Better Homes and Gardens ® QUICK & EASY curb appeal John Wiley & Sons, Inc. This book is printed on acid-free paper. For general information about our other products and services, please contact our Customer Care Copyright © 2011 by Meredith Corporation, Department within the United States at (800) 762- Des Moines, Iowa. All rights reserved 2974, outside the United States at (317) 572-3993 or fax (317) 572-4002. Published by John Wiley & Sons, Inc., Hoboken, New Jersey Wiley also publishes its books in a variety of Published simultaneously in Canada electronic formats. Some content that appears in print may not be available in electronic books. 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Neither the publisher nor the author shall be liable for any loss of profit or any other commercial damages, including but not limited to special, incidental, consequential, or other damages. Welcome What makes great curb appeal? Interestingly enough, you know it when you see it. That two-story house down the block with the pretty arbor and beautiful stone walkway; or the pretty little cottage your drive past on the way to work with all the amazing flowers. These are houses that seem to shine with personality and character—nice landscaping, compelling colors, perhaps an outstanding detail or two. Above all, they’re well-cared-for properties that glow with pride of ownership. Having wonderful curb appeal isn’t magic; it’s simply a continual process of refinement, updating, and regular maintenance. It’s many smaller elements, added as time and budget allow, working together to create a harmonious whole. Most important, curb appeal is much more than good looks— it’s about preserving the value of your home investment. Better Homes and Gardens Quick & Easy Curb Appeal is ® designed to help you make your home the best it can be. Each chapter offers helpful hints, easy-to-accomplish projects, and beautiful images that show you dozens of simple ways to add curb appeal. Whether it’s sprucing up your front door, choosing trim colors, or simply patching the lawn, you’ll find plenty of information and inspiration on the pages that follow. Contents CHAPTER ONE Curb Appeal at a Glance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6 Great curb appeal is the sum of many smaller, individual elements working together to create a harmonious whole. CHAPTER TWO Beautiful Lawns . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12 A healthy, well-maintained lawn sets the stage for great curb appeal. Knowing Your Grasses . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .14 Proper Mowing and Watering . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .18 Rejuvenating a Tired Lawn . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .16 CHAPTER THREE Plantings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20 Attractive, colorful, and ever-changing, the plantings around your house get top billing when it comes to creating a good-looking property. Front Yard Essentials . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .22 Designing Beds and Borders . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .32 Create Layers with Plantings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .24 An Easy Stone Planter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .34 The Magic of Trees . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .27 Color in Your Front Yard . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .36 Cool Containers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .29 Make an Island Garden . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .38 Curb Appeal in a Box . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30 CHAPTER FOUR Walkways . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40 The path leading from a curb or driveway to your front entry is like the signature of your house—it should be a unique reflection of your personality. Planning Your Walkway . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .42 Build a Walkway with Paving Stones . . . . . . . . . . . . . .50 Mixed-Material Walkways . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .44 Lighting Your Walkway . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .52 Paving Your Walkway with Brick and Stone . . . . . . .46 Installing Low-Voltage Walkway Lighting . . . . . . . . .54 CHAPTER FIVE Entryways . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 56 An entryway is a collection of details and elements that compose the approach to your house. Elements of Great Front Entries . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 58 Making an Entryway Arbor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .64 Creating an Entryway Garden . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .62 L A E P AP CHAPTER SIX B Porches & Porticos . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 66 R U C Y A few simple touches will make your porch an easygoing, inviting haven. S A E A Portfolio of Porches and Porticos . . . . . . . . . . . . . .68 Hanging Basket Project . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .74 & K Dressing Up—Ideas for Pretty Porches . . . . . . . . . . .70 Railings & Architectural Details . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .76 C Seasonal Porch Decorating . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .73 UI Q 4 5 CHAPTER SEVEN C O N Front Doors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 78 T E No other element has such an important role in your home’s curb appeal as your front door. N T S Shopping for Doors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .80 $242 Front Entry Makeover . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .87 Value at the Door . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .83 More Appealing Makeovers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .88 Get a Grip on Hardware . