The front of our house has no curb appeal at all!

Jessica C
by Jessica C
We rent our home, so we can't do major construction at this time. If we decide to purchase the house we may add a front entryway. I hate the ugly storm door and the scraggly bushes. Any ideas would be appreciated!
House lacks all curb appeal. Siding is vinyl.
I painted the front door red, but I don't think it helps very much. Ideas?
  12 answers
  • Z Z on Jul 17, 2013
    How about you build an arbor to go over the front entry that could be removed and take with you incase you don't purchase the home? Something like this without the gate... http://www.trellisstructures.com/arbors/images/arbor-neoclassical.jpg
  • Sia@South 47th Sia@South 47th on Jul 17, 2013
    I like the Arbor idea that you can take with you. How about Re-purposing Old Doors? See here for the tut: http://forums2.gardenweb.com/forums/load/junk/msg0622324626656.html And here are some of the pic's of that Arbor in place. You have to scroll down: http://dishfunctionaldesigns.blogspot.com/2012/01/salvaged-doors-repurposed.html
  • Mary Insana Mary Insana on Jul 17, 2013
    You could buy 2 free standing solar pole lights and put them on either side of the door. Get a colorful mat to put in front of the door and put a flowering plant in a colorful pot to match colors in the door and the mat. Everything can be taken with you if you move.
  • Sia@South 47th Sia@South 47th on Jul 17, 2013
    How about planting some raised garden beds? You can make them from FREE Pallets, leave the pallets natural, or colour them on the outside with paint to accent your home? The Veggies, Herbs, Edible Flowers become the 'Art'. You can DIY paving stones in-between them with a couple inches of gap, for planting thyme. Personally I find "Lawn Grass" of no use, other than to take up space and use precious water. Yards that actually 'Produce' for you are not only beautiful, they save you $$$ and are healthy in more ways than one. You could set up a DIY 'Fire-Pit' that can be dis-assembled when you leave, and add some portable Garden Furniture as well.
  • Sia@South 47th Sia@South 47th on Jul 17, 2013
    I would not do anything like add window boxes, shutters etc. because you are renting. ;)
  • Cyndi Moore Tippett Cyndi Moore Tippett on Jul 17, 2013
    Use the left over paint on the storm door. Then I would pull up the straggly bushes and extend the flower bed (on the left in the picture) in a curved shape to meet the sidewalk. Let it sit all fall and winter and plant wildflower seed or zinnias, etc. You might be able to find a "Master Gardner's" sale and pick up some great buys for your area. Large pots at the corners of your side walk would dress it up. Also if you enlarge your flower bed you might be able to place a bench in it or beside it with a small table with a plant on it. I have put several "Shepherd's Crooks" (single and double armed) at the corners of my house and in the middle of my flower bed and hung pots from them. The flower bed (on the right) could be filled in with pavers or rock and put a bench under the window with pots on one or both sides. Have fun with it and buy what you like and it will always work.
  • Sia@South 47th Sia@South 47th on Jul 17, 2013
    @Cyndi Moore Tippett Love you g/f but she is renting and you know how much pavers and rock cost? A LOT. ;) Plus the 'Owners' might not want her to pull up any of the existing shrubs/bushes. We HOPE they will let her! hehheeee
  • Kimberly Barney Kimberly Barney on Jul 17, 2013
    It is definitely different when you are talking about fixing up a rental. We own an income business and know that it is part of our lease contract that all additions to the property made by the tenant during their contract period remains with the house. This must be kept in mind as well as tenants are not always allowed to make changes and must have the changes that they do make approved by the owner. That being said, I think if the landlord allowed you to paint the door, they would also let you paint the light fixture to bring color to the face of the house which is needed. The door is a good start. I think you could extend the patio area in front using the interlocking tiles that could be removed and I like the pagoda idea not attached to the house in any way so that all could be removed and taken with you. Then I would use large pots of color to add interest to the house.
  • Inexpensive ideas: at Walmart there are big colorful pots for $6.97 and I would put (matching) 1 on each side of stoop or door depending upon room and put an evergreen in each of them such as Arborvitae or some other colorful shrub to bring some height. Then I would go garage "saling" and buy inexpensive pots and spray paint or if you are lucky to find interesting containers and group 3 or more together and plant them with shrubs and flowers to fill in the gaps. I would ask the landlord if you can take down the storm door (unless you use it) so that the front door is exposed. Then I would ask the landlord if you can find another outside light which is bigger and more dramatic. Then on the opposite side I would find a really cool trellis, object, or statue to balance out the front door. There are a lot of things you can do. Is the siding vinyl or wood? Because finding something decorative (black metal always looks good) above the door and below the small octagon window would be very dramatic. Such some thoughts. good luck
  • Bodiedk Bodiedk on Jun 23, 2014
    If you were to buy the house, I can see a big front porch all the way across the front.
  • John J John J on Jul 09, 2014
    Pots of plantings for colour to add definition to the 'scape borders... these you can simply take with you if you move.
  • Lindcurt Lindcurt on Mar 04, 2015
    Combine the wooden planter boxes with the arbor. you'll have height and color at your front door. Pots of sweet potato vine would fill the area between the shrubs on the left of the door. Move the potted trees clear to the left corner of the house -- varying the height of the two pots. Maybe painting the porch light in red and adding red plants in a pot at the corner of the side walk would make the front door work better. That is an ugly storm door - but those are expensive to replace, especially on a house that is not yours. You may just have to make the best of it. A trellis with some climbing vines at the far right corners would soften that area. I'm fond of clemantis but do not know how they grow in your area. Morning glories and sweet peas are fast growing and can move with you if planted in pots.