Modern Aspect: Curb Appeal Before and After

If you're looking to renovate your porch and add some curb appeal, then you're not alone. Of course, everyone wants their home to look impeccable from the street-but that's often easier said than done.

You might have some ideas on your mind about how to take on your fixer upper to improve your curb appeal, but you're just not sure how to execute them.

Or, you might be looking for some new ways to spruce up your house's exterior without necessarily spending too much money on the renovation.

Whatever your situation, you can find some interesting ideas in this article. We will focus on improving your house's looks by adding some modern curb appeal before and after improvements to make it stand out from the rest.

What's modern curb appeal, anyway?

The phrase "curb appeal" is one of the most popular and used phrases in the vocabulary of realtors and home improvement specialists. 

It's a term that people use to describe a house's attractiveness from the outside. In general, it represents a home's attractiveness either from the buyer's standpoint or from the viewpoint of a passerby walking down the street.

In other words, it describes a home's appeal factor and how good it looks from the outside.

Improving a home's curb appeal comprises some simple and relatively inexpensive tasks, such as:

• Decorating and reorganizing the porch
• Changing or repairing the front door and the windows
• Sprucing up your home with a fresh layer of paint
• Configuring the yard arrangement
• Pavement setup
• Flower boxes
• And other minor or significant improvements

And if we add the word "modern" to the phrase curb appeal, you might be looking for ways to make your house more appealing by adding some modern aspects to the exterior. 

For example, this might include adding some modern elements to the exterior, such as adding objects to the exterior that are deemed modern, or other similar changes.

Curb appeal is one of the major factors when it comes to increasing the price of a property or enhancing its looks.

Why does curb appeal matter?

Adding curb appeal is not just simply adding some flair and beauty to your home so that it stands out from the rest of the homes in your neighborhood.

For realtors, increasing the curb appeal is one of the most important tasks that one might take. 

The first major role of curb appeal is that it can significantly increase the value of a property. Having a home with a well-decorated exterior is a great way to make your house more attractive to potential buyers. So if you're looking to sell your home, one of the best quick tips to add to its attractiveness is to improve its curb appeal.

The second benefit of improving curb appeal is that it can impress your neighbors and guests. Every homeowner wants to make sure their house stands out from the rest in the neighborhood. Some areas are very competitive in this respect, and the homeowner with the best-looking home is usually the most respected.

Lastly, having a neatly decorated exterior can help you save money in the long run. How, you might ask? By constantly improving your home, you'll save a lot of time and money on big repairs that might accumulate over a longer period. Also, a better curb appeal makes your house feel safer.

How much value does curb appeal add to a house?

Improving your house's curb appeal is one of the best ways to add value to an old house. The house's overall look is one of the first things potential buyers will notice, so improving the curb appeal can help make your home more attractive.

Realtors argue that curb appeal can add up to 5% to the total value of your house. This number might not seem significant, but if you, for example, have a house worth $500.000, an improved curb appeal can add up to $25.000 in total value - which is not little.

The most significant aspect that raises the value of your property through curb appeal is the visual appeal that it gains. 

What is more, an improved curb appeal can have practical value, as well. As we've already mentioned, the seemingly minor improvements that you can make to improve your home's appeal can make your home safer and more sustainable. It can also make it last longer - meaning that it will require fewer reparations over the long term.

And considering that curb appeal can be improved with relatively low investments, then this type of value booster can be very welcome.

What should I fix first in an old house?

If you have a fixer upper of an old house and have some ideas about improving it, then there are some parts of your home that you should prioritize over others.

Most importantly, it helps to focus on highly practical things that can make a great difference in the overall living experience. 

The first two things you should focus on when talking about external changes are the roof and the gutters. 

These two areas of your home can ramp up significant costs, but they can make your house safer, leak-proof, and with the right choices, even better-looking. So improving your house's roof can lead to a significant boost in curb appeal.

The next area you might want to work on is the windows and the doors. 

Now, the windows and the doors might not seem like a problem area at first sight. The truth is that high-quality doors and windows can help you save a lot of energy by not letting the hot air escape as easily. So from this aspect, improving your doors and windows will cost several thousand dollars, but it will be worth the exterior model over the long term.

Additionally, you can choose some nice-looking doors and windows that fit with your home's overall look and feel, adding to the overall home value by improving your home's curb appeal.

Best modern curb appeal tips

So now that you know about the importance of curb appeal and how it can impact your property, let's dive into the tips on improving your house's exterior design and curb appeal.

More specifically, we will focus on curb appeal tips from the modern perspective. We'll try to combine the best tips with modern elements. You'll see that it's possible to improve the curb appeal with relatively low-cost investments - you might need to make large-scale investments in some key areas of your home, though.

These are the best modern curb appeal tips that you can follow.

Take care of the roofing and gutters

Now, the first curb appeal tip on this list is to improve or replace the roof and the gutters on your house. 

