When most homeowners think of curb appeal, they imagine hours spent planting and tending an elaborate garden. But curb appeal doesn’t begin and end with plants and flowers. In fact, you can create amazing curb appeal even if you don’t have a green thumb. Here are some excellent ideas for boosting the look of your home’s exterior without ever having to plant one flower, bush, or tree.
Conceal eyesores
There’s nothing beautiful about trashcans, utility boxes, or garden hoses. But don’t let these practical objects take away from your home’s outdoor charm. There are many ways that you can easily conceal these eyesores. Garbage and recycle bins can be hidden with a simple enclosure that you can make yourself or buy and assemble. Use large faux rocks to camouflage pipes, meters, or utility boxes. Or choose a decorative container for storing your garden hose.
Create crisp edges
Crisp edges around garden beds and lawns create a polished look that can add tons of character with minimal work. Regularly trim your grass and keep the edges neat. This gives your entire yard a polished, manicured look. You can use either a power edger or a manual edger. Power edgers work well on straight lines, but you may need a manual tool for more detailed curves. You can also create sharp edges around garden beds with bricks, trim, pavers, or wood.
Power wash
While you’re out there tending to your lawn, it’s also a good idea to give the outside of your home a deep cleaning. You can do this by setting your garden hose on the strongest setting and spraying down the exterior, sidewalks, driveways, decks, and porches. For an even deeper cleaning, consider renting a power washer. Just be careful not to spray windows and doorways or you could cause damage.
Paint the front door
Nothing refreshes the outside of your home quite like a fresh coat of paint on your front door. You can create a beautiful focal point by choosing a color in an eye-catching shade. Not sure what color to choose? You’ll find endless inspiration online to help you decide what kind of mood you’d like to create.
Add accent lighting
We all know how important it is to have plenty of light outside so you can easily see at night. Porch lights, garage lights, and motion-sensing lights add character to your home and help keep you safe. But you can add even more charm by installing some simple accent lighting. Hang solar-powered lanterns from trees and shrubs or choose stake lights to highlight garden beds.
Create a conversation area
Once you’ve made your outdoor areas so inviting you’re going to want to spend time in them. Create conversation nooks that allow you to enjoy your hard work with friends, family, and neighbors. Add a garden bench under a tree or café table with two chairs to your front porch. Make it even more inviting by painting chairs and benches in attractive colors. Add soft, weather-resistant pillows and a side table to hold your glasses of ice-cold lemonade for those hot summer days ahead.
