We’ve had tasteful greys, farmhouse whites, and classic beiges up and down the street for so darn long… It’s no wonder people are going cuckoo for color these days!
Just think, with these projects, you can brighten up your life AND add to your house’s curb appeal in a weekend or less.
Front Door
This one seems like a no-brainer, and yet, so many people are afraid to try it out! The reason why? They’re afraid they’ll choose the wrong color or paint.
That’s understandable. No one likes to get stuck with a do-over, and no one wants to live with a Shrek green mistake on the front of their home.
The easy solution? Go with what you know. Pick a color from the existing palette of your home and use a color that coordinates with that. Still not sure which color and sheen you should go with? Many local paint stores (like Sherwin Williams, for example) now have color experts in store; they can answer even the most difficult color conundrum. Just be sure to bring photos with you, because no one can pick the right choice if all they’ve got to go on is, “It’s a kind of brownish-reddish brick, I think…”
Shutters
If you have a wooden door, or you’re just not ready to make that leap yet, try adding color to your shutters.
Use the same guidelines you would for your door, and remember, this project’s even easier to tackle. So even if you aren’t totally in love with the look, you can throw on a coat of something new… easy-peasy lemon squeezy.
Trim Colors
Feeling gutsy? Then try this on for size. Bold trim colors are a very adventurous statement and they work well on modern homes, traditional homes, Craftsman homes… and so on and so forth.
If the rest of your exterior is neutral and you’ve got a fearless fashion sense, then this look will serve you well. Pair a citrusy color with cool tones (like the photo below) or add in blue trim for a more traditional look.
Flowers
Let’s move beyond paint, shall we? An easy, low-commitment way to add color is with flowers. Depending upon your climate, you can add full-on beds of annual color or put out pots full of flowers that change with the seasons.
Pro tip: If you have a brown thumb, you can even use FAKES. Make sure they’re changed out with the seasons (so no daffodils in December) and no one will even know the difference.
One more thing: If you’re in it for the long haul, flowering trees are SO heavenly in spring. Be sure to check what hardiness zone you’re in before you plant, though, because trees aren’t cheap and removing them is a total pain.
Window boxes
What’s that? You’re not in the mood for a full on garden? Then simply step right over here and witness this modern-day marvel: window boxes.
Not only can you fill’em up with just about anything — real flowers, fake flowers, colorful foliage, pumpkins (so fun at Halloween, right?), flags and other gewgaws — you can ALSO paint the window box itself for extra impact.
Also, they’re easy to remove! If you’re getting ready to list your house and want to take your beloved flowers with you, you can!
Pots
Here’s another idea: Mosaic pots. Sure, you can paint or glaze the pots, but you can also scratch your craftiness itch with a little bit of mosaic magic.
All it takes is some glass tile, a tube of industrial strength glue (like Liquid Nails Clear), and the clay pot of your choosing. If you want to go the extra mile, you can grout the finished product, too.
Double down on the monochromatic look with different tiles in the same color, or get creative and add a design! You can make this as country-cute or as modern and chic as you like. The only thing that matters is that you’ll soon be able to love your glittering garden.
Non-flowering Plants
Maybe you’re anti-bees, or maybe your allergies are too extreme to consider flowers. That’s ok, there are tons of colorful non-flowering plants you can add to spice up your front exterior.
Check out plants like croton, Persian shield, and coleus to add a big punch of color without the upkeep of flowers.
Oh, and one more cool thing: There are even subscription boxes you can order so you can replace your plants on the regular. Even the horticulturally challenged can have a beautiful yard year round now.
Wreath
If you live in the South, you probably already have one of these on your door. Southerners put out wreaths for just about any occasion. New baby is born? There’s a wreath for that. Having a Fiesta party? Yup, there’s a wreath for that. Nothing special is happening at all? That’s ok, all you’ve got to do is slap together some burlap and ribbon and BOOM — you’ve got an everyday wreath.
If you don’t live in the South (or you’re not a fan of the country look), that’s fine. There are tons of stylish modern wreaths that still look like a party on your door. Best of all? Your home can rock these regardless of occasion or location.
Seating
If you’ve got the space for it, seating on your front porch is just about the homiest thing ever. Who doesn’t have fantasies of having tea (or, perhaps more accurately, late night wine) and conversation on the front porch?
Swings are great, chaises are great, rocking chairs are great. Whatever your sitting pleasure, you can pump up the ol’ color factor with cushions and throws or go all out and PAINT THE WHOLE DARN THING.
Cozy, colorful, and companionable, these seats will make your front porch the envy of the block.
Lighting
Want to try something no one else in your neighborhood has? Try this on for size. You can pick just about any color you like and spray paint your exterior lighting!
There are lots of paint options out there, so you can go turquoise or apple green or even rose gold. Best of all, you can use your existing lighting, so the only additional cost is the can of spray paint (and probably some tape to mask it off with).
(Note: you DO want to uninstall the light before painting. So do your due diligence and watch a few YouTube videos on the topic before breaking out the toolbox.)
There you have it, friend — 10 terrific ways to add more elation to your front elevation, more pizazz to your porch, and more YAY! to your yard.
There you have it, friend – 10 terrific ways to add more elation to your front elevation, more pizazz to your porch, and more YAY! to your yard.
Try one this weekend!
Free Guide: How To Prepare Your House For Sale
Do too little and you’ll leave money on the table — or worse, not sell your house at all. Do too much and you’ll lose time or money on things that don’t have a good return on investment. This is why I created this free guide to help you prepare your house just the right amount… …so you can sell it for as much as possible, and as quickly as possible.