Yes, we've said that improving the curb appeal doesn't have to be expensive. However, your home's roofing is so important that you simply can't ignore it. The major reason is that better roofing translates to better insulation of your home and less humidity inside, so replacing the roof does have practical reasons, too.

Also, choosing the right roof for your home can massively increase its curb appeal. 

In this day and age, flat roofs are the most popular. Almost every new home has some type of flat roof, but the way that roofs are constructed leaves you with plenty of choices:

• Flat roofs with a garden
• A terrace
• Synthetic roof

However, your roof doesn't necessarily have to be flat for it to be attractive. Having a flat roof means making changes to the foundations of your home, which are large-scale changes.

If you have a sloping or classic roof, you can easily improve its curb appeal by changing the material that your roof is made of. Synthetic roof materials, clay, concrete, or even asphalt shingles are some of the most popular types of materials that people use for their roofs nowadays.

Give your house new life with a fresh coat of paint

Changing the paint of your house might seem like a big decision to make. In truth, it is - not only can a fresh coat of paint cost a lot, but it can also significantly alter the way your home looks.

For many homeowners, changing the color is intimidating. It's a thing that can completely transform the way your house looks. And because of this, it is completely normal to take some time to think about what color you might choose for the job.

There are dozens of different color variations that you can choose from, which can make your decision even tougher.

You can make the right choice by considering the external factors that can influence the color of your home. Consider things such as:

• The overall style of your home
• The neighborhood
• The shape of your home
• Your general wishes

The right color can make or break the look of your home. White is always a safe bet, and it's still considered modern. However, gray, tan, blue, and even red are also popular at the moment. 

But if you're feeling adventurous and you really want to add some life to your home, you can always choose more vivid color variations. These include yellow, green, orange, purple, or even brighter colors such as pink.

Replace or Repaint Your Doors and Windows

If you have an old house and your doors and windows aren't in their best shape, then you should seriously consider replacing them. This can be a bit of an investment. But it's also important since high-quality doors and windows can make your home safer and more sustainable.

But if you're purely looking to improve your home's curb appeal, then it's easily possible to do it by painting your doors and windows.

As you can see from the above image, it's quite easy to add some life to a property by painting the doors. For example, the house in the image is green, but painting the door red made the house look much better—even more since the doors fit well with the lawn in front of the house.

When it comes to painting the windows, it's also possible to make big changes by simply painting the frames. When choosing the color, consider the overall color of the home. Ideally, you'd want to add some contrast to the overall coloring.

For some property owners, even wooden doors can work very well, especially if you're trying to go for a more classic look.

Tidy up the porch

It should go without saying - you should tidy up your porch if you're looking to make your house more visually appealing. 

Commonly, less is more when it comes to curb appeal. The more stuff you have on your porch, the more it is likely to look cheap and untidy. So a good tip is to try and strike a balance. Add things that make your home more appealing, but get rid of the excess items that you have on your porch.

Nothing too excessive, but still enough accessories to prevent your home from looking mundane or boring.

In any case - whether you prefer more or fewer accessories - it's always a good idea to have your porch as clean as possible. This will require a bit of maintenance and work. Make sure your concrete is always clean and that gravel is where it should be - which is often easier said than done.

Again, a lot of it will come down to your personal preference and how a porch design will fit your house.

Take care of your lawn

Having great yard landscaping can be easier said than done; it requires a lot of work and dedication daily. In addition, you're fighting against the elements - heat and drought in the summer and cold in the winter.

But a lush, green lawn can make a world of difference to a house's curb appeal. Fortunately for all homeowners, it is possible to manipulate and maintain the lawn so that it remains green and lush almost year-long. 

Regular watering of the grass is a must, but perfecting your landscaping is more than just sprinkling a bit of water every day onto the grass. Instead, lawns often have systematic problems where the problems lie in what type of grass is used. More importantly, you also need to consider what type of other plants you combine them with.

Here are some general tips that you can use to improve your lawn:

• Remove broadleaf plants such as clover and dandelions from your lawn regularly
• Regularly water your lawn
• Don't cut your grass too short, or it will start to look like the Sahara desert
• Use fertilizers to stimulate the growth and health of your grass (opt for natural options, though)

Use bushes (and trim them regularly)

Now, having a nice lawn can be extremely satisfying. The lawn alone can add a few extra points to your home's curb appeal. However, combining the lawn with other attractive elements, such as bushes and plants, can make a huge difference.

A porch should be decent even without the bushes, as the lawn is well-kept and the porch itself is tidy, but these bushes next to the patio add an extra layer of definition to it.

One of the main challenges of having bushes on your porch is that you need to maintain them regularly. They will take regular trimming and maintenance for them to look impeccable.

It's a small and relatively inexpensive improvement to make your front yard more appealing.

Install flower boxes

Flower and window boxes are one of the quickest ways that you can improve the curb appeal of your home. 

