New house - need help w/ curb appeal
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We are closing on this house today! What would you do to make this have more curb appeal and make it more "homey"?
19 answers
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Colorful plants, like hydrangeas, along your foundation make a great first impression. Here's a list of some good-looking foundation plants: http://goo.gl/NTT2oC
Libby Walker
on Mar 30, 2015
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I love plants :-) Remember that unless your budget allows you to purchase nearly full grown plants, some will take years to mature and fill in. But hang in there because it's worth it :-) I would look for images on Pinterest, here or other sites to find houses with a similar front elevation like yours. Then see how they've landscaped and whether or not you'd like to replicate the look. Then with the help of a nursery or a neighbor in the area, find which plants work in your specific planting zone. Oh...don't forget, one of the best ways to meet your neighbors is to go say hello and compliment them on their yards :-) Many gardeners are willing to give you little starter plants because they love sharing what they have of their plants, time and skills. Have you considered painting your front door and shutters a different color? It's inexpensive and you can keep changing it till you get a color that really appeals to you. I think I painted our former home's front door at least 4 times (it was a fun experiment in color therapy). Eventually I left it the color I loved the most.
CK
on Mar 30, 2015
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What a cute home! Lucky Duck. The home itself is a nice buttery colour... perhaps use this palette to select alternative more warm bursts of colour for the shutters, garage door and front door?
Tana, Little Red Bag Productions
on Mar 30, 2015
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Congrats on your new home, I think plants and flowers will warm it up and make it more homey feeling. You can add a pretty wreath to the front door and maybe hang a windchime. Have fun with your new home.
Deezie
on Mar 31, 2015
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Paint all the dark brown trim white or off white and it will change eveything
Linda Brown
on Mar 31, 2015
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I agree with Linda, try to paint all the brown a lighter color and add lots of foundation plants. Congrats on the new house!
Carole Crawford-Evon
on Mar 31, 2015
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Everything always looks so dead in the winter, I love yellow houses, I would paint the shutters or replace them in white, the same with the trim. Then do some flower boxes in the front you could do one long one on the picture window or 3 small ones. Also paint your front door a great color. Take a look at HGTV they do a new color for a front door every month.
Liz Feeser-Regan
on Mar 31, 2015
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Might have to wait to see what is already planted ? To the left of the Front door you could add a Trellis with some Flowers that Vine or plant some Cottage Type Flowers like Cosmos, Zinnias, Day Lily, Baby's Breath, Holly Hock, and Geraniums for Color - Flowers of Different Heights, Then make a Focal Point in Front of them with a Bench that is set at an Angle not just facing the Road it could face the Driveway...flat patio blocks could be laid out in a 8 ft sq for it to sit on and Couple large Pots of Flowers set around the Edges to add to the Depth of the front of the house.. Where it looks like you would Sit and Read.. maybe a Taller Shrub on the far corner of the house but don't just plant too close to the Foundation , curve out the Planting beds to add interest too....Yes and Pick a Wild Bright Color for the Front Door. Maybe Change the Fixture for the outside light there by the Front door Too.. and love the idea of hanging a Wind Chime. and Hanging Baskets.... need something on the big Space on the Garage too. and on the Far corner of the house. maybe some tall annuals or Trellis with Flowers that Vine or Roses? Have Fun.... and Congratulations on the new Home... Yes Check out Pinterest for ideas too... check out this Board here: A Variety of Wonderful Things
Jean Thompson
on Mar 31, 2015
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Agreed on lighter trim paint. Windows to left of door are higher than the one on right; use that space to add window boxes. Also, place trellis to right of garage door and arbor above to grow a climbing plant. Add fake carriage house hardware to give character to garage door
Charmagne
on Mar 31, 2015
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Definition of a path with little areas of color that move the eyes of your visitors and voyeurs. Taking areas to create the space you're going to place perennials that will fill the areas. A punch of orange and red of a maple, perhaps?
Barb Thygerson
on Mar 31, 2015
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Make your flower beds in front of the house curved even around the corner to welcome people. Check with your County agricultural agent for a list of plants that are natural to your state or are non-invasive. Oh also ask the agent how to contact a local master gardener [they are volunteers and are always helpful about soil what grows well and they often know someone who has plants that they will share] Look local all your answers are there. To make it homey, simple just put your heart into it.
Pgl
on Mar 31, 2015
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If it were me, I would wait until the snow is gone so I could see what is there! In the interim, I would scour the library's gardening books, contact the home extension office for advice as to what grows best in your area, talk to the folks at the local gardening center or search the web for pics of what I like. When the neighbor hood comes to life, stroll/drive around and look at what the neighbors have done. When you find something you like, go knock on the door and ask how they achieved the look! Remember, patience is the key. You aren't going to achieve the look you want overnight! But, the first thing I would do is to 'pretty-up' the bare garage. Hang a medallion of some sort on the peak above the door and put some sort of 'yard-art' decoration or old sign next to the door!
EdiLeck
on Mar 31, 2015
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Architectural plants (such as large ferns, acer shrubs, fatsia japonica etc) would look great planted at the corners of the house to soften and break up hard lines. These could be planted directly into border or on large plant pots. Hope this helps!
LM
on Mar 31, 2015
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Paint your trim white, and maybe porch, with chair height white railing, and curved sidewalk, with border plants.
Linda
on Mar 31, 2015
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In addition to landscaping and painting the house, you could add some nice hardware to the garage door and add some nice outdoor lighting. Make sure to include some evergreens so you still have something nice to look at in the winter.
Shelby Renee Pringle
on Apr 01, 2015
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congratulations on your new home! I'm a big fan of window boxes on every window. If you're husband is handy, he can make them. Check youtube for tutorials. Plant according to your sun exposure. The rule of thumb, filler flowers for bulk, thriller flower for height and spillers, like potato vine, creeping jenny or ivy for ..spilling! Good luck!
JoAnn
on Apr 01, 2015
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If you add a covered porch along the front of the house, it will look amazing. Saw this done on a house years ago. Added so much!
Henhouse
on May 15, 2015
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Congratulations on the new home purchase. . . You may be on budget constraints but a couple of quick fixes come to mind until you can afford to build or paint the entire exteriot. First would be to give your garage door a faux window treatment, then paint the garage door, the shutters, the window frames and the cement door entry slab same color, complementing your house. You could then go bold with another complimentary front door color. For decorative pieces, make a couple of DIY long pipe wind chimes to hang on each side of house (paint in copper tones). Find a large salvaged metal or wood design piece (painted with left over paint color) and attach to the siding next to the garage door OR find two more large shutters and make a scaled faux chalkboard window with shutters next to the garage door. You could also make a large 4' x 2' tall four-sided planter vase to go under the small octagon window and paint with with a stencil or lattice design -- add with floral when season permits. For under $150 you can boost your curb appeal until you get more funds to play with, and the cold fall/winter weather is over. Enjoy your new home.
Carolyn Hale
on Oct 25, 2015
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Quick fix to"modernize" I would remove the shutters and paint the garage door to match siding. Paint the front door a lighter color, a pretty blue or aqua would look nice with the beige and brown. Cute house!
Mary Gemmell
on Dec 12, 2015
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