First impressions are everything, and when it comes to your luxury home, appearances do matter. Visitors will form their first opinions of you the moment they set foot on your driveway – and even if they already know you, the look and feel of your property can give them a new insight they’ve never had before that may change the way they think of you forever.
It might sound dramatic, but as much time should be paid to getting the outside of your home looking just right as it should to the inside, and from manicured lawns to freshly painted facades, the good news is that there is plenty you can do to ensure yours has the desired impact from the word go.
Want to make the front of your home look stunning? Here are a few tricks to help create a grand entrance that will impress guests – and it might just turn the neighbours green with envy, too.
Paint your front door
A brightly coloured front door is a statement choice and will help to guide guests easily towards the entrance. Colours like red, baby blue and green are great choices, and opting for a glossy paint could help to also bring a shine to your door. If you’ve been thinking of buying a new front door, you may find it easy to buy a pre-coloured one rather than buying a new door and then painting it – it saves you the hard work, and will arrive looking pristine, too.
Dress your windows
Although technically an inside job, dressing your windows is a great way to add an extra dose of curb appeal. Choose stylish curtains and blinds that will create a chic yet homely feel then follow up outside to finish off the luxurious look. Try adding some window boxes filled with flowers, or some pretty, painted shutters. Make sure to keep your windows clean to give the right impression at all times, too – this might require hiring a window cleaner for upper storey windows, but will ensure your home remains looking immaculate.
Create the perfect lawn
A beautiful front lawn can help to give your home a tidy and presentable feel. Looking after a lawn is an art and requires regular mowing and watering – some people go so far as to invest in cylinder mowers to help create stripes as well as sprinklers to keep the lawn automatically damp in the winter. There are also fertiliser powders and weed-killers that you can use to help promote growth – but if this all sounds like too much hard work, you could always look into Astro Turf installation. This artificial grass won’t require any maintenance (except perhaps the odd brush to keep it looking springy), and most people won’t know the difference between the artificial stuff and the real thing.
Add exterior lighting
Exterior lighting has all kinds of advantages – from keeping your home more secure at night by lighting up intruders, to making it easier for you and your guests to find the door (or for you to find your keys). Motion sensing lighting is an economical option – or, for an ambient glow, try solar lights that won’t require any batteries or wiring in.
Consider an upgrade to your roof
Often overlooked when it comes to adding curb appeal, an upgrade to your existing roof or an entirely new one can drastically improve the look of your house. And there are a host of other benefits too.
Making your home more energy efficient – a big win when it comes to saving on your monthly bills – work to your roof can have many positive impacts and shouldn’t just be saved for when there is a leak as more damage than you would hope for could already be done. If you’re looking to sell up at any point then factoring in the roof replacement cost should certainly be considered.
Use vibrant plants
Adding some greenery to your entrance can be a great way to add some vibrance to the area around your front door, so why not spruce things with some colourful plants? Fill pots and hanging baskets with colourful flowers and opt for a few grand and hardy green plants arranged either side of the doorway. You could even try growing creeper plants up the side of your home for a real ‘English country garden’ feel – look for plants with large and colourful blooms such as chrysanthemum, dianthus and celosia.
Ultimately, it’s what’s on the inside of your home that counts, but nonetheless, you should never underestimate the power of a good first impression. Adding an extra dose of curb appeal to your home is easy – and will make you feel proud to return to it each day, too.
Image credit at the very top of the article: OkorokovaNatalya/Bigstock.com
