Refreshing the exterior of your home brings you joy and makes a strong first impression. These curb appeal tips can help buyers fall for your place, too!
When we moved in, I fell for the bones of the house. Its simple, balanced design, real shutters and brick steps won me over. The trim and shutter paint needed a refresh (and I didn't love the colors). The porch light was also outdated and had to go.
Even before closing, I had a plan for updating the exterior with a handful of changes. The first step was getting the trim, shutters and front door painted. That made a huge difference, but I also wanted to give the small front stoop a simple, timeless makeover.
This is how the house looked when we bought it. Green shutters, yellow trim and everything!
You may recall that the front lawn was a disaster too. For about nine months it looked like this. Womp, womp. Dead grass is not a good look, and I winced every time I pulled into the driveway.
Once the trim was painted white instead of yellow, the shutters and door were painted black instead of green, and new sod went down, the whole place turned a corner.
The photo above is where I really started to love it! The sod was greening up and filling in, and I no longer cringed when I drove up. Yay!!
When we moved in, I placed my DIY planters and my peony and lamb's ear wreath on the porch as stand-ins. I still love them, but they lean more farmhouse than I want now, so I set out to swap a few pieces.
A Mini Makeover for My Front Porch
In my last home goals post, I laid out my plans for the front stoop:
SOURCES: New Orleans-style lantern | classic planters | faux boxwood topiaries | an American flag | monogrammed front door mat
I had already painted the door Onyx (Benjamin Moore) and hung the American flag, but I also wanted to swap the old light fixture and add new planters and a doormat. Here's how it looked partway through …
And now for the after!
It feels simpler and more classic than I expected. I don't usually strip things back when I redecorate, but I love this look! Let's walk through the changes I made.
The French Quarter yoke-style lantern had been on my wish list since we moved in. I adore this kind of fixture, so I finally bought one and hung it. The old pendant was worn out and not my style.
Now I have the lantern I've always wanted!
Next, I swapped the DIY farmhouse-style planters for these classic planter boxes that flank the front door.
Next, I needed faux greenery for the planter boxes. Real plants would look lovely, but I know I wouldn't keep them alive. So I hunted for a fake option that wouldn't wreck the budget. (Good-looking faux topiaries aren't cheap.)
I ordered a few options to test first. Then I found these faux jasper topiaries and knew right away they were the winners! They simply sit on top of the planters, so there's no dirt to deal with. Yay!
Check the sizing guide in the listing to find the right size. I bought the XL, 19″ for my 13.5″ planter. I love how the greenery spills over the edges.
I like having something in front of the sidelight windows for privacy, but my old ones were far too tall. These topiaries feel private without being overwhelming.
One spring I also planted some real flowers, and they looked gorgeous! These planters work well with real or faux plants.
Then I bought a large monogram doormat to keep things classic and simple. I measured everything before ordering so it would all fit, and it does! Yay!
The last touch was the cute brass pineapple door knocker. It's solid and classic, and I love it. Most people ring the bell, but the door felt bare without a seasonal wreath, so the knocker fills that gap.
So that's my new, classic, simple front porch! It's easy to dress up for any season with a fun wreath or some garland at Christmas. I'll share any updates. For now, I'm really happy with this mini porch makeover.
This last photo shows how much the grass has filled in! It has come a looooong way, and I'm so happy with how the house looks right now.
How to Boost Curb Appeal at YOUR Home
Now let's talk about how YOU can add curb appeal. Maybe you've never touched your front porch and it needs a little freshening up! Since the front door and exterior are the first things people see, let's make them count!
Sometimes that just means cleaning the existing lights or painting the front door. Other times you'll need to replace a few things. Here are some of my favorite front porch essentials to help your curb appeal reach its full potential!
Faux Boxwood Wreath | French Quarter Lantern | Brass Hanging Lantern | Bronze Wall Lantern | Classic Ring Door Knocker | Bee Door Knocker | Pineapple Door Knocker | Wreath Door Hanger | House Number Address Plaque | Rectangle Doorbell | Star Doorbell | Classic Nickel Doorbell | Cherry Blossom Wreath | Block Print Doormat | Faux Jasper Topiary | Classic Planter | Monogram Doormat
7 Ideas for Boosting Curb Appeal
- Add planters filled with faux or real greenery.
- Clean the existing lights or swap in a new fixture.
- Give the front door a fresh coat of paint.
- Add a fun doormat, or layer two doormats the way I did at my old house.
- Hang a wreath on the door, seasonal or evergreen.
- Swap the doorknob or add a door knocker. Or do both!
- Add house numbers to the front door or porch.
Shop a few of my favorite front porch decor pieces:
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