9 Ways to Perk Up Your Home's Exterior this Weekend

The Newsy Neighbbour Magazine

www.TheNewsyNeighbour.com

August Issue 118

Article Provided By:The Newsy Neighbour

There's nothing more exciting than owning your own home, is there? It's all yours and just waiting for you to add your own personal touch to create an inviting and aesthetically pleasing abode. But, where do you start? A few inexpensive, yet genius weekend changes to the exterior of your home will have it radiating with style.

1. Begin by researching architectural styles to determine which style your taste and your home's architecture fits into. With so many variations of architectural themes to choose from, a short list might include the popular styles of Victorian, Craftsman, industrial, farmhouse, cottage, contemporary and Mediterranean. Once you've decided on a style, begin selecting exterior design elements that compliment your theme.
2. Replace old house numbers with brushed stainless steel floating numbers for a modern look or raised prairie-style numbers for a Craftsman or Mission theme. Mount stylized numbers to a stained or painted wood plaque in a horizontal or vertical layout to create an inexpensive, custom house number. Your local home and hardware store has many number styles to choose from for less than $10.00 per number.
3. Light up your home's exterior with new overhead lighting fixtures and wall lanterns. Popular materials include rubbed bronze, polished graphite, brushed nickel, art glass and beveled glass in a variety of styles and sizes for less than $100.00.
4. Spruce up your front door with a fresh coat of stain or paint. It's more economical than replacing your entire entry door, which can cost well over $2,000.00. If you're afraid to be bold when choosing a new colour for your home's front door, tape on various colour swatches to help you decide. While you're at it, clean up or replace your front door hardware. Changing a tarnished, brass knob or handle with a new satin nickel or aged bronze handle set creates a great first impression.
5. Think foundation plantings to anchor your home to the landscape and soften the foundation. Starting small with evergreen shrubs is very economical. Holly bushes are a great choice. They grow fast, are easy to shape and produce bright red berries during colourless winter months. Add landscape lighting at the base of your newly planted shrubs to add ambiance and light walkways from dusk to dawn.
6. Is the façade of your house so bland it makes you shudder? You'll be amazed at the difference shutters can make. Do-it-yourself board and batten shutters can be made in a day and painted in your choice of colours. Choose a hue that contrasts well with your siding and entry door for added appeal.
7. Add warmth and charm to any style home with window boxes planted with annuals in the spring and summer, decorated with pumpkins and gourds in the fall and trimmed with boughs of evergreens and berries in the winter.
8. Add warmth and charm to any style home with window boxes with annuals in the spring and summer, decorated with pumpkins and gourds in the fall and trimmed with boughs of evergreens and berries in the winter.
9. Nothing makes a better first impression than hanging a seasonal door wreath or framing the entrance to your home between stylish, oversized planters. Be creative and have fun with your home's entranceway. The possibilities are endless. Decorate with holiday door wraps, fragrant fruit and floral wreaths, garland, topiaries, vintage ice skates, sleds, decorative welcome mats and other collectibles.

Take pride in your home and impress your neighbours and guests by spending this weekend sprucing up your home and property with simple do-it-yourself upgrades that won't cost a fortune.