Mag and Pat's On-line Show

ivy · Groupie Joined: 17 Jul 2007 Posts: 322

When driving down a residential street, have you ever noticed how some houses just seen to have great curb appeal that makes a home more valuable and easier to sell? So, what about our own home? When you at it objectively, does it immediately elicit a strong first impression ? If not , what is it lacking ?

Clean UP
This is aften one of the least expensive yet most significant things you can do to improve the look for your house. Simply picking up the front yard, putting away unused items such as lawn furniture or other random items and cleaning up the driveway can make a world of difference.

Prune & Plant
Cleaning up your landscaping is another relatively easy step. Start by pruning trees and shrubs to enhance thier beauty. Then do some planting. Use trees to create majesty and focal points. Tall shrubs can frame and accent interesting features of your house and yard and conceal unsightly garbage cans, structures and the like. Low plants and fround cover tie everything together. Brightly coloured flowers in teh foreground area sure way to make a yard look lively.

Wash the Siding
If you can work safely from the ground or a ladder , this is job you can do yourself; otherwise, call a handyman or professional pressure washing service. If doing the cleaning yourself, protect stone and brick walls, pations and plants with plastic sheeting. Sweep off dirt, working from the eaves to the base. Hose off the walls, again working from the top down. If necessary, scrub to a long handle, using a mixture of water and non phosphate detergent . If you decide to use a pressure washer yourself, be very careful to keep the nozzle moving; holding it in one place will remove the paint

Paint
If cleaning doesnt revive your house's paint job, painting will give you plenty of bangs for your money, transforming your house with an entirely fresh, new look.

Create visual interest
Front yard gardens, fences, arbours, water features, etc., these are just a few of the elements that can add style, character and visual interest to your front yard.

Focus on details
Small things can make a big difference. Your mail box, house numbers , front light and potted plants onthe porch all present a relatively inexpensive but highly influential opportunity to project style and excellence. Above all be sure your front door is in great shape. If it isnt, either refinish or replace it.

Light the way
Outdoor lighting is very effective at highlighting your home and yards features after daylight hours. Your front yard should have functional path and front porch lighting as well as accent lighting to help create dramatic effects.