The folks at Houzz keep up the good advice. Whether you're selling your home or just want some quick spring pick-me-ups for your house, try one or all(!) of these suggestions:
1. Add big, bold house numbers. It's so easy to swap out house numbers, and this one thing can make a huge impact. Echo your house style in the numbers you choose - a clean sans serif font for a modern house, hand-painted tiles for a cottage, aged copper for a Mission-style home, etc.
2. Paint the front door. A front door that pops can be hugely cheering. And it doesn't take too much time to do!
3. Add fresh porch furniture. A pair of matching rockers, Adirondack chairs or a cozy glider is a must when you have a front porch that is visible from the street. Try some zinc planters and seasonal flowers and greenery.
4. Swap out porch lighting. Try replacing tiny sconces with a big, statement-making pendant light, add recessed lighting beneath the eaves or install solar lights along the front walk.
5. Add a hot-red accent. Red has such vibrancy; a little goes a very long way. Try a bright red bench, planter or mailbox to add zing that can be seen from across the street.
6. Do some hardscaping. Built-in concrete planters, a low stone wall or new paths are all great ways to add structure to your front yard that will last for many years to come.
7. Spruce up the side yard. Camouflage an eyesore with attractive fencing, clear out weeds and lay out a neat path to the back yard.
8. Add depth with a fence. A low fence around a property (or a portion of the front yard) not only adds a welcome boundary between the street and private space, it also makes the front yard seem larger.
9. Replace a lawn with flowers. Dig up part or all of your front lawn and plant perennials instead for a lush landscape that sets your house apart. (Requires less work, too!).
10. Repair the driveway and paths. Cement, stone and pavement all can split and crack over time. Repairing or replacing damaged areas can do wonders to freshen up your home's street view.
11. Paint the garage door. The garage takes up a lot of visual space, so it pays to make sure it looks its best.
12. Refinish the porch floor. If your porch floor has seen better days, renew it by stripping off old layers of paint and finish, and brushing on stain or paint.
13. Add a shiny new door knocker. Gorgeous hardware (plus a glossy paint job) can make even the plainest door look very classy.
14. Try a unique front door. A really eye-catching front door can be just the thing to give a plain exterior a big dose of personality. Whether it's super-sleek and modern steel or a beautifully detailed Mission-style door, it can set the tone for the entire house.
15. Matching plantings to your house style. Let the plants and pots you choose reflect the style of your house for a cohesive look. Accent a modern home with succulents and spiky-leafed plants in simple round pots, or surround your cottage with lush beds of flowers.
16. Echo the architecture with paths. Another way to accent the style of your home is by repeating the lines of the architecture in the paths and landscaping surrounding it.
17. Create curb appeal when you only have a curb. When you have no front lawn, it can be hard to personalize your home's exterior. Work with what you have by adding neat window planters, glossy shutters, good lighting and clearly visible house numbers.
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