23 Ways to Add Curb Appeal for the Best Front Yard on the Block

Curb Appeal in a Day: Replace Old Hardware

House numbers, the entry door lockset, a wall-mounted mailbox, and a light fixture are all elements that can add style and interest to your home's exterior curb appeal. However, if they need to be updated or dingy, your home may not convey the aesthetic you think it does. These elements have the most impact when they function collectively rather than as mix-and-match pieces. Oiled-bronze finishes suit traditional homes, while brushed nickel suits more contemporary ones.

Curb Appeal in a Day: Install Window Boxes

Window boxes offer a fast, easy way to bring color and charm to your home's curb appeal. Choose boxes made from copper or iron for a traditional look. For example, the lattice detail on this Better Homes & Gardens metal window box ($16, Walmart) adds texture to the display. Select painted wood for a cottage feel. Mix and match flowers and plants depending on whether you get full or partial sun and your home's color scheme.

Curb Appeal in a Day: Paint the Front Door

Your home's front entry is the focal point of its curb appeal. Make a statement by giving your front door a coat of color with paint or by installing a custom wood door. Clean off dirty spots around the knob, and use metal polish on the door fixtures. Your entry should also reflect the home's interior, so choose a swag, flag, or wreath that reflects your style.

Curb Appeal in a Day: Create Perfect Symmetry

Symmetry is not only pleasing to the eye, but also it's the most straightforward layout to arrange. Symmetrical compositions of light fixtures and front-door accents create welcoming entryways and boost curb appeal. Two sidelights flank this door. The lantern-style sconces safely guide visitors to the door and coordinate with the door hardware and urns.

Curb Appeal in a Day: Dress Up Your Porch with Seating

Invite guests to pull up a chair and stay a while with comfortable porch furniture. Look for chairs with skids to help prevent damage to your surfaces, like this woven chair from Better Homes & Gardens ($97, Walmart). Add the cozy feel of a living room with rugs, throw pillows, and end tables.

If you don't have space for a rocking chair or two, adding a small chair or bench on your porch can serve as a resting spot or a convenient place to slip off dirty shoes. When you boost curb appeal with comfortable outdoor seating, you also encourage everyone to engage with neighbors and street-side activity.

Curb Appeal in a Day: Install Outdoor Lighting

Low-voltage landscape lighting significantly impacts your home's curb appeal while also providing safety and security. Add accent lighting to trees or the house or illuminate a walking path. For the best landscape lighting, plan to incorporate a variety of fixtures and lighting types. If you aren't able to use lights that require wiring, install solar fixtures. Solar outdoor lights (like these Better Homes & Gardens LED lights, $19, Walmart) are budget-friendly and easy to install.

Curb Appeal in a Day: Do a Mailbox Makeover

Mailboxes should complement the home and express the homeowner's personality. If your mailbox is attached to the house, pick a style and finish that matches your home's trimmings. For a mailbox that sits closer to the road, surround your mailbox with a beautiful flowering garden to instantly make your front yard more welcoming and approachable. Consider painting the mailbox and post to coordinate with the home's color scheme, or personalize your mailbox with vinyl decals that list your address.

Curb Appeal in a Day: Renew Planter Beds

Get garden beds into shape by pruning growth, pulling weeds, and planting flowers. Add new mulch to restore color faded by sunlight and harsh weather. If stone or brick borders your bed, consider cleaning and resetting any soiled or dislodged pieces. If your border needs to be updated or more modern-looking, try upgrading to stone or a decorative cast-concrete edging system for improved curb appeal.

Curb Appeal in a Day: Create an Instant Garden

Container gardens add a welcoming feel and colorful curb appeal to any home exterior quickly and affordably. You can buy ready-made containers from garden centers or create your own with your favorite plants. Pots come in a variety of materials, such as terra-cotta, wood, and plastic. For durability, look for chip-resistant ceramic planters (like this green planter by Dave and Jenny Marrs for Better Homes & Gardens, $13, Walmart). For most landscapes, a staggered, asymmetrical arrangement works best to create a dynamic setting.

Garden for Curb Appeal: Take It to the Next Level

Use these easy curb appeal ideas to take your landscape to the next level:

• Install a charming and attractive gate to welcome visitors into your yard.
• An arch marks the entrance to your front yard and offers instant charm with a focal point.
• Install a small fence at the corner of your yard with perennials and annuals to provide an immediate sense of space and a welcoming display of color.
• A small garden with drought-tolerant plants around a mailbox is the most visible way to improve curb appeal.
• A bench that's visible and accessible creates a visual point that beckons visitors into your yard.
• Place containers along paths or steps for a big boost of color.

Curb Appeal in a Weekend: Make a Grand Entry

Even with a small budget, there are ways to draw attention to your front door and improve curb appeal. Turn your home's entry into an inviting focal point by adding a few well-chosen and nicely arranged plants on the front porch. Molding also acts as an architectural eyeliner when applied to the sides and top of the doorway. Notice how the white door casing makes this door pop.

