Hey everyone...

Terry Haas
by Terry Haas
Want to find out if your home's got curb appeal? Let's put it to the test!
Each one of these pictures contains one curb appeal tip. Tell us which of these you've already done and what is #1 on your "to do" list. If you've got a picture, I would love to see it!
Well tended lawn posted by Core Landscape Group, Inc.
Entrance door posted by Peace Painting
Grand entrance driveway
Window treatments posted by Master Blinds
Decorative piece posted by Southern Trillium LLC
Classic color scheme posted by Exovations
  19 answers
  • #3 and 2 are my favorites, I think it's because of the doors. I know the doors count but you need to have a equally balanced and good looking yard as well for good curb appeal.
  • 3po3 3po3 on Dec 14, 2011
    No. 3 is not a well-tended lawn. That's an extreme professional topiary. Hope I don't have to pull that off to sell my house. Yikes. Also, curious about No. 1. It's a unique door, but I think it would reduce my desire for the house. First, glass around the front door seems unsecure. Also, I just don't really like the door, to be honest.
  • Terry Haas Terry Haas on Dec 15, 2011
    I just added another picture of window shutters. Very important that if you have some kind of functional or decorative accent such as this. They need to be in good shape. Thes are the "accessories" to your homes "outfit". What do you think?
  • Beverly T Beverly T on Dec 15, 2011
    I think number 1 and 5 have the most curb appeal. Number one has a nicely maintained area along with nice layout with the curves. Number 5 has the focal point on the accessories with the nice pot. It stands out. with the green pot and nice plantings around it. The black door and shutters also add to the curb appeal. Number 2 has no curb appeal to me. The door is the only thing that stands out. I personally do not care for blue but that is the only thing that is appealing with this entryway. The other colors are mostly white and bland looking. Number 3 is OK except for the area to pull up to the house. The concrete looks like it needs to be redone. The actual area of the house looks great with the symmetrical plants on either side of the house. It is inviting you into the home. Number 4 has great curb appeal. The shutters are opposite to the arched window which draws your eye to the whole look. This was nicely done. For number 6 the curb appeal starts with the color of the house along with the jump out at you color of the red door. That is where the curb appeal ends. The front yard needs better landscaping to complement the house. Right now all I see are green dying bushes and brown dirt around it. This distracts your attention away from the colors of the house. It is a good thing that the door is such a bright red for your eye to be drawn towards that instead of the landscaping in the front. Right now everything is dying in the front of my house. I planted many things but did not take into account the perennials that do not look good during the winter months. It will look better in the spring and summer. We added the concrete colored edging along the flower beds and around the trees. It would be nice to get rid of all the bermuda grass with a more appealing kind. The bermuda grass is ugly most of the year. I don't understand why the home builders use this for landscaping. It is not appealing even when it is green.
  • Jennifer B Jennifer B on Dec 15, 2011
    It would be cool to see "average" houses that have been transformed with savvy choices rather than 800k+ homes that were probably "created" with curb appeal. The one with the green urn might fit the bill, but it's hard to tell since the picture shows so little of the house.
  • Joy B Joy B on Dec 15, 2011
    I love the professional yard and I would be sitting out there alot! I think a beautiful door makes the first impression before you put your foot in the house. All very tasteful!
  • Laura H Laura H on Dec 15, 2011
    I am planning on re-landscaping my yard in the next year. I also agree with whoever said that it would be nice to see more modest homes instead of these 'McMansions". We have painted our house, changed the front door so it stands out and try to have it nice and neat.
  • Charissa Charissa on Dec 15, 2011
    Love the beautiful lawn and landscaping!! We have been working on our awful yard since buying the house two years ago. Plan to have it under better control this spring along with a nice patio/seating area in the back of the house. Also on the list for spring is a new front door!
  • LandlightS LandlightS on Dec 15, 2011
    I love them all, and I would especially like to see them after dusk. I bet they are more dramatic when lit....lol PS: It's been awhile since I've been to Charleston, but for Terry I'd be willing to make the trip. Have a wonderful Holiday Season....Gary
  • Terry Haas Terry Haas on Dec 15, 2011
    Here are some more photos--many of which appear to be homes of average size and varied architectural style Many of these ideas can be used in a multitude of spaces--pick the parts that appeal to you and you can create beautiful first impressions. Find the focal point or an inspirational piece and work from there... Would love to see what you come up with. Post your ideas.
  • Michelle W Michelle W on Dec 15, 2011
    I think each photo shows an important element. We just completed our backyard in all California natives with a tiny pond for birds & critters to drink from. In the spring we will have magnificent blooms (with little water use!). That said, all these elements are still on our list for the FRONTyard!
  • Itsreally C Itsreally C on Dec 15, 2011
    didn't notice any white truck tires w/flowers & weeds out of them ;-) no schoolbus up on blocks, either,,, maybe we could focus on some more modest examples next time ?
  • Southern Trillium LLC Southern Trillium LLC on Dec 15, 2011
    I looked through the photos I have of our jobsite with the green urn, but I do not have a photo that shows more of the house. I can share this much, the house is more of a starter home size. The homes are 2,300 square feet and sit on lots that are ~0.2 acre. The front door is probably about 30 feet from the curb. The goal for the project was to enhance the overall appearance and curb appeal of the home. The existing foundation planting was a mixture of azaleas and hollies, which we obviously removed. Also, there is cross lighting on the urn along with other landscape lighting around the front and back yards. I need to find some time to go back and shoot more photographs of the overall installation.
  • 3po3 3po3 on Dec 15, 2011
    Terry, thanks for posting the photos of "average" homes. It's nice to see really great things you can do with relatively small yard spaces.
  • Shelia B Shelia B on Dec 15, 2011
    ive put in fake grass and love it i mean turf
  • Southern Trillium LLC Southern Trillium LLC on Dec 16, 2011
    Good news, I checked with the guy that drew the design, and he had a before photo of the whole house stored on his computer. As you can see, it looked like any house on any street. The maple was too close to the house and blocked most of the house as you arrived from the right It had a typical sheared foundation planting. No real curb appeal. We removed all existing material, including the maple, from the front yard. I still need to go back and take another photo from further out to show more of the landscaping, but as you can now see, my angled photo of the urn and plantings is almost half of the front yard.
  • Mike and Anne Mike and Anne on Dec 16, 2011
    There is obviouly a good eye for design here. The mix of colors and the different shades of greens are intriguing. Let us see more of these types of photos.
  • Barbara T Barbara T on Dec 16, 2011
    These are all beautiful I love all the color with the flowers and shrubbery..
  • Kathy M Kathy M on Dec 18, 2011
    #2 needs life in the entry. I enjoy the water feature in #5. The shutters carry an important message about quality accessories adorning our home, that also gives an indicator that quality is inside too!!