Kerb appeal: 10 ways to spruce up your front garden
When it comes to making a good first impression of your home, an attractive front garden can work wonders. So, if you're looking for front garden ideas to create some serious kerb appeal, here are ten inspiring tips.
1. Eye-Catching Entrance
Choosing a front door colour is a great way to display your personality and set the scene for anyone entering your home. It provides a glimpse of the style they might find inside, and can instantly elevate your home's exterior. When choosing a front door colour, there are several paths you could go down.
A classic choice such as dark green, black or slate grey will always look smart, and suit any house style. If you're looking to sell your home, it's said that black, blue and red front doors add the most value. Muted olive and sage greens or a duck egg blue look beautiful, especially in a more rural setting. Or, for a brightly-coloured welcome home, a pastel pink or buttercup yellow are fabulous choices.
2. Pathways and paving
If you have a pathway leading to your home, you cold spruce this up to add some interest and dimension. Adding a border of wood chips, gravel or slate is a good way to define a walkway and make it look more neat and inviting. Stepping stones are a fun idea for a walkway, especially when well-maintained, and raised beds lining paths look lovely.
It's also becoming popular to paint concrete paving slabs, either in a solid block colour or a pattern similar to tiles. For this, standard masonry paint won't do - you'll need a special hardwearing concrete floor paint.
Even without making any changes, it's a good idea to keep on top of weeding and tidying your garden path regularly.
3. Lush greenery
Even a small front garden can benefit from some greenery - it adds depth, texture, and overall appeal.
You don't need to be a garden designer to add some vegetation to the front of your home. A few evergreen shrubs planted in a border or pots will ensure your garden looks inviting even in the colder months. Ornamental grasses provide dimension, trailing ivy gives a whimsical look, and a pair of olive trees bring a touch of the Mediterranean.
4. Add hanging baskets
Another easy win for improving your home's kerb appeal, especially if you have a small space, is to add hanging baskets. Vibrant blooms right by the entrance to your home is a welcoming sight for anyone entering.
When choosing plants, perennials such as geraniums, fuschias and dianthus are good choices as they'll last for several years - making for a budget-friendly creation. Add greenery such as trailing ivy and ferns to create fullness and add texture.
5. Climbing plants
Whether you're limited on space or want to create the look of a cottage garden, climbing plants are a lovely addition. For classic countryside appeal, climbing roses and wisteria are favourites, and can really transform the outside of your home. Clematis is also a lovely choice, and jasmine is happy in partial shade.
You can set the scene for a climbing plant with wire and vine eyes screwed into the masonry, or with a simple wooden trellis.
6. Outdoor lighting
One simple but very effective way to boost your home's kerb appeal is to add good outdoor lighting. not only does it serve a practical purpose, good external lighting provides a warmth and welcoming appeal to your home.
Our Finishing Touches include modern outdoor lamps which can be added to your home before you move in. Alternatively, you could add a decorative light feature to match your style - in aged brass if you prefer something classic, or glass for an industrial look. Solar-powered festoon light also look beautiful draped around a porch.
7. Window dressing
Dressing your windows is another fantastic way to add appeal to the outside of your home. Colourful or patterned curtains inside a room will draw the eye in from the outside, as will an attractive ornament or vase of fresh flowers on the windowsill.
On the outside, you could add window boxes to achieve all the appeal of a cosy country cottage. Easy to maintain and easy on the eye, they're a great addition to any façade.
8. Accent features
If you're a lover of interior design and want to bring your interior style to the exterior, there are plenty of ways you can accessorise the outside of your home. Traditional Christmas wreaths always look wonderful, so why not decorate your door with a wreath for each season? Autumnal leaves, an Easter arrangement, spring flowers - it can make a great focal point.
Pay attention to the small details, too. When it comes to door knockers and door numbers, there's a huge range to suit every taste, so take your pick. Considering touches like these will help make your home look polished and cared for.
9. Storage systems
Subtle storage doesn't just belong inside your home. If you store bins and recycling bags out the front, think about investing in a stylish bin store. If you like a bit of DIY, you could make your own using timber from your local merchant. Keeping rubbish under cover and out of the way will make a huge difference to how tidy your home looks.
Other storage options for the front of your home include parcel and letter boxes - both practical, and visually appealing if you choose wisely.
10. Stay on top of maintenance
Beyond design ideas, a well-maintained, clean and tidy exterior will always have good kerb appeal. This includes staying on top of weeding, pruning overgrown plants, and mowing the lawn if you have one. Sparkling windows won't go unnoticed, and it's worth touching up paintwork every now and then to keep it looking fresh.
Click here to read our top tips on taking care of external finishes on your new home.
By following these ten tips to spruce up your front garden, you can create serious kerb appeal that will not only impress visitors but also enhance the overall value of your property. Your front garden is the face of your home, so investing time and effort into keeping it looking beautiful will be well worth it.