Curb Appeal in a Weekend: Create a New Planting Bed

Add contrast and color to your home exterior with a new planting bed. Prime spots for curb appeal are at the front corners of the yard, along driveways or walkways, and immediately in front of the house. When creating a new garden, choose features that frame your home rather than obscure it. Opt for stone or precast concrete blocks to edge the bed. Include a mix of plant size, color, and texture for optimal results.

Curb Appeal in a Weekend: Add Shutters or Accent Trim

Shutters and trim add a welcoming layer of beauty and curb appeal to your home. Exterior shutters can be made of wood, aluminum, vinyl, composite, or fiberglass. New composite materials, such as PVC resins or polyurethane, make trim details durable and low maintenance.

Curb Appeal in a Weekend: Replace Gutters and Downspouts

If your home has an older gutter system, odds are it's also suffering from poor gutter maintenance. Peeling paint, rust spots, droopy gutters, and other problems indicate repair or updating is needed. Replace old gutters and downspouts with a new gutter system.

If you're on a tight budget, vinyl gutter systems that you can install yourself may fit the bill. However, they're known to become brittle and crack over time in cold weather. Copper systems, while pricier, convey an unmistakable look of quality and pretty curb appeal. For best results, we recommend hiring a professional for gutter installation.

Curb Appeal in a Weekend: Add Arbors or Fence Panels

Arbors, garden gates, and short sections of decorative fence panels will enhance your garden and curb appeal of your home. These simple additions can become a backdrop for a bounty of blooms. They're available in easy-to-build kits or prefab sections that you simply connect. For best results, paint or stain these items with colors already on your house.

Curb Appeal in a Weekend: Add Outdoor Art

Give your yard a little whimsy and curb appeal by adding weather-resistant artwork. Choose pieces that complement your home's natural palette and exterior elements. Birdbaths, metal cutouts, sculptures, and wind chimes are good choices for outdoor art.

This glass birdbath from Better Homes & Gardens ($26, Walmart) features a colorful butterfly design. Water sculptures function as yard art, and the gurgling sounds are soothing and make hot days feel cooler. Place fountains on level ground in optimum hearing and sight vantage points.

Curb Appeal in a Weekend: Create a Street-Side Garden

Planting colorful flowers is a surefire way to increase your home's curb appeal. Use bold, bright hues to create a big impact, even if you have limited space. Greet guests with a colorful garden in your parking strip (between the street and sidewalk). For an easy street-side garden plan, feature native plants such as Aster, Baptisia, and purple coneflower.

Curb Appeal in a Month: Upgrade Railings

Porch and stoop railings can deteriorate quickly if not properly cared for. If your railings are past their prime, look for quality wood or metal components to replace the existing material and improve curb appeal. As with other improvements attached directly to the house, make sure the color, scale, design, details, and material are compatible with the home's main features. Porch railings supply an integral part of a home's exterior aesthetic, helping to reinforce a home's style.

Curb Appeal in a Month: Renew Paint, Siding, and Trim

An exterior update (new paint, siding, or trim details) automatically transforms the look of a home. Regular maintenance of exterior surfaces is the surest way to keep your house and its curb appeal looking great. Any apparent defects, such as cracked or rotting material, can downgrade the aesthetic and quickly turn away potential home buyers. Once weaknesses are repaired, look for ways to add personality with color, trim, or shingles.

Curb Appeal in a Month: Tile Your Doorstep

Create a permanent welcome mat by upgrading your front steps. Installing tile, pouring new concrete steps, or painting a porch floor or front stoop can drastically change your home's curb appeal. If you decide to go the tiling route, select a tile that's slip-resistant and rated for outdoor use. If installing tile on sealed concrete, you'll need to grind the surface down before starting so the thin-set mortar will bond.

Curb Appeal in a Month: Dress Up the Driveway

If your driveway is cracked or stained or has vegetation sprouting, you can easily clean it up or upgrade the surface. First, repair the cracks and stains (and kill the weeds), then dress it up by staining the concrete or affixing flagstones. For more room to move your car or park, add stone, brick, or pavers to the sides of the drive to widen it. Establishing a crisp, clear shift between paved and unpaved surfaces can help to set off a driveway and enhance curb appeal.

Curb Appeal in a Month: Build a Walkway

Well-designed walkways make your home feel warm and inviting. For a dramatic improvement to a straight concrete path, replace it with a contoured walkway made of stone or brick. For a less radical upgrade to your curb appeal, apply a colored concrete resurfacer to the old walkway, then edge it with brick or stone borders. Brick pavers offer traditional, classic beauty to the landscape of any home.

Curb Appeal in a Month: Apply Stone Veneer

Nothing carries pedigree and permanence like stone. It's great for dressing up exterior features such as concrete foundations, column footings, and other masonry details. Natural and manufactured stone can be costly options for large expanses, but both are affordable and well-suited for use as an accent material. A faux stone patio adds long-lasting curb appeal to your home.