Your home’s facade is its face to the world and the first thing people see outside. Not only do you want it to be practical and low-maintenance, but you also want your facade to have a little style for looks too.
You don’t necessarily need to get into professional facade engineering plans to do a little decorating on your own.
Landscaping
One of the best ways to improve the look of your home doesn’t actually involve the house at all. Flowers and shrubs around the house add color and can soften up the edges and corners of a building. Shrubs and evergreens can be very low maintenance, requiring a little trimming each year to keep them under control. For those with more of a green thumb, flowering plants should be part of the landscaping plan. Annuals will need to be replanted each year, but a selection of perennials would come back each year with a little less effort for you. No garden space to work with? Decorative pots and window boxes will work just as well.
Update The Entrance
Your front door tends to be a significant focal point in the facade of your home, so you should make sure to put your decorating touch there. Painting the door is a wonderful way to freshen up the house with very little expense Whether your door is metal or wood, you should be able to give it a new coat of paint in just an hour or so. You can also replace the door hardware (knobs, handles, locks) for a new look too. What about the mailbox, house numbers, and porch light?
New Lighting
While we’re mentioning the porch light, perhaps a little added lighting beyond that single front door fixture is in order. Having a lighted walkway or post lamp on the street can be a lovely way to update your front yard area. Solar lights can be installed without the need for complicated wiring work and will add security as well as looks.
Paint The Siding
For a larger project and one that can dramatically update the facade of your house, try giving your siding a new color. Cladding made from materials like wood or vinyl can be painted to change the look without having to actually replace your siding. Exteriors with brick, stone, or stucco may also be painted for a new color, but it’s not quite as easy. If your schedule or budget doesn’t allow for a big job, try just painting trim, railings, or shutters to add that new color instead.
Artistic Elements
Lawn decorations have gone past the old plastic flamingos, and you can now find a whole range of artistic products designed for exterior use. Hang vintage-looking lanterns from the porch roof, or add some abstract metal artwork to the side of the house. Colorful flags are a current trend that is easy to install and be changed out to match the seasons. There is no limit to what you can find these days.
