When it comes to renovating a property, homeowners tend to prioritise the interior and leave the exterior as an after-thought. However, the outside of your house makes the first impression and welcomes you home every day. Enhancing the kerb appeal can also increase your property’s value and attract buyers if you wish to sell it in the future.
Whether you want to give your home a complete makeover or just make a few changes, here are six ways you can modernise the exterior.
1) Outdoor lighting
Illuminating your home exterior with lighting makes it easier and safer for you to access your house at night. On top of this, landscape lighting ensures your home exterior is always presentable and can highlight specific areas you are especially proud of.
Lanterns and conventional lamp posts are a lovely accompaniment to traditional properties, while string lights can make your house look cosy and inviting. For a modern home, use floodlights to illuminate your driveway.
2) Timber cladding
Cladding acts as a protective layer to a building for improved weather resistance and thermal insulation. It’s a great way to update the appearance of your home too. Timber cladding, which is available in a range of natural colours, adds a rustic charm to properties. As the timber ages, the shades evolve and become unique to bring additional character to your home.
The UK’s leading importer and distributor of bespoke and sustainable timber, International Timber, offers a range of timber cladding, including Siberian larch and Western Red cedar, that meet different requirements. Timber cladding is also durable, sustainable, and easy to install.
3) Gardening
Your front garden can make or break the overall appearance of your home exterior. To make the most of this space and bring life to your home, plant colourful flowers, trees, and bushes. However, keep up-to-date with garden maintenance, such as watering flowers and mowing your lawn to avoid it looking withered.
Forming a clear path using materials like brick, gravel, and pebbles can prevent people from walking across the grass and make your garden look neat.
4) Window frames
Updating your old windows isn’t necessarily the most exciting design alteration, but it can make a huge difference to the home’s appearance.
Metal frames complement a sleek contemporary look, while timber frames can enhance a warm and classic aesthetic. Upgrading your windows will help to protect your home from draughts and intruders as well.
5) Driveway
If you have a large front garden, consider converting it into a driveway, as off-road parking is often an in-demand feature for homebuyers. There are several materials to choose from for your driveway. Here are some examples:
- Gravel provides a rustic aesthetic and is easy to install, but it isn’t as long-lasting as alternative materials.
- Tarmac is durable, cost-effective, and low maintenance, but the appearance is less attractive.
- Concrete is hard-wearing and can come in several patterns, but it can stain and crack.
- Paving is available in numerous patterns, shapes, and colours and is easy to repair. However, it’s one of the more costly materials.
Before deciding on a material, check that it’s suitable for your driveway.
6) Front doorway
Creating a striking doorway with a burst of colour can add a ‘wow factor’ to your home’s exterior. However, if you’re likely to sell your home soon, carefully consider which colours to use as some can be off-putting to potential buyers.
Recent research found that painting your front door blue could increase your property’s value by £4,000 while painting your front door brown can decrease it’s worth by £700.
If you just want to inject personality to the outside of your property so that it stands out against your neighbours’, select bright or pastel colours. For extra flair, you could fit stained glass in the front door and stylish tiling to your porch floor.
To complete your front porch aesthetic, hang up a custom-made sign of your house number or name.
The outside of your home should be a fundamental aspect of the renovation process to achieve a full transformation. There are several ways you can update the exterior, whether you want to add character to the property or increase its value.
