No matter the type of home you have, the entry to your home is the first impression. Here are some tips and simple projects to amp up your curb appeal!

This past weekend marked the first official day of Spring and I can see the first signs of the seasons changing. The fresh air is begging for some outdoor projects and today I want to share some tips and simple projects to amp up your curb appeal! No matter the type of home you have, the entry to your home is the first impression. Whether decorated to the nines, strictly functional, or a relaxing porch, the exterior tells visitors and passersby about who lives in the home.

Much like the interior of our house when we first moved in, the exterior had been horribly neglected. Although we have primarily focused on the indoors of the house, I have been working on this stoop area since last fall. With some simple and inexpensive projects, it came to life as an inviting gateway to greet guests and visitors.

A Fresh Coat Of Paint

Giving your door a fresh coat of paint in a complementary color is an easy project that can make a dramatic change. Our door was originally a very oxidized red and, frankly had adhesive stuck on it from all the foreclosure notices. Now, a pop of blue against the dusty red brick creates a stately and updated focal point for the exterior of the house. In our case, blue is also a great color that blends with any landscape and most seasonal decor.

Spring Lawn Maintenance

The fall is the best time for overseeding and aeration. However, pesky bare spots can still remain after all that hard work. At the base of our beautiful flowering plum tree, we could not get grass to grow. We needed a product that was targeted for our problem rather than just grass seed, so we used this EZ Seed product which is made specifically for repairing bare spots. It is a mix of seed and mulch, and also has a formula to neutralize dog urine spots.

A nice way to transition from hard surfaces like concrete or a driveway is to edge the front yard with a few feet’s worth of landscaping and mulch. There are several varieties of barriers to keep a clear demarcation between the mulch and grass including stones, bricks, and even this “invisible barrier” we bought from the hardware store. Of course, we dug up the grass in order to lay these so we patched them this spring as well.

Spruce Up The Outdoor Decor

Is the doormat looking a little too weathered? Or, perhaps the walkway could use a good power cleaning. Spring is a great time for a fresh start and replacing worn out fixtures and decor. Maintenance doesn’t have to break the budget, though. Originally, I wanted to spray paint our builder grade and heavily worn brass fixtures. Hubby convinced me to replace them instead because several glass panels were broken. Really, he just hated them. The new candelabra lights serve as an architectural detail that makes a small but definite upgrade to the house.

A mix of structured shrubs and flowering plants turn a dull landscape into a paradise. Don’t feel the need to go overboard and plant everything in one year. I like to purchase a few new plants each season for a year-round landscape. This year I have added some containers to flag each side of the doorway. I am filling them with annuals while adding perennials to the lawn area. Topiaries are another great option to add a sculptural element to your porch.

It’s completely a personal preference but I love seasonal decorations. A simple wreath is fine or maybe a standout flag for the garden area. Grab them on sale when out of season for a great deal! I have collected a few wreaths in coordinating colors for the door. I have the egg wreath for Easter and spring and one day I hope to make it a double wreath that will be larger. I also have a patriotic themed wreath, a fall wreath, and the traditional Christmas wreath. I also created a huge vertical welcome sign for the entry way which I will post a tutorial for at a later date.

Enjoy Spring!