The great thing about a flower box is that it's a relatively inexpensive and instant fix to enhance the look of your home. You don't need to buy anything fancy or over-the-top - simple flower boxes will look great in almost any home.

There's still some thought that you need to put in when it comes to choosing the type and shape of the box, though. For modern houses, square boxes of gray color would look perfect, especially if the color fits the color of your home.

As for choosing the plants for the flower boxes, you have the freedom to choose almost any flower or potted plant that you desire to have on your porch or in your garden bed. Your windows will also look nicer with shutters, any addition of a plant, or even a small light fixture!

It's worth thinking about the placement of your flower box. You'll want to place them strategically so that they fit the rest of the front yard. In addition, make sure that window boxes go well together with other elements of your exterior, such as the lawn, other plants, and objects that you might have on your porch.

Replace or repaint the garage doors

If you have a garage door, then it might be time to think about replacing it. This is especially true if the doors are a few years (or even decades) old. 

Although it might not seem like such a problem area, replacing your garage door can have a huge impact on your home's curb appeal.

One of the main reasons why a garage door can make such a difference is that when they fit the rest of the home, it can make an instant impact. 

Add some lighting to the front yard

With the tips we've given above, you might have made sure that your front yard looks impeccable during the day - but you also want it to look great by night.

And the best way to do that is to install some form of lighting on your porch.

The type of outdoor lighting that you choose will depend on various factors. A major one is the budget that you're operating with. If you're tight on a budget, then buying simple lamps can add an appealing factor quite easily.

If you're willing to go a level higher and put your hand deeper in your pocket, then you can buy whole lighting systems that can change the entire appearance of your house.

Whatever your preference is, the fact is that adding lighting to your front yard can massively increase the appeal of your house. Yes, it will also cost you extra for the electricity that the lighting will use, but if you can afford it, it's one of the best ways to add some extra curb appeal to your home.

And yes, some homeowners are also not afraid to experiment with the lighting as they add all sorts of crazy lighting patterns and colors. For others, adding some simple lamps is enough to do the trick.

Pressure-wash the patio and the driveway

If you truly want to maximize the potential of your front yard, then you might want to consider pressure-washing your patio and your driveway. 

For many homeowners, this is a problem area since they don't own a pressure washer. In that case, you might need to pay a fee to a professional service to do the pressure washing for you instead.

This is one of those curb appeal tips that you will find almost anywhere. If you have an old patio or driveway, then the best way to breathe some life into it is to have it pressure washed.

You won't believe how much of a difference pressure washing your front yard can make.

Repair or repaint fences

If you have any type of fencing around your house - be it metal or wooden - then you also need to consider doing some work on it to improve your home's curb appeal.

If you have wooden fencing, then you might want to consider the health of the wood of your fence. Should you have rotting or deteriorating wood, then the best way to go about this is to completely remove and replace the fencing altogether.

In other cases, repainting the fencing is enough to do the trick and make your front yard more appealing.

You can even consider repainting your fence. The best way to utilize paint is to change the color pattern so that it suits your home more accurately.

Have your roof professionally cleaned

We've already talked about removing, replacing, or repainting your roof. But one of the quick fixes that you can make to your roof is to have it simply professionally cleaned. 

As you've already seen with the patio and the driveway, pressure-washing can have an immediate impact on your home's curb appeal.

With the help of professional contractors, you will be able to reverse years of damage and decay that has happened to your roof and its tiles. 

Pressure washing your roof can represent an extra cost. But this is almost a necessary step if you don't want to replace an old roof and if you have a sloping roof. For flat roofs, pressure washing might not be a necessity, but it can still be effective in making it shine, although it just won't be as noticeable.

Replace old garments with new

We've covered the big things that you can do to improve your house's curb appeal, but several small things might help you achieve great effects - for minimal to no investment.

Replacing the old hardware with the new one is also one of those quick fixes that we've talked about. Plus, it's relatively inexpensive, so you just need to use your imagination on how you can improve your home's looks.

Some of the types of hardware that you can choose to replace include:

• House numbers and number plates
• Door handles
• Door lockset
• Mailbox
• Lights and lighting sets
• Other minor improvements

Changing these fixtures might seem like a small task, but in the end, you'll see that they can make a noticeable difference. In addition to using other tips we've discussed here, they can make for a huge improvement in your home's curb appeal.

Enhancing curb appeal doesn't have to be expensive

If you're a homeowner looking to improve your home's curb appeal, then the good news is that it doesn't have to be expensive.

For most houses, some quick fixes on a low budget can make a huge difference that will be instantly noticeable.

As you've seen, it's entirely possible to just use budget tips from this list and improve your home for a few hundred (or thousand, if your budget allows it) dollars.

If you're willing to put in the work and time to make your house more appealing, then you'll be heavily rewarded. Not just because your house will be more attractive and will be worth more, but also because you can easily make it the most beautiful house to look at in the neighborhood.