25 Easy Ideas That Instantly Boost Your Home's Curb Appeal
Curb appeal, the catch-all term for what you (or passers-by) can see of your home from the street curb, offers just a glimpse into your design personality. But your house gets only one chance to make a first impression, so what you decide to do to its exterior matters. Plus, your personal style shouldn't have to be limited to the interior. You can have fun with curb appeal elements like exterior siding options, outdoor plants, and even a front patio for dining and hanging out.
Curb appeal can greatly affect your home's current and potential resale value. Even front door color change can have a dramatic effect. Home buyers are willing to pay $300 more for a home with a midtone rosy brown or black front door as opposed to white or gray, according to Zillow's 2023 curb appeal research. Opting for brand new windows, meanwhile, has a cost recuperation of up to 60 percent when it's time to sell. If you're looking for a more manageable but still impactful project, consider giving your house a fresh exterior paint job or limewashing the brick.
For design consistency, research your home's architectural style and base any changes you make to boost its curb appeal in that style. For instance, you wouldn't install a Victorian wrought-iron gate in front of a brutalist home. Unless your property is subject to the approval of an HOA or a historical preservation board, though, there really are no rules. That said, if your curb appeal improvement plan is extensive, you should get them approved before you head to the hardware store.
No matter your reason for looking for curb appeal ideas, we have you covered. Curb appeal goes far beyond front door paint colors and landscaping ideas. We're here to offer designer-approved suggestions for paving, flower boxes, siding, and more. Read on for 25 of the best curb appeal ideas to make your home's exterior as beautiful as possible.
Intensify the Accent Color
Ashley Gilbreath designed an idyllic getaway in Rosemary Beach, Florida. With direct access to the Gulf of Mexico, this beach cottage just needed a coat of paint to enhance its exterior. Gilbreath chose a rich teal, just a few shades darker than your typical coastal blue, to make the '90s facade look more modern.
Shine a Light
There's nothing welcoming about coming home to an entirely dark house. Adding exterior lighting can be helpful for finding your way in the dark and make your home look more appealing. A copper exterior light illuminates the entryway of this country home by Emily Janak.
Embrace the Historical Elements
When restoring the House Beautiful 2023 Whole Home in Hinsdale, Illinois, Julie Laux and her build-design team, J. Jordan Homes, wanted to keep as much of the original 1906 exterior intact as possible. Everything brought in, from structural columns to new garden trellis, was in line with the turn-of-the-century architecture.
Stand Out From the Pack
When the Novogratz family renovated their stunning (but previously abandoned) townhome in New York's West Village neighborhood, they painted the exterior a buttery, golden yellow to brighten up the formerly bubblegum pink stucco instead of going for a safe, expected neutral color.
Keep the Plants Native
Tyler O'Brien of Agave Custom Homes, who was responsible for the curb appeal of House Beautiful's 2021 Whole Home in the Texas Hill Country, wanted the landscaping to flow seamlessly onto the attached 30-acre nature preserve. So all the plants he chose for the landscaping were native to the environment. It's a decision that helps ensure your plants won't die on you and makes a high-maintenance care routine a thing of the past.
Stick to Soft Colors
To allow the stunning wood-paneled exterior of this Sonoma County, California, home to really shine, Victoria Hagan chose a streamlined exterior color scheme. Powder gray front doors coordinate perfectly with stone plant pots and stone walls, and various greenery cools the warmth of the wood tone.
Fill Flexible Planters
The casual wooden planter boxes outside this home in California wine country have a wide enough opening for greenery to be easily swapped in and out with the seasons. It was designed by Sheldon Harte, Laguna Beach–based designer and principal at Harte Brownlee & Associates, and architect Kirby Lee, formerly of Backen & Backen.
Float On
Floating homes need curb appeal too, even if their neighbors are far away. To make the most of being in such close proximity to the water, Studio DIAA equipped the front "porch" of this project in Seattle with plenty of deck chairs and towel hooks.
Elevate the Planters
Because the entry of this home (a former parsonage) is quite formal, Shazalynn Cavin Winfrey of SCW Interiors accentuated it with a pair of high planters set on either side of the stairs. Their dark gray hue contrasts nicely with the simple white exterior.
