one side out just past the edge of the bumpout out then the next step at an angle from that, further out into the yard and then the last one at ground level all the way to the edge of the driveway. Sort of winding out and then back in to the driveway on the outside edge. You could build planter boxes, tall narrow ones and cover them with the same rock that is on the house and position them at the edge of the steps by the grass. This would marry the steps to the house and the house to the land .It is also a chance to introduce some colour and great for seasonal displays as well.And some lighting would help too, something a little bolder and more dramatic maybe?As far as planting goes take this picture to a good garden shop and get their advice. There is more to choosing a plant than what looks good for now. So rely on the experts!

  • PAMELA PAMELA on Feb 20, 2017

    You have a very lovely home, I wonder if you could remove the black stones? and finish the bottom to match the upper part of the house, they chop up the front. Do a search for a great inexpensive idea for the garage doors, they attached some black decorative hinges just for interest, it looks charming. Your house should have a traditional look when planning landscaping, For inspiration look at magazines that show cottage homes, with evergreen plants. Get advice on which plants work best in your climate.. Front door might look great if you choose a color from your landscape plantings perhaps some leaves are a deep golden shade or autumn shade of red..not the normal red.. An easy weekend project adding some earthy tiles on your front entry concrete..you could also use, some thin decorative bricks that look like used bricks. Planning takes time to get best look for your lovely home..Wish you happiness in your new nest, Pamela

  • Diana Deiley Diana Deiley on Feb 27, 2017

    I love the stone but would paint the garage door the same color as the house. A bright color for the front door, a very large curved landscaped area embracing the right side of the house with 3-5-7 rule of planting. I'd start with 3 good sized ornamental grasses planted 4' from the house, 5 medium sized flowering shrubs in front of them, then 7 smaller perennials such as hostas. You can add a large stone or water fountain to ground the area. You have a beautiful home. Browse different landscaping magazines for ideas. Best of luck.

  • Jean Jean on Mar 01, 2017

    I am sure you don't want to have to start changing a lot of structural things on your new home right away, so I would suggest starting with painting the garage door, because the white does jump out at you. Maybe the color of the house, or a little lighter. The front door could be black, and put a colorful wreath on it. Shrubs, plants, and flowers for the front of the house, with taller plants, like evergreens for the sides. I think black shutters would look great on the two windows. As you can tell, I am more of a monochromatic person. Good luck.

  • BIL21033751 BIL21033751 on Mar 01, 2017

    Very nice house. I would paint the front door terracotta, add hinges and handles to the garage door to give it the carriage door look (kits are all over the net and easy to apply) and change out the garage door lights to black. Simple changes to start and add to that if needed. Good luck

  • Sherry Grace Sherry Grace on Jun 16, 2017

    As a fellow Canadian, I am wondering how difficult snow and ice buildup would become in front of the entrance, in light of the three sloping roofs meeting right there.