Thrifty tips to give your home ‘Kerb Appeal’

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When renovating or updating our homes, many of us tend to focus mainly on the interiors. Interior design is very important, as your home needs to be welcoming, homely and suited to you. One aspect of the home that is often overlooked however, is the part that people see every single day, whether they’re invited to your home or not: the front entrance. The front of your home is the one part that any passers-by see, and it’s the one section of the home that will be admired, judged or simply looked at on a regular basis. It’s also a small area to update – in essence, I’m just talking about your door and path – so it needn’t cost a lot to spruce up this space. In fact, it’s probably one of the cheapest areas to makeover, and it adds the most instant value. I’d call that a win-win!

How you present your home should always start from the entrance and work its way inside, as people tend to start generating their own opinions about your home from the moment they step into your garden. This is called ‘kerb appeal’ – you’ve probably heard it said on Location, Location, Location many times before – and it’s a great start to any home renovation project to improve the kerb appeal (especially when it comes to valuing your home!). It creates an instant welcoming atmosphere and makes your house feel like a well-maintained and cared-for home.

Add reclaimed period features

The way you style the front of your home needs to tie in with the rest of your house’s appearance. This will ensure that your house looks complete and inviting, so look around at what other similar houses nearby have at their front of their home and try to replicate those that look like they’re in-keeping with the period of the property. What type of door do they have? Do they have metal gates or picket fences? What’s in their gardens? Many people begin with the front door, as it is often the focal point in any front entrance. Dressing your front door with reclaimed metalwork, a personalised name plaque or shiny new number is really important for giving your home the ‘WOW’ factor and it sets the scene for the rest of your home.

DIY your front door

Simple updates such as re-painting your door can be a really low-cost project – well, you only need a small tin of paint to cover a door! – and will ensure that the door looks sturdy and new.

I always feel like front doors with flaking paint are rather flimsy, though I bet they are just as solid underneath, so start sanding! Replacing the door knob or even adding a brass letterbox with a letter plate, will instantly make your home look inviting and new. And when adding features to the entrance area of your house, it’s best to stick with a symmetrical design. A perfect example of this would be having two matching plants, lighting on either side of your door, or even pillars, dependant on your porch area. This will draw the attention perfectly to the front door and make the overall look complete and polished.

Low-cost (and pretty) security tips

Your home is a reflection of your personal style, and it’s so important to ensure that you feel comfortable and happy with your house. A great feature to add to your entrance is a gate. Having a gate and fence or hedge at the end of your front garden, or driveway, is ideal for adding privacy and security to your home, whilst also adding character. Incorporating some landscaping would also work really well; you could lay some slabs of stone from your front door to the gate, creating a pretty and sturdy pathway for entering your house. Similarly, you could add lighting to the outside of your home, adding to the security of the home whilst showing off your garden by illuminating it in the evening. It doesn’t just highlight the best features of your garden – if you opt for a yellow-toned glow then your house will look welcoming and homely too.

Add a splash of colour 

Keeping your property’s overall appearance in mind is really important, and it’s so easy to style to the front of the house without going over the top or spending too much. Adding a mini garden, if you don’t already have one, to your front entrance is always a good idea. Most homes have some kind of small garden in their front entrance, and it adds a burst of life and character to the overall look. Dependant on the size and location of your home, there are so many different plants and flowers that you could choose and adding colour is a great way of brightening up your house and making it aesthetically pleasing. Even homes without any garden space can be smartened-up with plants; you could incorporate some little window boxes or hanging baskets with beautiful blooms. Small changes or additions can make a surprisingly large impact, and it’s always a good idea to add something new every now and then.

Home maintenance on a budget

Make sure every part of your house’s appearance is polished and neat, and remember to check the drain pipes, as they can often become cluttered with leaves or begin to break through those blustery winter months. Cleaning them out will automatically look fresher and won’t make the house look untidy. You may also want to consider your house’s rendering or paintwork. If you feel that one wall could do with a little freshen up, why not add a lick of paint, reviving the house and making it look well-maintained.

What do you think of these simple, low-cost tips for updating the front of your home to give it some ‘kerb appeal’? What have you changed about the front of your home since you moved in? Please share any DIY projects, bargain-hunting tips or decorating ideas in the comments section below or tweet me your photos to @Cassiefairy.

This article is a sponsored collaboration. The pink links in the content indicate a sponsored link or information source. The blog post reflects my own experience and the sponsor hasn’t had any control over my content 🙂