A home’s curb appeal is a big part of the buying and selling process. Whether you want to add value to a home just before you sell it, or you’ve just moved in and want to put your own stamp on the place, this is one of the best elements to focus on. As such, cleaning up your home’s exterior is a worthy job, no matter the age of the property.
Yet it’s always the older properties that suffer the most from signs of degradation and extreme weather effects. These four walls have battled against the sun and rain for years now and they’re beginning to show it! However, when you’ve just moved into a new house, you don’t want to be coming home to a facade that doesn’t fit your dream home goals.
But we’ve got some good news! You can tackle the unique problem of making an older home look new again with just a bit of DIY knowledge. And seeing as you’ve got your work cut out for you here, we’ve listed some tips and tricks down below to help you out.
Tidy Up the Front Lawn
If there’s any lawn space outside the front exterior of your home, make sure it’s the first thing you change. Older homes tend to suffer from being overgrown, or being brown and patchy. On the other hand, a healthy lawn will always look warm and inviting, and the more you plant and draw life from this bit of ground, the better your property will look too.
Start by giving it a good trim. Make sure any greenery doesn’t overhang the pathway or the literal curb that defines your property’s perimeter. This neat and tidy vibe will give your property the greatest amount of curb appeal, even with sprawling plants and big bushes or trees planted within.
You can even build a small brick wall around it using a mix you’ve made yourself – as long as it flows with the rest of your property’s construction, it won’t look out of place. As you go, build it to be just below knee height; you won’t need to spend on too many brick pallets this way.
Give the Windows a Fresh Face
Windows are often the first thing we notice on a property, thanks to just how many of them tend to face towards the road! And because of that, you’ll want to give them a fresh face if you’ve moved into an older property. That means a good clean!
You can either try this yourself or hire a window cleaner; the latter will get it down in a couple hours, whilst it could take you the whole afternoon, especially when it comes to the second storey. And let’s face it, a professional clean tends to be a lot more reliable!
For the glass, make sure you don’t leave soapy marks behind, and keep the water fresh in your bucket. For the frames, you mostly want to do away with chipped paint and any signs of rot or ageing. Seeing as old homes tend to have wooden frames, this means investing in some good sandpaper (or an automatic sander), and using it to make the frames smooth enough for repainting.
Make Sure the Pathway is Clean
An older home can suffer from a pathway that’s all cracked, with weeds pushing through, and moss or grime caking the entire surface. This is the next thing to think about. Take a look at the condition of the current paving – does it look good, or even seem safe to walk on? If not, this is the impression you’ll want to work on changing.
At the very least, try to remove as many weeds as possible to prevent further cracking, but it’s often best to invest in a power washer. But if you also find that power cleaning the pavement does nothing for the whole exterior look, it’s time to get more heavy handed.
You may need to remove the pathway entirely and lay a new one. Make sure you measure the original pathway and any surrounding patio to get enough new material to cover the area. You can then simply use a trowel to remove any sealant (like mud) around the edges and then ‘wedge’ the paving up until you can pull it out.
Paint Your Door
An old door is easily replaced with something more contemporary – no worries! But sometimes the designs on these older pieces can be incredibly pleasing in their own right. If you find you quite like the way your home’s entryway has been designed, you’re fully within your right to keep the original and simply repaint it.
Choose a colour that helps your home stand out. Blue or red shades are typical, but you can also paint it green or yellow for effect too. However, try to avoid lighter shades like sandstone, beige, or white – these are too subtle and will make the whole effort go to waste!
Add a Greenery Focal Point
Greenery, like the lawn we mentioned earlier, is the best way to give your home that ‘pleasant’ overall look. But if you don’t have much natural space to work with, you can still pot plants and use them to create a focal point around your front door.
This is the best way to make use of spots of colour; you can draw the eye towards the best exterior element and away from any old brick you’ve been unable to replace quite yet! Use tall plants immediately next to the door, and then size them downwards from there.
Curb appeal is invaluable when it comes to home design. You can’t just focus on your interior goals – you’ve got to let the world know just how good your property is too! And the same goes for a home that seems like it’s past its prime. You just need to keep the advice above in mind; they’re all good ways to make an older property shine again.
