August is National Curb Appeal Month, so there’s no better time than now to think about increasing the attractiveness of your property. Whether being examined by potential buyers, guests, or random passersby, your house is under constant scrutiny, and putting its best face forward is a surefire way to increase its value. According to JJ Rogers, sales operation manager at Fypon®, updating the exterior of your house is well worth the time and the return on your investment can be both monetary and functional. In fact, the 2015 Cost vs Value Study overseen by Remodeling showed that the return on investment for exterior home improvement is real, and the percent cost versus value recoup for a variety of replacement projects ranges from 71.6 percent to 92.2 percent depending on the design element addressed—think windows, garage doors, and siding. No matter what you decide to update, the benefits will be there for you to enjoy. To get started, take a look at our tips to update the whole picture and bring your house’s curb appeal up to its highest level.
If craftsman is your style, you’ll want to choose a front entry door that captures this popular architectural style. Therma-Tru® offers plenty of accessories, styles and sizes to ensure your home has maximum curb appeal.
1. Choose the right front entry door
Your front door does more than just open and close to let people in and out — it is a statement that should be inviting and welcome you and your guests inside. If a door isn’t just a door, what makes a good one really stand out? The answer is decorative elements, which enhance the pure functionality of this part of your house and raise it to the next level of appealing.
The area immediately surrounding the front entry door can be enriched by a number of features. Therma-Tru® has plenty of decorative options to really draw the eye to the entryway. With several glass patterns, sidelight options, and door styles to consider, you can personalize your entry and make it suit your style and complement the rest of your home. The Classic-Craft® line offers so many possibilities that there is sure to be some arrangement that perfectly suits your home.
This popular Craftsman House Plan 5517 features beautiful curb appeal with a columned front porch and window trim work. Visit Fypon® to dress up your exterior.
2. Play up porches and columns
Homes that have porches and columns give you a lot to work with, and it would be a waste not to exploit the structure you already have. House plans that often include these features, like craftsman-style homes, are built with curb appeal in mind and give you many opportunities to beautify the space.
New trim and careful attention to the many overlooked details of the front of your house will show that you know how to present it as the best version of itself. Fypon® is a leader in manufacturing all the little details that add up to so much more, and you can trust that they have what you need in just the sort of weather-resistant material you want. Different sorts of trim to suit your style, artistic brackets, rails and balusters, and even fishscale panel to accent the façade—Fypon® has it all and more in their extensive catalog. And if your old columns just aren’t cutting it anymore, you can easily cover them up with the design of your choice with PVC column wraps. There’s no need to go through the hassle of completely replacing your old columns if you want to revamp your porch.
Clopay® offers a walnut finish to complement the ever popular trend towards the rich, deep color be used on entry doors, window trim and other exterior accents. Check out the Canyon Ridge® Collection to see all your garage design options.
3. Find the perfect style of garage door for your home
Although often seen as a purely functional part of your house, your garage door is too large a swath of area to simply let it exist in a drab state. There are so many styles available nowadays that it would be a shame not to take advantage and let your garage match the rest of your hard work.
Whether you have a modern house or something along the charmingly antiquated scale, Clopay® has something for you. Why not outfit your garage with a beautiful wooden door that matches your entryway? If classic is more your style, there are options to fix it up to look like a carriage house—what a way to treat your cars with luxury! Trying to match outstanding contemporary architecture? Sleek, simple, utterly modish designs are also available. No matter what you have to work with, Clopay® has just the door to really bring your house together as a picture of unified style.
4. Add new shutters and decorative window accents
Accents can seem superfluous, but take them all away, and you’ll be shocked at the effect it has on your perception of the house. Just like how you accessorize your favorite outfits to bring them up to the next level, you should adorn your house to properly show it off.
Here is where friends at Fypon® can be your guide again. Their weather, insect and moisture-resistant millwork can be stained or painted to suit your visions. Look into crossheads to draw attention to your windows, as well as shutters to complete the border with a bit of flair. These simple additions, available in different styles, help to give your house some personality.
5. Consider your options with window styles
If you think your windows themselves need to be replaced to improve curb appeal, you must know that there is more to them than just transparent glass. The shape, pane arrangement, and even how they open up are all things to ponder as you try to find the perfect window solution for your situation.
With so many places to look for windows, it can be overwhelming. There are practical concerns to remember, as well. You need a beautiful, durable window that can hold its own against the other design decisions you’ve made for your house. Integrity® from Marvin® Windows and Doors has all sorts of traditional and contemporary options that are also energy-efficient and well worth your attention.
Finally…
The takeaway here is that there are many ways to smarten up your house and increase its curb appeal. Think about what you have and how you can improve it, and ask around for advice. National Curb Appeal Month is the time to learn about all the choices available to you, so what are you waiting for?
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Christine Cooney
Christine has over a decade of experience as a house plan and floor plan expert. Outside of providing her expertise to customers to help them find and build their dream homes, her passion and knowledge of the home building industry allows Christine to guide families and builders through all of the important steps from finding plans to building custom homes that meet the expectations of today’s new home owner. Christine’s years of knowledge of the diverse trends and needs of the modern homeowner has made her into an authoritative and trusted voice in the online house plan community.