Loading the slideshow
The slideshow requires script be turned on to function.
Next up
13 big threats to your home's valueThese factors can cause your house to depreciate by as much as 50%.
America's richest countiesThese high-income areas are home to pricey real estate.
10 homes with spring curb appealSpring is a great season to fall in love with your next home.
10 up-and-coming downtownsAs more people opt for urban living, these cities are making changes.
Create a fortress home — on a budgetCheck out these low-cost home-security measures you can take today.
How much home a year's pay buysThese homes are listed at or near the median annual income in their area.
List price: What's your lucky numberIn some areas, 7s are lucky. In some, beware of 4s.
Could the recovery sputter?Problems looming in the economy could roil this housing rally.
Protect your home from a tornadoHere's how to be prepared, alert and safe.
FIND YOUR DREAM HOME OR APARTMENT
must-see on msn
-
10 curious facts about Shakespeare
Tooltip Information:
10 curious facts about ShakespeareVideo by:Description: Portrait of William Shakespeare ((C) Fine Art Images/SuperStock/Getty Images)Rating:Views:
-
2013 summer movie guide
Tooltip Information:
2013 summer movie guideVideo by:Description: Man of Steel ((C) Warner Bros.)Rating:Views:
-
14 exercises for people in pain
Tooltip Information:
14 exercises for people in painVideo by:Description: 14 exercises for people in pain (Health.com)Rating:Views:
-
Jennifer Lopez stuns at beach shoot
Tooltip Information:
Jennifer Lopez stuns at beach shootVideo by:Description: Jennifer Lopez stuns at beach shoot ((C) E!)Rating:Views:
6 secrets to curb appeal
Time to evaluate
What constitutes true "curb appeal"? While the term embraces everything between your front door and the street, it doesn't take much to make dramatic style improvements, whether by adding flower boxes, sprucing up the mailbox or constructing an elegant driveway.
With a little faith in your vision, and a few tips from the pros, you can transform a dowdy exterior to an inviting, welcoming entrance.
- Bing Cube: View photos of awesome front entries
- On our blog, 'Listed': Remodeling at highest level since 2004
6 secrets to curb appeal
1. Choosing and using containers
Whether combined in a group or standing alone, containers add charm and personality to any garden.
When your garden needs some punch, containers can be the answer. Place them in strategic locations to draw attention to a specific area, such as the front entrance.
At the home shown here, we set a large concrete pot in the middle of the flower border. When you stand directly in front of the house, the pot is centered on the door. Containers placed on both sides of the landing frame the steps.
In spring, red geraniums look great with yellow pansies and daffodils. Variegated ivy is trained to grow up a metal obelisk set on axis with the front door. As the summer's landscape changes, so does the look of the containers. The ivy has filled out, and ferns surround the base.
- MSN Glo: Extreme rooftop retreats
Slide show: Picture perfect: 14 hoems with curbside 'wow!'
- On our blog, 'Listed': Meet the hot new plants of 2011
6 secrets to curb appeal
2. Cure ugly-mailbox syndrome
Oddly enough, it is the humble mailbox that often creates that first impression of a suburban home. It can extend to guests a welcoming visual invitation or give them the cold shoulder. Before we spruced it up, even the mail carrier was tempted to drive by the nondescript mailbox above without stopping. It was time for a makeover.
To add pizzazz to a plain mailbox, begin by clearing out any surrounding weeds. Ornamental grass makes a nice backdrop, and we like maiden grass (Miscanthus sinensis “Gracillimus”) in particular.
Some type of small evergreen, stepping down in height, stands out in front of the grasses and gives the planting an accent during the winter. For added punch, place evergreens in terra-cotta pots.
Next, consider adding a copper post cap, brass house numbers, copper tubing and decorative elements like this copper vase and firefly. Copper tubing is sold in prepackaged coils, so we merely had to unwrap it, stretch it out and wind it around the post.
- Facebook users: Become a fan of MSN Real Estate today
- Video: Got a weed? Shoot it
6 secrets to curb appeal
3. Highlight your address
Blending utility with personality, house numbers don't just tell guests where you are; they can also tell them who you are. Their potential ends only with your imagination. Use scavenged materials for an eclectic look, or match your home's decor more closely for a refined look. Placement isn't limited to your front door -- consider planting numbers in a garden bed or affixing them to a retaining wall near your driveway.
- Bing Cube: View photos of awesome front entries
- On our blog, 'Listed': Remodeling at highest level since 2004
6 secrets to curb appeal
4. Warm and welcoming
Originally, the driveway above was a typical, straight-shot, down-the-side dead end. The homeowners considered adding a 90-degree pull-off parking spot, but regretted the lack of grace. They asked their interior designer to plan a circular driveway that would allow guests to stop at the front door, then continue around to the street without having to back up.
Brick paver strips cross the driveway approximately every 15 feet, serving as expansion joints that visually interrupt the long expanse of concrete. A dark stain, mixed into the concrete before it was poured, reduces the bright finish that material usually has and helps it to blend in with the brick. The result is a driveway that flows well, welcomes guests and actually complements the home.
- MSN Glo: Extreme rooftop retreats
Slide show: Picture perfect: 14 hoems with curbside 'wow!'
- On our blog, 'Listed': Meet the hot new plants of 2011
6 secrets to curb appeal
5. Details make the difference
While the owner of the home above loved his neighborhood, he was never satisfied with the appearance of his 1970s house. Because a garage dominated the facade, the front door was lost in the shadows.
Seeking a change in design, he asked an architect to extend a shed roof at the garage entrance. This design element, along with a new cedar-door street entrance flanked by fixed shutters, hides the garage door and lends the appearance of a porch.
Then, to define the structure, he added a brick water table topped with a drip course banding. As a low-maintenance alternative to conventional siding, he installed fiber-cement siding, and he gave the roof a steeper, more appealing slope by replacing the rafters over the garage with new members. These strategic changes lent contemporary charm to a once-generic profile.
- Facebook users: Become a fan of MSN Real Estate today
- Video: Got a weed? Shoot it
6 secrets to curb appeal
6. Freshen your front door
A front door says a lot about a home. And it is true that old ones add character. Can the beauty of an antique door be combined with the durability of a new one? It's not as hard as you might think. This mahogany door was gorgeous but a little too new for the homeowners' taste. Instead of waiting a century for it to age, they sought some help from a faux finish artist.
The homeowners also wanted a quick fix to mask their unattractive concrete stoop. Removing it would be too expensive for their budget, so the artist gave it a fresh look with paint.
- Bing Cube: View photos of awesome front entries
- On our blog, 'Listed': Remodeling at highest level since 2004
more from MyHomeIdeas.com
