Pretty on the Outside
They say that looks are only skin deep, but if you make an effort to look good, chances are you’ll be given a better chance up front. The same goes for your home. It might seem shallow, but it’s the truth.
We’ve suggested the most important ‘room’ in the house lies between the front door and the curb. So, let’s talk curb appeal and make your home live up to its prettiest potential.
Start by standing on the curb, looking at your home and everything that lays between – you may walk this path every day, but do you really stop and pay attention. What do you love about what you’re seeing, what’s not right or needs improvement, big or small? What you don’t notice anymore but others do!
There’s a lot to take in, so it’s best we break it down into a few chunks. Starting from the curb think of it as four sections, however all sections need to work together seamlessly - Nature strip, Boundary, Garden and House Façade.
The council nature strip might sound like we’re stating the obvious, however this strip of land is your first chance to impress. Water, fertilize, mow, we all know it, but when it’s given love, it just makes such an impressive difference.
The boundary separating the council nature strip from your property is your first chance to delineate your kingdom, so big or small, it’s an opportunity not to be missed. Make it clear that when someone passes through this line, they’ve entered your home.
It’s your first chance to introduce a garden, so let’s make sure whatever the statement you make makes it into the look of your home and is suitable to your climate/location – a dead strip here is a killer to curb appeal.
If your council permits, we’re all for a front fence. Apart from a feeling of extra security, a front fence defines a garden space that is not just for appearance but becomes a functional space – but again, the fence must make sense with the façade of your home.
The front yard is considered to serve no purpose other than a way to get to the house. Maybe we lived in the inner city for too long, but for us it’s an opportunity for additional outdoor living. Fenced it provides a children’s play area, or uses screening plants to create additional outdoor living spaces. There’s no problem if it is purely for decoration however consider your options and make it a conscious decision.
Also, remember this area is not just about gardens and lawns, the maintenance of driveways and paths can make or break too!
The front façade of your home is no doubt the crowning glory of street appeal. We could actually write for days on this topic, but we’ll give you the super short version here.
Paint can totally change a home from drab to fab or distressed to fresh. We’re talking about all surfaces here, the walls, doors, window frames, and even the roof.
Be careful with colours that are trending, they’ll date before you repaint.
Some of you are not going to like to hear this but we’re going to say it anyway… Can we please stop with grey and white, we love a bit of a Hamptons as much as anyone, but there are so many choices so make a statement that is you. Your home deserves to be special. All white is making a huge impact on facades, but also delicate greens and blues with subtle feature colours for your front door. Local paint suppliers have sample paint pots, or stick on/peel off sample cards so you can see the colour in the light and not just in a store.
By focusing on the simple and achievable aspects of the curbside appeal of your home will make you feel proud and we’re sure the passersby will appreciate it too.