August 14, 2021 •Brian Hogan
As the main threshold of your residence, your exterior entryway is a place of first impressions and welcoming receptions. The last thing you want visitors to see when they approach your house is a lackluster, nondescript entrance that doesn’t reflect your home’s stunning interior.
Luckily, you don’t have to spend a fortune or commit to a time-consuming remodeling project to make your exterior entryway shine — there are plenty of quick, easy, and economical ways to boost the curb appeal of the main focal point of your home’s façade.
Let’s explore six high-impact ideas you can get done while the warm weather is still here:
1. Refurbish Your Front Door
As the crown jewel of your home’s entryway, your front door should be distinctive and inviting. One of the most effective ways to make your front door stand apart also happens to be one of the simplest: a fresh coat of paint, preferably in an eye-catching hue.
Whether you choose a crisp classic like charcoal grey or go with a bold color like bright yellow or red, a freshly painted door can transform your entryway. Finish your refurbished door with a stylish hardware set (new handle and lock, and if you’re so inclined, a matching knocker).
2. Install a Brand-New Front Door
If your front door is outdated or past its prime, getting a brand-new one can be well worth the investment. On top of making your house more energy efficient, a new, well-fitted front door gives you a golden opportunity to really upgrade your exterior.
Simply switching from a plain, solid front door to one that contains glass panels can be utterly transformative — try one with a single window at the top, a column of small windows that runs the length of the door, or one made with a full-length glass panel.
If you have the space, you could opt to expand your front door opening to accommodate two glass-paneled French doors. You could also install vertical windows (sidelights) along either side of your standard-sized door.
3. Upgrade Your Exterior Lighting
The lights that illuminate your entryway aren’t just functional fixtures; they’re a major design element that has the potential to enhance — or spoil — your home’s appearance. Beautiful, well-chosen lighting fixtures can instantly improve your exterior entryway, both day and night.
Wall-mounted exterior sconces can provide plenty of light for doorways that aren’t covered by a porch or a portico. If your entryway is covered by an overhead structure, however, installing a hanging pendant can provide extra illumination and bit of visual drama, especially when it’s on a grander scale.
Whenever possible, choose brass or copper fixtures over aluminum ones, because they’re more resistant to weather and corrosion.
4. Embellish Your Front Walkway
Whether it heads straight to your front door or meanders through the yard a bit, your front walkway plays a major part in shaping your entryway aesthetic. An existing walkway that’s plain but still in great condition can look like a whole new path with a little bit of definition.
You can redefine a modest concrete walkway with a smart brick border, raised stone edging, or even a narrow rim of pebbles or rocks. Or, you can add dimension to your path instead by lining each side with a narrow, mulched garden of compact shrubs or perennial plantings.
Illuminate your front walkway with a series of evenly spaces landscape lights to make the newly edged path to your door just as lovely in the dark as it is during the day.
5. Revamp Your Front Walkway
If your existing walkway isn’t in very good shape — or if it’s plain appearance just isn’t a match for your home’s charming exterior — replacing it with a bolder, more distinctive path can be an excellent way to create instant curb appeal.
When designing a new walkway, it’s important to consider the style and overall formality of your home’s exterior. Whether it’s traditional, modern, or something in between, there’s a wide range of available walkway layouts and materials.
Whichever walkway design you choose, aim for distinction in the marriage between layout and materials. Here are a few unique ideas to get you started.
6. Add Some Architectural Interest
If the front of your home is fairly basic, adding an element of architectural interest can make a world of difference. This option may be significantly more costly than painting your front door, upgrading your light fixtures, or edging your walkway, but it also carries considerable impact.
Building a structure over your front door can completely transform your exterior entryway as well as the entire façade of your home. While it may be less feasible to add a large front porch to your house, adding a smaller attached portico or building a freestanding pergola is within the realm of possibility for many homeowners.
Like any other exterior design element, porticos and pergolas can be made in a wide range of sizes, materials, and configurations to suit any architectural style.
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