A hot trend among homeowners today is ensuring the home’s exterior boasts curb appeal. But what features actually define a home as having beautiful curb appeal? It’s the home with the “perfect lawn” outfitted with colorful flowers, trimmed shrubs and intricate yard art that adds warmth and style, ultimately creating an inviting feel that draws visitors inside.

Adding curb appeal to a home can be an easy task to achieve with some careful thought and imagination. Take a look around at the homes that instantly catch your attention and consider what features you could add to enrich your home’s curb appeal. A soothing water fountain, light fixtures or simply a clean up of the lawn could be the perfect solution for ranch house plans or even two-story home plans. Also look around your own home and answer these three questions: 1. What is your first impression of the house and yard area? 2. What are the best exterior features of your home and yard? 3. What are the worst exterior features of your home and yard?

The first impression you have of your house and yard may be the fact that it needs a good, old-fashion cleaning up. This is the best project to begin with when adding curb appeal to your home. Is your yard cluttered with junk? While most find it necessary to add to improve curb appeal, there are times when removing is more effective. Remove all extras, like garden tools, toys, trash, or anything that gives your home a cluttered appearance. Once you have the extra debris removed, mow the lawn and get rid of weeds. Rake and dispose of leaves. Trim shrubs and trees that are overgrown and blocking the view of your home. Does your house seem dirty or dingy? Give it a scrub down. You can pressure wash your home’s exterior eliminating dirt, mold, and mildew. Give the driveway, patio, porch, and deck a good cleaning with the power sprayer. Grab a ladder and clean those windows and gutters. By completing these simple tasks, your home will sparkle and shine.

Now that you have cleaned up, what else can you do to add curb appeal to your home? Your next projects will depend on how you answered the above questions. However, here are a few things to consider.

Welcoming guests into your home begins at the entry. Start by freshening up your front door with a coat of paint or stain. Depending on the condition of the existing door, paint may not be the answer. If so consider installing a new door perhaps with a glass insert or symmetrical sidelights. Polish the existing door knob and lock set or remove the old and update with new hardware. Create warmth and eye pleasing symmetry by adding light fixtures to each side of your entry. Compliment your lighting with matching front-door accents such as flower urns. With more time and a larger budget, you can create a grand entry by adding molding around your door. In addition, you may add a permanent welcome mat to your entry by tiling your front step or porch area. House numbers and a wall mounted mailbox also add flair to your home’s exterior. Be sure the exterior features coordinate in style and color.

Another major feature of your home’s exterior is the landscaping. Once you have completed the simple task of cleaning the yard and trimming shrubs, step back and take in what you have to work with. Revisit your answers to the three questions above. Small projects can be completed easily and in a little amount of time. Container gardens of various sizes strategically placed in your current landscaping add color and welcome others to take note of your home. Garden beds can be weeded and pruned to welcome new growth. If your garden beds are bare, plant flowers in varieties of annuals and perennials. Add new mulch to restore color. Replace old, worn out edging and consider a new look with stone.

If your landscaping is in need of more TLC than these small projects offer, set your sites on a larger project for the season. These types of projects may require more investment, but will pay great dividends in the future. Frame your home by creating new planting beds along the front and on the corners of your house. Enhance walkways and driveways with colorful plants or rock. Include a nice variety of plants with a mix of color, size, and texture but remember that plants do grow and many will require maintenance. Outdoor lighting along walkways or in plant beds will add warmth to your landscaping and security to your home. Personalize with outdoor art, such as water fountains or sculptures. Be sure to complement your home’s natural exterior and charm. Additional larger projects may include adding arbors or fence panels with garden gates. Whatever additions or changes you make, keep in mind that you want to enhance the best features of your home.

Most of these projects can be completed in as little as a day or a weekend. Take the time to carefully plan what features to include in your home’s lawn and break these projects into phases. Don’t rush! Quickly adding outdoor art and other features to your home’s lawn can create a “busy” setting that draws the eyes away from the focal point: your ranch house plans or two-story home plans. Once you have completed a few or all of the curb appeal projects reevaluate the first impression of your home. Has it changed for the better? Hopefully, yes. Just remember, there are no exact rules for curb appeal. When you begin to receive compliments or notice people driving down the street and slowly stopping to give a second glance, give yourself a pat on the back for all the work you’ve done to make your home shine with CURB APPEAL!