Tired of your same ol’ boring home? Do you find yourself ready to move on to bigger and better things? In a market where selling your home isn’t a real option, why not just settle in with what you have for a bit longer and make it more enjoyable and appealing. When a major overhaul isn’t in the cards and the budget is tight, by simply spicing up your home’s entryway you can add value and curb appeal while possibly making yourself a bit more content with your home until the market turns back around. Surprisingly enough, this process doesn’t have to be hard or expensive. By implementing a few changes to your home’s entryway, you could be well on your way to a greater appraisal and a few more evenings sitting on the front porch, sipping tea.
1. A fresh coat of paint will give your entryway a crisp, clean look. For more appeal, use at least two colors that are different from your house color. For example: If your house is tan, paint your floor, handrails and posts in a dark brown (or the color of your shutters) and your trim and pickets in a crisp white.
2. Stay in the same color family when choosing paint and accessories. For example: If your primary color is brown, use tans, creams, oranges, yellows, olives, reds, etc. If your primary color is grey, use blacks, tans, creams, burgundy, dark greens and blues.
3. Use natural objects when accessorizing – rocks, wood planters, natural metals, etc. – and stick with one style. For example: If you have a more modern home, use accessories and planters that are squared, with straight lines. If your home is country-cottage, use more soft, circular, flowing lines.
4. Spice things up with metals, being sure to stick with one style throughout. For example: Use only stainless steal or silver tones or decorate with only bronze and copper, but then again, perhaps wrought iron is your style. Typically, your local consignment or junk stores will have several odds-and-ends metal decorations like hanging planters, old-style mail boxes that hang on the wall, wire baskets, etc.
5. Add some natural flow with pillows, rugs, live plants, drapes to block the sun, candles, even a nice solid wood coffee table makes a great place to prop up your feet and sip a glass of tea.
By simply viewing your outdoor living spaces the same you do your indoor spaces, you’ll be more likely to decorate and enjoy them both the same.