Upgrades That Add Instant Curb Appeal

If you do it right, front curb appeal – how attractive your home looks when viewed from the street – can add value to your property just like a major kitchen reno would. After all, the exterior is the very first thing any visitor or prospective buyer will see. The best curb appeal ideas can entail big upgrades, but they can also be simple and inexpensive. Leading window and entrance manufacturer Kohltech, whose products added value to Canadian homes for 40 years, shares their ideas on upgrades that add instant curb appeal.

single hung windows with above transoms and rectangular grilles

Kohltech

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Coordinate Your Colours

Using the same colour for the siding, door, shutters, trim and everything else creates a flat, rather boring effect. Instead, use different colours or different shades of the same colour to add depth. For example, use one colour for your siding, a lighter shade of the same colour for the trim and then use a different colour for your Kohltech windows and doors. Don’t overdo it, though: Too many colours will look chaotic and uncoordinated. Up to three are enough.

Kohltech

Garden fibreglass entry door and casement windows with rectangular grilles

Kohltech

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Add a Defined Walkway

A clearly visible walkway draws the eye towards the house and shows visitors where to find the front door. Be sure that your walkway is neat and inviting too. For instance, clean it with a powerwash, trim the lawn and other vegetation around the edges, repair cracks or loose stones and check that there’s sufficient lighting along the way.

Kohltech

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Upgrade the Front Door

A fresh coat of paint can do for your front door what a haircut can do for you: It’s a simple solution that can completely transform the overall look and can even be more energy efficient. You can opt for painting your door a colour that blends in with the rest of the house, but these days, a bold, contrasting door colour is all the rage. One of our favourite Kohltech door colours is a sunny, friendly yellow that will make any visitor feel instantly at home.

Kohltech

Kohltech

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Update the Lighting Fixtures

The only thing less inviting than a gloomy, darkened doorway at night is an entrance with a single, dust-covered light bulb protruding from the middle of the ceiling. Updating your lighting fixtures is practical in terms of illumination for when it’s dark out, but it also adds aesthetic interest. In addition, it shows that you care about the little details.

Kohltech

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Clean the Exterior

A grimy exterior dulls the colours of your home and creates the impression that you don’t really care. So, give the exterior a good clean. Powerwash the siding and walkways, for instance, to reveal the brighter colours underneath all that grime. Remove moss and other plant materials from the roof and thoroughly clean the shingles. Clean the gutters on the outside too, and give the all the trims a good scrub: You may not even have to paint them once you’ve removed the dirt.

Kohltech

Kohltech

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Plant Trees

Think about your childhood dream house: There was a big tree with a swing or a treehouse or sweet, red apples, right? Trees add so much to the value of a home that there is a whole branch of law dedicated to whether or not your neighbour may touch your trees. If you’re putting your house on the market, choosing small, ornamental trees or fast-growing species is best. Otherwise, plant trees with your long-term vision for your home in mind.

Kohltech

sable casement and picture windows black exterior

Kohltech

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Trim Trees and Bushes

While you want trees and other greenery to make your front yard more inviting, you also want to show off your house, don’t you? Trim any overgrown tree branches or bushes that may be blocking the view of your home’s best features, such as a striking front entrance or large, beautiful windows. Besides, overgrown vegetation too close to your house can be a hazard.

Kohltech

supreme casement windows with black exterior and craftsman grille pattern

Kohltech

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Use Mulch for Bare Patches

Mulch is not only useful for locking in moisture and protecting your plants. You can use it to cover bare patches. This way, the borders along pathways and the areas around trees and other vegetation will look neater and more cared for than if you just leave patches of bare soil.

Kohltech

Kohltech

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Create an Inviting Seating Area

A nice seating area creates the impression that your home is an inviting one where people love to socialize. If you don’t have a big porch that can accommodate a porch swing, comfortable benches and chairs and a small table where guests can place their drinks, consider an area in the front garden or next to the house. Add awnings or even just a well-maintained umbrella for shade.

Kohltech

select casement and picture windows with black exterior

Kohltech

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Give the Garage Door a Facelift

You have striking Kohltech windows and doors in just the right colours, your front garden is a paradise, and everything is picture perfect. Or is it? Your garage door can take up a huge part of the front view of your home, so make sure that it’s easy on the eye too. You don’t want it to distract too much from the front entrance, so keep it coordinated with your overall colour scheme. Little details like decorative hardware, strategically placed windows, and updated lighting fixtures will add visual appeal.