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .84 Trim Up That Look . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .90 CHAPTER EIGHT Garages & Driveways . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 92 A little imagination can turn your garage and driveway into visual delights. Gallery of Great Garages . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .94 One Day: Pick-Me-Up Projects . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .100 Before & After Projects . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .98 Dressy Driveways . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .102 CHAPTER NINE Color & Paint . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 112 The color of your siding and trimwork is critical to your home’s appearance. Finding Colors That Last . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .114 Exterior Paint Ideas . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .116 CHAPTER TEN Siding & Windows . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 120 Balance the types of siding and window materials you choose with other design elements. Gallery of Siding . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .122 Making a Statement with Windows . . . . . . . . . . . . .128 Adding Architectural Detail . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .126 Shutter Style . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .130 CHAPTER ELEVEN Fences & Gates . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 134 A fence creates a visual border and helps frame and define the look of your property. Installing or Replacing a Fence . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .136 Making a Decorative Wreath for a Fence . . . . . . . .140 How to Build a Picket Fence . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .139 CHAPTER TWELVE Lighting & Accessories . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 142 Curb appeal doesn’t go away when the sun goes down. Here are bright ideas for creating evening appeal. Five Lighting Ideas for Curb Appeal . . . . . . . . . . . . .144 Finishing Touches That Make a Difference . . . . . . .148 Exterior Lighting Possibilities . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .146 CHAPTER THIRTEEN Spring Cleaning . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 152 The most effective technique for creating compelling curb appeal may be the simplest of all—having a clean and tidy exterior. Stains and Other Tough Jobs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .154 Cleaning Gutters and More . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .156 Cleaning Specific Concrete Stains . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .155 CHAPTER ONE Curb Appeal at a Glance 1 WE OFTEN SAY A HOUSE HAS CURB APPEAL when we think that it’s especially good-looking. The truth is that good curb appeal is much more than an eye-catching color scheme or a pretty flowering tree. It’s usually the result of thoughtful planning and diligent maintenance on the part of the homeowners. This care and attention to detail has its rewards. Pride of ownership is certainly an important benefit, but there’s more. A house with curb appeal is likely to retain its value and protect your investment. In fact, professional appraisers are apt to reduce the assigned value of a poorly maintained house and property by as much as 10 percent. When it comes time to sell, a house with strong curb appeal is much more likely to 3 receive serious offers in comparison to other houses of similar price. Fortunately, great curb appeal doesn’t necessarily come from sweeping changes and major renovations. Small changes—a brick planter and a dash of colorful flowers—go a long way toward establishing powerful curb appeal. See for yourself. On the next few pages, we’ve pointed out some of the special touches and interesting details that add up to wonderful curb appeal. The rest of this book is devoted to showing you simple curb appeal ideas that can help you make your house and property as appealing as it can be. 1. An ornamental tree helps frame the entryway to the house. L A 2. A hanging flower basket brings E P P a splash of color. A B 3. A seating area is an invitation to R visit. U C 4. Movable container planters put Y S color where you want it. A E 5. Brick steps add visual interest. & K 6. A curving walkway draws the eye. C UI 7. Planting beds with brick edgings Q provide the yard with texture. 6 7 C H A P T E R 1: W A L K W A Y S 2 4 5 7 6 The best curb appeal happens when the many elements of a house and yard work together. Such thoughtful planning doesn’t mean expensive details or ambitious landscaping projects. For this single-story, shingle-sided home, a strong white accent color ties everything together—window trim, railing along the outdoor porch, rafter tails and fascia, garage doors, and even the front gate have been given a bright white coat of paint. All the other elements, such as the curving stone path, the many plantings, and the grey body color of the house, are gathered together by the bold white accents. As a final touch, ornamental shrubs feature an assortment of fine white flowers. 1 1. Custom hardware gives the garage doors the appearance of double- swinging entry doors. 2. Custom grilles bring a touch of style to the windows. 3. The grey body color with white trim is strong but not overpowering. 4. Curbside flower beds contrast with the well-trimmed lawn and overall neat appearance. 5. Stone pavers are matched by a stone planter and stone-clad lamp posts flanking the gate. 6. A classic white gate announces the entry to the property. 7. Entryway lighting is good-looking and adds safety at night. L A E P P A B R U C Y S A 4 E & K C UI Q 8