Exterior Remodeling Ideas to Increase Curb Appeal

Home improvement should not be limited to the four walls of your house’s interior. Exterior remodeling is vital since your guests will develop their first impression of your property before they set foot inside your home.

Improving the exterior elements of your property can also be a lot of fun!

You can do so much to improve your property by simply shifting your focus outside. Working on the exterior elements of your property gives you plenty of opportunities to express your creativity and impeccable design sense.

In this article, the home renovation contractors at our San Diego home building company highlight some exterior remodeling tips that will significantly enhance your home’s curb appeal. Check them out, and feel free to use them on your property as well!

Replace Your Front Door

To begin your exterior remodeling project, first look at your front door. Examine your front door and evaluate its current condition. Is it still intact, or is it starting to show its age?

The front door significantly affects your home’s curb appeal because it is one of the first things people notice. A well-designed front door can make a positive impression on anyone quickly visiting, while a poorly maintained one could give people the wrong idea.

Practically speaking, damaged doors can also be troublesome because they affect your home’s energy efficiency. You could be losing valuable heat or cooling because your front door is in bad shape.

Take the time to evaluate your options if you have decided that your front door needs replacing.

Start by choosing the material composition of your front door.

Wood is the classic option, and it can be a terrific choice if you are featuring a more traditional design. However, be wary of potential warping or rotting with wooden doors.

Steel doors are great because they are durable and highly secure. They can also look spectacular with the right embellishments added. Of course, rusting is something you may deal with if you decide to install a steel door.

In recent years, fiberglass doors have also become more popular choices. Homeowners love how durable fiberglass doors are and can also be versatile in appearance.

Do not forget to choose a door style. Panel doors and glazed doors work great as the entry points of your home. French doors are also worth installing if you want to wow your guests.

Add a Patio to Your Yard

Do you have plenty of space available outside your home? You should not let that go to waste. Transform it into a living area so it can improve your property’s curb appeal.

Turning that space into your new patio is one idea worth considering.

The versatility of a patio is something that will benefit your property immensely. After arranging some furniture on your new patio, you can use that spot as a dining area whenever you have pleasant weather. You can also experiment with your patio and use it to try out certain design ideas that you have been thinking about for a while.

A patio can also be as elaborate or as simple as you want it to be. You can add a roof on top of it or leave it completely open.

If you want to add some outdoor structure to your property but not in love with the patio, you can also build a deck or a porch. Evaluate your options carefully so you can identify the yard addition that fits your property best.

Apply a Fresh Coat of Paint

Your home showing its age is inevitable, but that does not mean you sit idly by as its wears down in front of your eyes. After all, there are things you can do to revitalize the appearance of your home.

Painting your home is a terrific idea if you want to refresh its look.

To do that, you first need to decide what type of paint you want to use. Acrylic, latex, and oil-based paints are the most commonly used options.

Acrylic paint is great if you want something that can hold its color for a long time. Latex paints are popular among homeowners because they are easy to maintain, and they do not require frequent reapplication. Oil-based paints are great to use on metallic surfaces because they prevent rusting.

Do not forget to account for the finish of the paint you are choosing. Options to consider in terms of paint finish include matte, high-gloss, semi-gloss, and satin.

According to Lowe’s, the matte finish is a great choice if you want something capable of hiding some damage while semi-gloss and satin paints are easy to clean. High-gloss paint is what you should choose if you want something flashy.

Install Accent Pieces

Now that you have painted your home anew, you should take some extra steps to accentuate that fresh look. One way to do so involves installing some accent pieces.

You can install pieces of siding or trim in certain spots to complement your home’s new paint job. Take this opportunity to play around with your refreshed design scheme. You can use the accent pieces to complete your new paint job, or they could add some interesting bits of contrast.

The accent pieces can also be used to create textural contrast. Use decorative trim to break up the sections of shiny paint covering your home’s exterior walls.

Also, the accent pieces are great for covering up any blemishes that your home may have. Install them strategically to work well in that capacity.

Fix Your Gutters

Leaking gutters can cause plenty of trouble on your property. Those problematic gutters can scatter water and debris all over the place, thus leading to your yard looking like a soggy mess. Failing to fix your leaking gutters quickly, and they could end up weakening your home’s foundation.

The negative impact leaking gutters have on your home’s curb appeal is secondary to all of that, but it is still worth mentioning.

Improving your home’s curb appeal is not all about making flashy additions. Making long-overdue repairs is important.

