Much of home remodeling often focuses on the interior of the home where the homeowner spends much of their time. However, even the most beautiful interior will fall short in resale value if the exterior of the home is neglected.Improving curb appeal and durability by remodeling the outside of the home not only increases property value but can also be very rewarding for homeowners. Exterior remodeling doesn’t always have to involve extremely expensive projects. Sometimes it’s changing fairly small details that really make a huge difference.
Here are five different ideas to consider when remodeling your property.
Get Creative with Wood Siding
Wood siding is beautiful on its own, but don’t be afraid to get creative. If your remodel involves replacing siding and you’ve opted for wood, take a moment to consider different siding design ideas. Mix vertical and horizontal boards on a two story homes or try out a diagonal design. Think about varying widths of boards between very wide and very narrow. You may even like the look of mixing wood siding with steel or faux stone siding. Another choice would be cedar shake in diamonds, half-circles, and other unique patterns.
Image courtesy of Kebony
If you have no need to re-side your home but still want to refresh the exterior, consider repainting. You may wish to paint in a unique shade like blue or keep things neutral with a dove gray. Others may love their home to have a modern, imposing effect and enjoy the stunning look of black or a deep navy. You can also use the idea of an interior accent wall in one shade surrounded by neutrals as inspiration for the exterior.
Play with Window and Door Trim Colors
Window and door trim may seem fairly insignificant compared to the rest of the exterior, but they are actually a perfect opportunity to create contrast. Whether your home has wood or PVC trim, chances are you can repaint whatever trim is on your home. Find a pro to help out with an upgraded look.
The obvious choices of going with a stark white or a stunning jet black are popular trim choices, but consider non-traditional colors as well. Bright reds, oranges, yellows, or blues can actually look quite nice on trim, as long as the house itself is a fairly neutral shade. Many homeowners are reluctant to go bright with colors on the exterior as they might inside, so trim is a perfect way to get out of your comfort zone and play with a shade you like in small amounts.
Consider Adding Shutters
Similar to changing up trim, the idea of adding shutters to windows is another idea that may not be obvious yet can make a huge impact. Shutters work well on a variety of different home styles and can give a home a feeling of welcoming, making a mere house feel more like a home.
Shutters are also a great way to experiment or add color to the exterior without really drastically changing the color scheme. Bold, bright or very dark (even black) shutters can look quite striking and modern, despite the very cozy feel shutters often deliver. Instead of painting, another option is to select a beautifully stained and sealed redwood or other wood.
Be careful to avoid serious shutter faux pas; read more on how to properly design and include shutters on your home.
Compromise with a Portico
It seems as though at the top of every homeowner’s remodeling wish list is a new porch or deck. Unfortunately, many homeowners have to put this larger scale project on the backburner due to costs. A great compromise that is equally impressive is a portico. A portico is a small entry porch with a roof and columns. This “mini porch” of sorts can make an incredible difference to the exterior of your home.
If your home already has a portico, this makes for a nice remodel project. Upgrading colors, materials or columns can have a huge impact. Upgrades should reflect the overall style of the home to help the portico blend seamlessly with the existing structure.
Focus on a Landscape Remodel
Modern home exterior design goes much further than just the house itself (although there is no shortage of options). You’ve probably seen new neighborhoods filled with new houses that look beautiful but are surrounded by plain grass or even dirt. This is an extreme example but goes to show that a poorly planned landscape will make a house look less appealing.
Having a professional landscaper come out and remodel is an investment that is very well spent. That being said, there are plenty of DIY landscaping ideas that beginners can achieve to get the process started. Even if you don’t have a green thumb, a well-manicured lawn, tidy driveway and trimmed shrubs and trees will make your property look more valuable.
Remodeling your home exteriors can be very satisfying and can really increase the pride of your home when visitors or even a passerby notices. If you’re planning on eventually selling your home, it is equally important that the exterior is welcoming and will lure potential buyers in.
Blog contributed by Matt Lee, Allura USA.
