BLOGBlog posted On May 02, 2025
The summer season is right around the corner, with patio parties and sizzling grill-outs on the horizon. Homeowners, it’s time to step up your curb appeal and turn your home’s exterior into the envy of every neighbor! Let’s dive into five ways you can boost your outdoor space.
After your home has taken a winter beating, especially if you live in colder climates, it’s time to tackle your outside with a thorough deep cleaning. Get your gutter gloves and dive right into home maintenance, including cleaning windows and power washing your concrete driveways, sidewalks, siding. and wood decks. Look for wear and tear to see if there’s anything that can be quickly repaired or replaced. You don’t need to update everything at once, so make a priority list of things you’d like to get to before summer enters into full swing. Don’t get overwhelmed and immediately start pouring the concrete — you don’t need to redo you entire porch or driveway; take baby steps to slowly beautify your beloved home.
Your front porch is going to be one of the initial features noticed by visitors and neighbors, so you’ll want to spruce it up first and foremost. The first impression is important! Whether you have a full porch or just a doorway to work with, painting your front door a welcoming color is an easy idea. A fun doormat can add a unique personality flair, which adds a friendlier way to welcome guests. If you have a decently sized front patio, some outdoor furniture can inject instant appeal, including wicker rocking chairs, porch swings, and weather-resistant fabrics thrown over the entirety. And of course, there’s always plants! Installing wooden window boxes with mixed and matching flowers can give the perfect cottage feel.
That’s right, it’s time to throw some plants into the picture. A little greenery goes a long way in boosting your curb appeal landscaping. First off, you can clean up what’s there already: mow your lawn, trim the bushes, and add fresh mulch to planter beds and boxes. Next, have you considered the type of garden you’d prefer? You could go the instant garden route and buy ready-made containers from garden centers for a more affordable, quick alternative. A staggered, asymmetrical arrangement can create a dynamic setting. You might also consider planting trees, especially fast-growing flora like Japanese maples, redbuds, or flowering pears.
Installing outdoor lighting can provide dual purposes: one, it offers practicality for safety and security through illuminating walking paths and doorways, and two, it adds pleasing ambience, injecting warmth throughout your landscape. Whether you add solar-powered fixtures next to your granite steps or install porch sconces and mount them on the wall next to your front door, these will bring a balanced, happy atmosphere to any exterior.
Not interested in following cookie cutters designs and want to set yourself apart? Paint your front door a flamboyant color like yellow or red. Incorporate statues into your landscape, sneaking dragon, lion, or griffin figures into your garden for a fantasy-inspired flair. What would you like to proudly display your home in either a subtle or boisterous fashion? Research fun ways to DIY your mailbox, install a charming gate, drape ivy over your fences, add a bench, and continue to give your yard whimsy by adding weather-resistant artwork. Birdbaths, windchimes, fountains, the sky’s the limit! We suggest trying to match items that complement your home’s natural palette and to not overdo it, but have fun with it.
Ready to be the talk of your neighborhood, the envy of the area? If you’ve built up some equity, you might consider using a HELOC to fund your home’s renovation costs, especially if you’re looking to do bigger upgrades like a patio remodel or a complete rehaul of your backyard. We’re happy to discuss your curb appeal renovations and offer you helpful loan options. Summer fun, here we come!
Source: The Spruce, Better Homes & Gardens
