7 Ways to Up Your Curb Appeal

I recently posted on Instagram about putting up shutters on our house!  Our house was a big wash of white when we bought it.  The previous owners had lime washed our house before we bought it, so it didn’t look bad per se.  But it definitely looked super bland.  It just needed a little personality.  The front of the house was BEGGING for shutters. And who am I to deny it?

All this got me thinking about my favorite ways to improve the curb appeal of your home.  First impressions matter!  But how do you make a good first impression without spending a bucket load of money?  I’m so glad you asked!  Here are seven of my favorite ways to easily improve your curb appeal!

1. Pots

This is my #1 tip!  We have put pots stuffed with flowers outside of every single one of our houses.  I like to start with a large evergreen in the middle, like a boxwood or holly, and then fill the perimeter with seasonal flowers.  This keeps your pot looking full and friendly year round, and you can easily swap your flowers throughout the year!

Pots are great because they take up very little space.  Our first home with a townhome with literally no front porch.  But we plopped a large ceramic pot on either side of the front door and called it a day!

2. Shutters

Of course.  Now, shutters won’t work for every house.  But if they’re appropriate for your house, go for it!  I would try to avoid vinyl shutters if at all possible.  And for the love of God and all that is holy, make sure your shutters are big enough.  There’s nothing worse than looking at a big house with huge windows and there are dinky little shutters.   Also, if your home is a simple color like black, white or grey, maybe try something more colorful.  Be bold!

3. Window Boxes

We visited Charleston a couple weeks ago and I fell in love with all the window boxes.  Almost every home in the historic district has window boxes attached to the windows.  They were absolutely spilling with spectacular flowers.  

4. Light Fixtures

You may just think of lighting as important inside your home, but outside is just as important!  A nice light fixture says, “Come on in, I’m so glad you’re here!”.  It welcomes you home and makes your guests feel all warm inside.  The type of light fixture depends entirely on the layout of your front door.  But there are so many options…globe lights, electric or gas lanterns, farmhouse sconces!

5. Wreaths

This may seem obvious, but wreaths are a great opportunity to show your personality or season of life.  A note of caution: make sure your wreath is large enough for your front door!  Oftentimes, the wreaths found at big-box stores like Target or Walmart are a little too small, so pay attention to scale!  PS: wreaths are NOT just for the holiday season.  Use them anytime of the year!

6. Hardware

And by hardware I mean your door knob, doorbell, house numbers and knocker (if you want one!). These are like jewelry for your front door. They can convey your personality or coordinate with the age/style of your home. If you have a midcentury modern home, go with something more simple. Got a Victorian home? Maybe pick something with more filigree and ornamentation.

7. Landscape Lighting

Last, but definitely not least: landscape lighting! Landscape lighting is, in my opinion, the most underrated opportunity for your curb appeal. I could go on for hours about how much landscape lighting can make a difference. You can buy landscape lights that plug in to an outlet, or solar-powered ones are a nice option. It immediately makes your home more welcoming when coming home at night and instantly elevates the curb appeal of your home. This is high on my list of things to do to our home!