What Can You Do To Makeover Your Home’s Exterior?

image credit: Mr. T in DC http://www.flickr.com/photos/mr_t_in_dc/

When it comes to home makeovers and improvements, many people tend to focus on the inside of the home. But the often neglected exterior deserves an equal amount of attention and can give your home’s shell an instant facelift. With so many exterior makeover options at your fingertips, you’ll be hard pressed to know where to start.  Here’s a guide to get you going.

Why Focus on the Exterior?

A home exterior makeover gives the outside of your home an instant boost by increasing its’ curb appeal and attractiveness amongst your neighbors and passers-by. How your home looks from the outside is of paramount importance for home-sellers, as this forms the vital first impressions of your abode. So, what can you do to freshen up the look of your dwelling?

Lick of paint

There’s nothing like a lick of paint to liven and freshen up the exterior of your home. So, whether its window frames, your front door or brickwork that could do with painting, there are lots of exterior paint color choices to choose from. As well as the house itself, it’s important not to neglect other exterior features such as gates and fences which, for both aesthetic purposes and for maintenance, might need a new coat. Painting your home exterior is probably one of the easiest ways to freshen it up.

Replacement Windows

image credit: DanieVDM http://www.flickr.com/photos/dvdmerwe/

It’s amazing how much difference new windows can make to the look of a house so, if yours are looking past their sell by date, now could be the time to think about replacing them. It’s important to keep an eye on windows to check for rotting or any other issues that might cause you to seek replacement. As well as making your house look better, new windows can slash your fuel bills by keeping precious heat in the house.

Front Door

Your front door is the entrance to your home so it should give off the right kind of impression you want to create for your residence. Pay special attention to how it looks; invest in a new door or a lick of paint for an instant makeover. Make the most of the spaces around the sides of the front door to really set it off. Add plant pots, train a climbing shrub over the door, or add distinctive wall lights. Even just placing a tasteful doormat outside your front door can boost its appeal.

Conservatory

If you want to add long-term value to your home as well as increase the amount of living space you’ve got, then you could consider adding a conservatory to the exterior of your home – if suitable space allows for it. There are many different styles and types of conservatories so it’s worth doing some homework beforehand and getting a few quotes to give you different options to mull over.

Attention in the Detail

A home exterior makeover project needn’t necessarily cost a lot of money to achieve.  Simply tidying up the outside areas, sweeping the path, picking up any litter, mowing the lawn, and weeding and pruning can make huge differences to how the outside of your home looks. Paying attention to detail gives your home a cared-for feel about it. But, you might want to add a bit of originality and flair to your exterior to make it stand out from all of your neighbors. You could consider adding a garden statue, a classic sun-dial, water feature, quirky ornaments of unusual shapes or a distinctive birdbath.

Guest Post By:

Article written by A. Elliott; a writer with an interest in interior design and home improvement, she occasionally writes for Stormclad Home Improvements.

If you need help with your home makeover, please give us a call at 914-576-2572 or contact us for a free in home consultation!