Depending on where you live, summer is starting to come to an end. If you're like me, that means an unending list of things to do before colder temperatures arrive: garden harvests, winterizing irrigation lines, composting summer annuals, exterior paint projects, etc.
With that, I am also trying to figure out which improvements I want to complete over the next couple weeks while temps are still above 10°C. Some things can wait until next year, while some can be completed over winter (interior renos). But others, like painting or replacing exterior doors will need to happen before the first frost hits.
Last year around this time I was planning an exterior facelift to our new-to-us house. We had only been in it for about six months and Covid was in full force. My design mind was restless, especially being fresh off a layoff on top of an already short return back to work from maternity leave. So, naturally I filled my homebound days with many projects. This included the curb appeal of our house. While I loved many features about the exterior of our home, there were still plenty of things that made it look super dated...hello yellow brass, I'm looking at you!
So, I knew the brass had to go, which included the exterior lights, front porch mailbox, house numbers and entry door hardware. Then, I wanted to update the overhead garage doors and front entrance with some bold color contrast and new hardware. Finally, I added some pops of colour with flowers, pumpkins and a few accessories I already had. This complete transformation took me a weekend and our house looks completely different than when we started.
I still want to do some extensive exterior upgrades in the future, but at least the façade has been brought into the current decade until then.
Here is how I achieved this quick, curb-appeal renovation:
Exterior paint on the garage door
Exterior paint on the front door
Black exterior spray paint on the mailbox and house numbers
New exterior lights were purchased from Costco when they were "on sale" for $25 each (because they are LED, they were discounted with an energy rebate) and had our electrician install them. The best part is that they are automatic and go on when the sun sets and turn off when it rises! Bonus is that they provide an incredibly significant amount of light vs. our original fixtures and have since (knock on wood 😬) eliminated any more car break-ins from our driveway!
Garage Door Hardware was purchased at my local Home Hardware so I could install immediately. But these ones from Amazon are just as good. I used two sets because of the two overhead doors but most garage doors can achieve the same look with one set. By the way, these are MAGNETIC! So easy to install and remove without creating any damage to your door! Plus, they are less than $30 each and transform any door immediately without the expense of replacing.
Front Entry Hardware
Flowers from Greenland Garden Centre
Pumpkins from Superstore and Home Depot
Custom wreath from Green Door Creations
As you can see, it doesn't require a lot of time or expense to update the front of your home and amp up its curb appeal! I love doing quick and dirty overhauls...so if you're in need of a front porch makeover, hit me up! I'd love to help.
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