No boring doors. Find (or visit your local craft store and make) a unique wreath for your front door. Choose something with substance so the door, regardless of how new or “used” it is, becomes background.
Quick, name your brick! Study the color of your brick for hints on the right color scheme for your exterior. If your brick is more toward an orange hue with beige mortar, think of beige trim, black shutters and a black front door. Fill planters with warm colors, like yellow or orange begonias or impatiens. If your brick tends to be reddish or crimson with lighter mortar, think of cooler colors for your trim, shutters, door and plants….think blues, grays or purples here. Visit any local plant store and tell them the colors you want; they’ll put together a delightful grouping for any budget.
Ditch your screen door. If it’s not serving a useful purpose, take it off, fill in the door jamb and repaint your front door.
Dress up your shutters. Any hardware store can show you some faux brackets and hinges; a few nails later, you’ve got instant character.
Dress up your windows. First, for heaven’s sake, tackle them with a rag and some window cleaner…you want those things to sparkle inside and out! Then buy some window boxes and fill them with complementary-colored flowers.
Dress up your mailbox. If your mail comes in through a door slot, make sure it’s polished and still fits well in the door. If you have an exterior mailbox, make sure it’s in good shape, or go buy a new one. These days, you can find a mailbox to suit any personality.
Lay it on thick! Buy a few bags of mulch and spread it evenly around your front planting beds. This will immediately clean up the appearance of your house, help eliminate weeds and smooth out any uneven ground.
Soften that light. Go inside and be certain the highest-watt bulb you have is 60 watts. This guarantees you soft evening lighting in every room.
Repaint anything. Really, a teeny tiny bathroom that gets a sudden splash of a good red paint will give you a new lease on life. Repaint your kitchen table chairs, or the vanity in your kids’ bathroom. Any one object that gets a fresh coat will breathe new energy into your home.
Light the way….by putting lamps inside your front windows. Nothing beckons like a welcoming light framed by your windows.
Power, baby, power. Rent a power washer and blast your scuffed concrete driveway, walk and/or front steps. Instant brightness!
Out with the old…If your front shrubs are old and tired, either prune them and shape them or replace them with healthy new perennials.
Choose a small spot and accent with color. Plant a flat of brilliant annuals (meaning they need to be replaced every year) in random patterns around a tree, along the front of beds, or in bare spots in the front beds. Stay away from straight lines and plant close together for a profusion of blooms this summer.