Repair or Replace Your Roof

Let’s keep moving up as we continue with our exterior remodeling plans. The next stop for this project is your roof.

When it comes to your roof, you can choose to either repair or replace it.

Roof repair is the more practical option as it is cheaper and faster to finish. If you still like your roof design, repairing some damaged shingles and repainting your roof should suffice.

Replacing your roof is a major undertaking. You may need to move out for a while, and the cost can be quite high. Still, it may be necessary if you believe that your roof design is woefully outdated.

If you are willing to spend big on your new roof, you may want to get some metal tiles. Metal tiles can last several decades and improve your home’s energy efficiency. Unfortunately, metal tiles can be expensive, so they may not fit your budget.

Slate tiles are probably the best choice if you want a durable roof, but you may need to install reinforcements to support them. Notably, you can use recycled slate tiles to cut your expenses.

Clay shingles are the most practical options. They are also fairly durable items so you are not compromising your roof by choosing them.

Cultivate Your Yard

Your yard gives you different ways to enhance your property’s curb appeal. For instance, you can cultivate that space and give your property an entirely new dimension.

Do not settle for growing a healthy lawn. Add more greenery to your yard and turn it into a more eye-catching segment of your property.

Start scouting your property for spots where you can plant trees. Position them carefully to grow well and add some needed height to your outdoor landscape.

You can also carve out spaces for planting beds. Those are useful for keeping your plants organized. They can also help you coordinate the positioning of your new plants.

If you do not have enough space available, you can also set up some hanging planters. Use them to highlight some of your favorite plants.

Set Up Fountains or Fire Pits

Even after making the above changes, it may feel like your yard is missing something. That could be because you are lacking a centerpiece that could serve as the focal point of your new redesigned yard.

We suggest using a fountain or a fire pit as your outdoor centerpiece.

Fountains can be spectacular additions to any yard. Pair them with some elaborate lighting to make them even more beautiful.

Fire pits are more practical centerpieces. You can use them to warm up while enjoying a night outside. The fire pit also gives you a fun way to prepare some s’mores if you want to recreate the experience of camping.

Fountains and fire pits can both work well as outdoor centerpieces. Choose whichever one you prefer and start building your new yard around it.

Surround Your Property with Fencing

Something as simple as fencing can elevate your property’s curb appeal significantly.

Fences clearly establish your property lines and frame your home effectively. It also helps that they are good additions from a practical standpoint. Use your fencing to give your kids and pets a safe play area.

Fences can also be surprisingly helpful in terms of adding aesthetic value.

If you prefer the classic style, you can opt to install a white picket fence. Ranch-style fencing gives your property a more rustic feel. That is perfect if you are going for the country home aesthetic.

Bamboo fencing adds an entirely new dimension of style to your property. You can use it to complete your garden and fountain setup.

Wrought iron fencing is a fantastic choice if you want something more striking. That kind of fencing meshes well with classically styled homes, but it can also work with modern designs after a few tweaks are applied.

Present a New Mailbox

The details always matter when you are redesigning your home. With that in mind, you should probably take a look at your mailbox while you are going through exterior remodeling.

You probably have not paid that much attention to your mailbox even though it is an element of your home that people see all the time. It would be a shame if your broken-down mailbox is the part of your home that made the strongest impression on people passing by, but that is possible.

Consider replacing your mailbox if you want to enhance your property’s curb appeal. Selecting the right material is important if you want a better mailbox.

Brass is probably your best choice if you want your new mailbox to feature a refined look that complements the rest of your home. However, you will need to polish that kind of mailbox regularly. According to Wayfair, brass mailboxes can develop a patina if they are left exposed to the elements.

Aluminum, steel, and plastic are other solid material choices for mailboxes, but they have issues that weather conditions can exacerbate. Account for the climate in your area before deciding which type of mailbox to get.

Light Up Your Yard

To round out this collection of exterior remodeling tips, we also recommend illuminating your yard. A little bit of lighting can go a long way outdoors. Features that may become obscured at night get a chance to shine thanks to the addition of some well-placed light fixtures.

You can also find different spots for your lighting. Install one near a doorway or set up a post outside, so the light covers a larger area.

If you set up a covered patio, you can hang the lights from the roof. Dangling lights from tree branches is also an option.

Lighting up your walkways is also a great way to bring your yard to life at night!

We at Eco Minded Solutions want to help you create the outdoor landscape you have always wanted. Contact us today and allow us to use our resources and expertise to beautify that part of your property.