So you took the plunge and had new windows installed throughout your Dallas-Fort Worth home. Congratulations! Although you’ve made what was probably a fairly pricey investment in your house, you’ll see a return on that investment through increased energy efficiency (less hot or cold air escaping) as well as in the dollar value of the property. You may be able to up that valuation increase even more through a few simple additional enhancements around each new window. Here’s how.

There’s Still the Sill

Were the windows that you replaced showing extreme wear and tear — or were they, perhaps, incredibly dated in design? Chances are your window sill is suffering from the same appearance issues: rotting wood, peeling paint, cracked pieces, and more

— your sills are ready for an upgrade!

Grab a putty knife, sandpaper, a straight razor, some wood fill, and some caulk and you’ll be ready to go. Carefully scrape off any peeling paint and then sand down until you have a smooth surface once more. If your wood is cracked or has developed ugly gaps with age, smooth wood fill to create a solid surface. After the wood fill sets, caulk around the edges. Your next sill-finishing step is to paint — but before you do that …

Frame It All Up

Another window accessory that’s likely showing age is the framing on both the interior and exterior of your home. Exactly how many times have you, or previous homeowners, painted those pieces? Are the pieces knicked, pocked, or just plain worn down from the effects of time and Mother Nature. Unlike your sills, which are hard to fully replace without also removing the windows themselves, you can easily change your framing for an instant upgrade. (And now you know why you couldn’t paint yet after patching up your sills — you’ll want to match paint schemes with the framing first.)

Your inside and outside framing can pretty accurately show what decade your home was built in, and upgrading to more modern patterns or wood grains can be an instant appeal and value boost. Better yet, trim is inexpensive and can be DIY’d with just a saw to cut corners and a simple nail gun to secure. You may even be able to find pre-cut trim for common-sized windows. Now it’s time to paint your sills and trim — white and cream are classic and popular shades, but your home decor may dictate using a different color.

Covers Faux/Real

Go outside and look at your windows. While appreciating the newly updated trim, take a good look at your shutters, if you have them. They are likely fixed-position faux shutters, unless your home is much older and boasts actual closing shutters. Shutters are yet another area that can show extreme wear and tear. Fortunately, scraping old paint and refinishing are projects you can easily tackle on your own. If you have a bit of extra coin to spend, change to more modern or contemporary designs. A quick drive through your neighborhood can help you to see what types of shutters look good on houses similar to your own.

Inside your home, you may already have real covers for your windows: blinds, shades, and curtains, oh my! Ditching your old and battered vinyl blinds for real or faux wood blinds is a cost-effective and easily DIY’d upgrade. Swapping old shades for Roman shades or blinds is an equally value-adding proposition. And as for your faded and dated curtains, change them stat. Whether you prefer to sew your own or buy new, new curtains instantly brighten every new window in your home.

Image Source: StockSnap.io

[cf]skyword_tracking_tag[/cf]