Boosting the Curb Appeal of Our Mountain Home

by Brooke Bowman

3 Materials

$100

4 Hours

Easy

When I first met my future husband, one of our favorite places to travel was the mountains of western North Carolina, specifically the Lake Junaluska region near Waynesville and Maggie Valley. We were fortunate enough to be able to travel there so often because his parents had a little mountain cabin in that region. While it was not much to look at from the road, the two-bedroom cabin was cozy and quaint inside and the perfect little getaway.

Still, after we got married and started coming up to the lake even more frequently than we had in the past, we decided the exterior of the home needed a slight face lift and a little remodel to boost its curb appeal. Here are the simple steps we took to get there.

boosting the curb appeal of our mountain home

First, we cleaned up much of the shrubbery that was originally planted along the left side of the home. Though we kept the main shrub in the front, next to the steps, we removed years and even decades’ worth of overgrown annuals, perennials and weeds. All that we kept were the remaining hostas, which were variegated and added a nice touch of color to the dark brown home. We also removed any growth that was overhanging onto the adjacent sidewalk. There were also two overgrown and unruly looking rhododendrons that we hauled away on the back of our work truck.

As this sidewalk is uneven in its current state and we do not currently have the budget to replace it, we wanted to make it as hazard-free as possible. On a previous trip up to the lake, we added the wooden railing shown leading up to the home’s front porch. Previously, the steps had been exposed, creating yet another trip hazard. Once we are able, we would love to have the concrete leveled, as well as pressure washed to improve its appearance and functionality.

On the back left side of the home, we cleaned up the existing landscaping and kept the hostas there as well. This area had previously been filled with potted plants of various sizes, each holding a plant that was well past its prime. Those are now behind the house as shown in the image above, where we hope to reuse them in the front of the house and change out the plants as the seasons change. For instance, as autumn kicks into high gear we anticipate filling them with mums and putting them on the front stoop for a fun fall look.

What was left is the patio space that connects to the home’s master bedroom. Though it was left empty for this picture, we are currently looking into indoor/outdoor seating options and lawn game setups to make it a more usable entertaining space. It overlooks the mountain woods and is always shaded thanks to the sprawling oaks overhead. We think it would be an ideal spot to set up a grill, invite a few friends over, and make some outdoor memories.

We also have four knockout rose bushes planted along the home’s front gate that add color and charm to the property. As we have been traveling up here for more than a decade, we have had the opportunity to see those rose bushes in every season and agree that while there are a few weeks during which they turn brown, for the most part they offer year-round beauty. As such, we plan to plant about five more along the very front of the house, right where it drops off to the terraced yard in the front.

On the back right side, we had to remove all of the plants. Unfortunately, this is because there is a leak in the water line for the property and it runs along this part of the yard. We noticed the leak initially because, for all of our efforts to save money on our water bill and conserve resources during our summer-long stay at the cabin, we were hit with a pretty hefty fee in August. Then, my husband noticed that this specific part of the yard was feeling soggy and soft when he walked on it.

Thankfully, he is a plumber and has both the tools and the knowledge required to fix it. It will just require a few extra trips up here to get the entire issue addressed by digging and installing a new water line. Once everything is back in place, we plan to plant more hostas along this side of the house to make it match the other side of the house. And, as a licensed plumber, he can send a letter to our utility provider explaining the water leak, which should help us get our payments adjusted.

This is a more up-close picture of the back right side of the home. As you can see, there is a basement crawl space that goes up under the house. While it is not big enough to stand up inside of, it serves as storage space for our family and is a valuable part of the home. We plan to install a sidewalk that leads directly to this basement door as part of our more comprehensive curb appeal remodel project.

Right now, though there are steps coming down off of the deck that lead to the backyard, the only way to access the basement is by walking down and around the grass. Though they are barely visible in the image above, we also installed five concrete pavers that lead from the back of the right side of the house back around to the front. These do not span the entire length of the journey, of course, but they are convenient stepping stones for anyone coming off of the deck and looking to walk around.