Keeping Your Curb Appeal Fresh

Your home’s curb appeal says a lot about you and your pride of home ownership. Maintaining a favorable first impression and keeping it current isn’t solely for home sellers. However you decide to update or freshen your home’s curb appeal, know that you can’t go wrong because maintaining this appeal will also keep you up-to-date on many regular home maintenance tasks.

“Hardscaping” is all the rage right now; you can see it cropping up all over as homeowners replace plain concrete driveways and walkways with pavers, bricks or stone, or stamp or score designs into a freshly poured driveway. Another, more affordable trend, is to dress up an existing concrete driveway using texture or multi-color design techniques.

If you plan to pour a new concrete driveway this year, consider imitating the look of upscale stone or brick pavers by stamping or scoring a pattern into the freshly poured concrete. Adding color to your driveway is another way to brighten your curb appeal. Homeowners can select from a wide range of hues, from subtle earth tones to bright blues and reds.

Updating your home’s siding or applying fresh paint gives your home an instant boost. If you’re replacing siding, consider installing an upscale material. Western Red Cedar siding is a popular choice. The siding is available in a number of warm shades and can be purchased pre-finished so that you won’t have to deal with staining and possibly ending up with a shade that’s too dark or light.

Replacing tired old windows with the energy-efficient double-pane variety is another home value booster that perks up curb appeal. Homeowners continue to look for environmentally friendly solutions and improving your home’s insulation with these attractive windows increases your home’s value and its green rating.

Some curb appeal “trends” are timeless, for example the front door. Dress up any front door by installing a brass kick plate and matching accessories including door handle, door knocker, new locks, mail slot and exterior light fixture. The front door also is a place where you can add a little character and pop to your curb appeal by deviating from the home’s exterior color theme.

Landscaping is another area that significantly impacts curb appeal. At the very least, keep your yard well manicured, keep your plants healthy and remove any dead foliage. If you plan to change the landscaping this year, visit your local nursery to find out which shrubs, trees and other plants are native to your area. The trend here is beautiful but low maintenance and environmentally friendly. Xeriscaping, or drought-tolerant landscaping, is growing in popularity as homeowners strive for water-wise gardening solutions.

However you decide to increase your home’s curb appeal, your home will get a value booster and you will enjoy more living in it. Surprisingly, even small enhancements can make a big difference.

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