First impressions count, and this is particularly important when it comes to your home. For both visitors and potential buyers, the outside of your house is the first thing people see, and it only takes seconds for them to decide whether they like it! If you’re looking to sell your house or just tidy it up, here are some tips to give your home some extra kerb appeal.
Your front door is the focal point of the house and gives an immediate impression of what to expect inside your home. The first piece of advice is to clean the door and give it a new lick of paint if it needs it. Polish your door furniture and replace handles, letterboxes and numbers if they are getting a bit shabby. Sparkle clean your windows and scrub the dirt and grime off the inside of the door – it’s surprising how dirty this area can get! If you have lights, motion-activated or not, check that they work. And if you don’t have them, think about getting them – good lighting can improve pretty much anything and improves home security too.
Even if you don’t have a big front garden, you want what space there is to look attractive and inviting. Clearing any clutter will help open up your garden; this includes removing wheelie bins and placing them out of sight if possible – you could simply put up a small fence or trellis with a good tall climbing plant in front of it as a screen. Add pot plants and if you have a garden, ensure it has been de-weeded, the grass mown and any hedges trimmed. All these little jobs go a long way in making your home look elegant and give a positive first impression. If you live in a flat, you can always add some colour and character with window boxes on your sills or with hanging baskets. Any greenery and blooms, of course, will add massively to a building’s kerb appeal.
The path leading up to your front door should give visitors a welcoming feeling, creating the sense of a warm and inviting home. Make the journey up the garden path (however small) as pleasant as possible. If you have a lawn, dig a narrow flower bed along or part way up the path for fragrant flowers or even some no-nonsense grasses. If you have paving slabs, clean them with a pressure washer to make them look as good as new, and maybe think about hanging wind chimes to tinkle gently in the background. Symmetry is key to creating an attractive appearance, so place plant pots on either side of your door for a polished finishing touch. If you’re in a flat, you can still do these small touches – with permission in some cases – and make your home a pleasure to approach for you, your visitors and potential buyers.
Take a look through our Decorating and Gardening departments to make sure you have everything you need to make the entrance into your home as stunning and welcoming as possible.