Add Decorative Trim
Take a note from HGTV stars Erin and Ben Napier and opt for a decorative style of exterior trim. Period-appropriate gingerbread trim and decorative brackets give the front porch of this Victorian in their hometown of Laurel, Mississippi, a quaint feeling.
Let Your Interests Guide You
Tom Scheerer looked to the equestrian lifestyle as his muse for this Florida home, designed for a family with daughters who compete in the sport. "Without being too obvious, we used certain elements that were reminiscent of barns and stables," he says of the home's exterior. The low, circular pool (reminiscent of a horse trough, of course) in its central courtyard is ideal for scalding summer days.
Welcome Guests With Comfortable Seating
The Napiers know that a rocking chair on a warm spring afternoon is what a front porch is all about—that's why they gave this Victorian three. Plus, it's a welcoming way to greet guests, providing hospitality before they even cross the threshold.
Opt for Low Landscaping
This quiet and cozy patio off the guest room of a Los Angeles Country, California, home "creates a vacation-esque getaway for anyone visiting," Jeremiah Brent says. Low greenery adds visual interest without blocking or distracting from the view.
Keep It Simple
White horizontal siding, white woodwork, and a white roof allow the marsh landscape around Whitney Leigh Morris's Florida home to take center stage. Morris worked with architect Jennifer Langford build the home over five feet off the ground in accordance with local floodplain guidelines.
Plant a Traditional Garden
If your space (and the climate) allows, why not go all out and curate an English-style garden? You can fill it with a mix of flowers, local greenery, and statement blooms, acting as a pathway leading up to your home, as gardener Gerard Pampalone did at his Connecticut farm.
Let the Architecture Shine
To restore her own home, a classic Colonial in Kansas City, Annie Anderson partnered with architect Nancy Ruzicka. Custom black shutters (that actually close!) complement the home's architecture and coordinate with the newly restored bay windows.
Raise the Pavers
The best way to keep weeds from overtaking your stone pavers is to raise them up a bit rather than inlay them into your yard. At designer Krystal Matthews'Louisiana home, the walkway keeps guests' feet dry and out of the dirt as well. A fresh coat of Sherwin Williams Aesthetic White refreshed the 130-year-old farmhouse's exterior, brick front steps included.
Frame the Front Walkway
Susannah Charbin, founder and creative director of the creative studio The Beaux Arts, wanted her home to transition seamlessly into the surrounding Long Island marshes, so she lined the front pathway with native fountain grass.
Embrace the Side Yard
Leave no square foot of yard unused! Follow Michael Ellison's approach, implemented beautifully at this Nantucket home, and install a bite-sized seating area (complete with fire pit) to serve as a more private area of outdoor living space.
Choose a Ramp
For a more accessible entryway, opt for a ramp rather than stairs. While especially helpful for this floating home by Colleen Saglimbeni, a ramp makes your home easier to live in as you age—and the right railing can make it look chic.
Admire the View
With a view like this one, you really don't need to do much—your home's curb appeal is built in. The warm wood siding of this guesthouse outside Seattle, by Nelson Treehouse and designer Amy Pagano, mimics the surrounding forest, and its wraparound porch is the ideal place for a morning coffee.
Add a Burst of Color
Don't be afraid to pair historical architecture with modern color. For their own family home slash café, Shapeless Studio designers Andrea Fisk and Jess Hinshaw transformed a former post office in Leeds, New York, that dates back to 1851. They contrasted the original molding with a bright yellow front door that draws the eye and invites people in.
Install a Porch Swing
Quaint and cozy, nothing says summer quite like a porch swing. Take inspiration from Greg Dutton, a principal at Greg Dutton Studio, and his wife, Liz Dutton of Liz Dutton Interiors, and paint the swing in the same hue as your home's exterior for a quiet, matching moment.
Bring in Seasonal Seating
Want to make the most of your home's front yard even though you the weather's finicky where you live? Choose flexible and portable patio furniture. A metal table and chairs like these can be moved inside and stored when winter comes.
Open the Doors
A solarium or screened-in porch is a great way to add architectural interest to your home's exterior. Take the addition one step further with French or pocket doors to let in as much sunshine as possible.
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