Many real estate professionals will tell you that one of the most important home improvement projects is to work on your home exterior designs. Making changes to the look of the outside of your house improves its “curb appeal.” Many of the homes in Philadelphia are rowhomes and townhouses with small yards, patios, and porches, but even if you have a small outdoor area, you can still take steps to make the home’s exterior look more inviting and attractive. Explore these ideas for updating the outside of your Philly home.
Go Wild with Wild Flowers
When you live in an urban city like Philly, it’s rare to see wild flowers growing unless homeowners have them planted. Add loads of wild flowers in an assortment of colors to the front of your home to give it curb appeal during the spring, summer, and early fall season. Also, add flowers boxes to your window sills using hangers to brighten up the appearance of the windows from the outside. Try to pick flowers that complement your home’s exterior color. A color’s complement is located on the opposite side of the color wheel. For example, if you have a red brick home, pick green flowers or plants (green is the color complement of red).
Repaint Your Front Door
You come in and out of your front door just about every day, but do you ever wonder if it’s the right color for your home? Paint your front door a vibrant rich color that is attractive to the eye and that contrasts nicely with the rest of the exterior surface. For instance, if the home is painted a dark color, the door should be white or light colored, and vice versa. Also, add a brass or bronze door knocker to enhance the door’s appearance.
Tree Lights
In the wintertime in Philly, your outdoor area may seem very bare and uninviting — especially when there’s snow on the ground. Brighten up your yard by decorating the prominent trees and bushes with white Christmas lights. For an added touch, place a weatherproof bench near one of the lighted trees so that you and your future guests will have a charming place to sit outside and have a hot cup of cocoa together.
Deck or Porch Makeover
If you have a deck or porch, give it a makeover. Clean, then stain the wood with a medium to dark color to give the exterior of your home an updated look. Make sure the stain is a protective formula that will waterproof the wood. This is a project that may take some time and effort, but the results make it worthwhile. Invest in the rental of a power washer for decks and a deck cleaning solution from your local home improvement store to ensure that you remove all residues from the surface of the wood before staining. If you have a porch with worn painted slats, rent an electric sander to strip the wood and either stain or repaint it with a fresh, energetic color.
When you update your home exterior designs, including the decor of the yard and outdoor living areas, not only does it make your home more inviting for your guests, it can also increase your home’s value. Even a small change, like planting a new bed of flowers can make a huge difference.
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