I’m back home from my whirlwind trip to Salt Lake City, had a great time at the conference and got a chance to connect with a lot of blog friends too. Yesterday I did a little shopping since I’m sprucing the sit down section of our courtyard and wanted to pick up a few colorful accessories. I’m hoping to pull it together and show you later this week! 

We also spent some time in the yard doing all those necessary things like feeding and watering that come with shrubs and plants that are blooming once more – this is that time of year that gets us all thinking about ways to improve the outdoor areas. Today contributing writer Shannon from AKA Design is back to share with you eight additional ways to add curb appeal to your home.

“It’s a fact, a house with pretty curb appeal stands out in a neighborhood. Often curb appeal is a priority when a house is being listed for sale, but it needn’t be reserved solely for that occasion. Improving your home’s curb appeal adds to its value, and a home that possesses it brings a smile to both the homeowner and the neighbors that pass by, demonstrating that the home is well loved and well cared for.

Kate wrote a post called Curb Appeal: 8 Weekend DIY Projects back in 2012. Her ideas are still applicable and included painting or replacing the front door, creating a container garden, adding window boxes, creating a porch seating area, adding architectural accents, updating garage doors, investing in good landscaping and lighting a pathway to the front door. To build on those ideas, here are eight more ways to add that extra something special that will improve the impression of your home’s exterior.

1. Spruce Up the Side Yard.  Whether it’s the space adjacent to the garage or the area of yard that includes the gates, the side yard shouldn’t be overlooked when improving a home’s curb appeal. Extend the front yard landscaping around to the side and consider including an arbor, gate, or attractive pathway. 

Better Homes and Gardens

Amelia B Lima & Associates    

2. Add a Fence. There’s a reason we all cite the “white picket fence” as the ideal, it adds depth and encloses the yard but also draws the attention of a passersby with its clean lines and classic style. Other styles of fencing are equally attractive depending on the style of the home. Front yard fencing in the form of stone, wrought iron, or a wooden all accomplish the same delineation of property lines and offer a a place to anchor shrubs or grow trellising vines.

Sarah Dorio for HGTV

Stock and Hill

Tom Plant, Realtor 

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I get a lot of emails from readers asking for tips and advice on sprucing up their interior spaces or fixing up their thrift store finds, and I’m happy to correspond.  One reader posed this question addressing the exterior of her home, so I thought I’d answer it right here !

“Dear Ms. Kate,  We just got married and purchased our first home a few months ago.   We’re very excited about our new place, but the outside of our house is a tan box and doesn’t look much different than the rest of the cookie cutter houses in our neighborhood.  We’re looking for ways to pretty up our front porch and front yard.  Could you possibly share some ideas on how we can turn our plain Jane into something special, maybe some weekend DIY projects we could tackle ?  Thanks so much for any help.  Jenn R. ”

Congratulations to you and your husband Jenn on buying your first home – what an exciting moment !  Welcome to the world of home ownership where you’ll now spend more weekends than you imagined at the local home improvement store !!!

Since my husband and partner-in-DIY happens to be a real estate appraiser with over 20 years experience in valuing homes, I shared Jenn’s inquiry with him.  Mr. CG has inspected and appraised thousands of homes, so together we came up with these ideas for eight weekend DIY projects that will instantly add curb appeal to any home. 

1.  Paint or replace your front door. 

It’s amazing how much a pop of color on a front door or a fresh coat of semi-gloss can make your ‘plain Jane’ stand out from the crowd.  As long as there are no homeowner’s association restrictions, go right ahead add jazz up your door with a fresh coat of paint.  It’s a good idea to prime it first for durability.  Be the inspiration for all your neighbors – no doubt, they’ll be painting their front door in no time too !

 The Little Greene; BH&G; Blissfully Domestic; Hooked on Houses; Apartment Therapy; Yellow Front Door

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