Refreshing your home’s street view

 

In the real estate world, spring is traditionally the time to prep your home for sale and get it on the market. But even if you aren’t thinking of selling your home, why not give some consideration to the all-important idea of curb appeal. How does your home look as you walk or drive up to it? Are the gardens appealing? Is the front door the focal point it should be?

If you have given your home the once over and found it lacking, then let’s have a look at what we can do to put a little oomph back into your front yard. There are two separate approaches to curb appeal projects: for resale or for your own enjoyment (or maybe a little of both).

If you are thinking of selling your home, first consult with your Realtor®. They will be able to assess the current state of your home, and recommend what to do, or to not do, depending on many factors, including return on investment for various projects and the current market conditions.

But if you are thinking of beautifying your front yard simply for the enjoyment of having a wonderful space, then the first thing to do is work out the scope of the project and budget. Understanding a variety of options for your space, will help create a workable project scope and help you realize the best return on investment for your creativity.

 

What’s on the outside counts

The most obvious part of your home’s appearance is the shell within which it is wrapped. Have a look at your home’s exterior. Is it a bit long in the tooth? Colour faded? Replacing your exterior, whatever the material, is a costly job, but it may be necessary. Have a close up look, or even invite a professional over to give you an assessment. Your exterior, be it wood shingles, vinyl siding, brick, or something else, should be a shield to your home from the elements, particularly those that involve moisture.

If your only issue is an exterior that looks a bit tired, then you can always consider giving it a fresh shot of colour. Professional painting companies are able to cover anything from brick to vinyl siding, and this can be an affordable alternative to replacing it.

But your home is more than its walls. There is the natural focal point of the front door. Check your door and its frame for signs of wear, damage, or even rot especially around the frame. These can be replaced if they are at the end of their useful life or can be painted to create a bright attention-grabber. This is also a natural spot to place foliage, flowers, and even a bit of furniture if you have the space. Finally, consider the accent pieces like shutters, decorative mailboxes, and your house numbers. These can be painted or replaced to compliment the rest of the exterior.

 
Fresh mulch and carefully tended perennials make this a welcoming spot for relaxing. Photo by She Shed.

The yard is your canvas

Your house can only be altered so much without tearing down walls or adding a storey. But your yard can be a blank canvas, just waiting for a bit of inspiration and perspiration to make it something special.

Colleen Alexander, founder of The She Shed, a company of designers, artists, and gardeners who transform properties in Nova Scotia, explains that a beautiful and well-tended front yard, “sets the expectation for what’s inside the home. Having curb appeal helps, no matter what the market is doing.”

But what’s possible and what you are able to manage can be two different things. Colleen notes that your own historical experience is really the best predictor of success when you take on a garden project. “Consider what you need and what will it take to care for all of it,” she counsels. Being honest about your abilities, your willingness to learn, and how much time you want to spend in your yard is crucial to success. She recommends that people contact a landscaping company, visit nurseries, and do a bit of online research before they jump in.

But if you are ready to start creating a garden the Joneses will envy, she’s got some tips for success. First, she recommends you assess your yard. Trees that are diseased or have been left to encroach over the home, and shrubs gone wild should be addressed in a general cleanup of the space, and then you can turn your eye to the lawn—a feature that many are currently re-thinking.

As we encounter drier summers, figuring out an alternative to that dead brown space in the front yard has many people embracing a variety of solutions. One recommendation Colleen shares is working with professionals to understand custom seed mixes—that may include plants such as ‘Pipolina’ microclover, perennial rye, and fescue—can create beautiful, drought-resistant lawns.

Next, Colleen recommends looking at what garden elements may be already present in your front yard and capitalizing on these. “Improving what you already have is practical,” she says, “and garden beds are a good bang for the buck.” She recommends you consider the colour of your home’s exterior when choosing flowering plants and shrubs, and create a colour palette for the garden. “I’m a big fan of shrubs. They offer structure to the space and there are a lot of easy-care, four-season flowering evergreens that will look good all year round.” 

A skilled landscaper will improve your hardscaping but also know the right plants for each part of your yard. Photo by She Shed.

Colleen’s final thought for those who are champing at the bit to start their garden at the first sign of warm weather, is to caution them on the timing. “Plants you buy from nurseries can’t really go in the ground until June.” She recommends spending April planning your garden (and allowing pollinators to continue sleeping happily in the ground), spend May hardening off your nursery plants by putting them outdoors on warmer days, and wait until June to put things into the soil.

Now that you have visions of beautiful greenery for your yard, consider adding some real structural elements. We often think of decking as something that lives in the backyard, but more and more people are adding this design element to their front yard. Creating multi-level front decks or steps and adding elements like pergolas and gazebos can create a truly unique front yard.

Pressure-treated wood is still the number one choice for creating these structures, but composite materials, which are pricier but can withstand rot and weather better than lumber,
are becoming a popular choice.

Winston Cousins of Atlantic Decking in Prince Edward Island notes that projects can vary greatly by home and location, and cautions consumers to think ahead for projects like these. “You want to be booking well ahead of the summer rush.”

 

Let there be light

Lighting is a crucial element in exterior designs that is often overlooked. It’s both functional and offers the opportunity to add a bit of flair to your landscape. Functionally, if you have walkways or steps, you need these well-lit for safety. And for the sheer delight of it, if you have features in your garden design—such as statues, focal plantings, gates, or a house name or number sign—these can all be illuminated to add interest and drama to the look of your yard. Your lighting design can be as simple as lining your pathways with small lights, or as involved as using spotlights to uplight your home or
garden features.

With all projects, taking the first few steps into planning can be the hardest part. If you find yourself at a low point for inspiration, try taking a walk through your neighborhood or a few others, and see what you like about the curb appeal of other homes. Take notes on your favourite themes, objects, or designs and work to incorporate these into your own ideas. The curb is the limit for what you can achieve!