The way that the exterior of your home looks and functions dictates a large part of its value. Your home’s exterior needs to match its architectural style, look good when viewed from the street, and protect your home from moisture and the elements. For many homeowners, it also needs to be sustainable and durable as well – a tall order when taking the other factors into consideration as well.
These 17 exterior home remodeling and renovation ideas are designed to help you make the most of your home’s exterior. From siding to accents, keep your home looking its best with these 17 ideas.
1. Install Fiber Cement Siding
One of the ways you can improve your home’s appearance both now and for the future is to replace your existing siding with fiber cement. Fiber cement siding is a versatile material available in multiple styles and colors. It’s exceptionally durable and low maintenance. Fiber cement won’t peel or crack the way that wood or vinyl will, and it’s not susceptible to moisture or insect activity, so you can go longer without maintenance or worry.
2. Add Accent Sections
Many people merely install horizontal lap siding over their exterior’s entirety, but this isn’t the only type of siding available. Shingles, panels, corrugated metal, decorative trim, and board-and-batten siding are all suitable and attractive options to update your home with. Choose one or more different siding styles, and use them to call attention to different areas of your exterior, such as upper stories, eaves, towers, or attached sections like garages or barns to give your entire property a style boost.
3. Use a Fresh Coat of Paint
Never underestimate the power of a fresh coat of paint on your home’s exterior to give the entire property a new lease on life. Even paint that hasn’t begun to peel can begin to look dingy or dull over time, so updating the color of your home to something a little lighter, brighter, or more contemporary could help enhance its style. Make sure you pair the color of your home with its architectural style to get the best results. For example, use a slightly darkened paint color on Victorians, while using a saturated color palette on an Arts and Crafts home and a natural color palette on a Tudor.
4. Use a Pop of Trim Color
One of the hottest trends in home exteriors right now involves using bold colored accents. This can be on the front door, shutters, trim, or decorative wood work. Look for trim colors that complement the rest of your home’s exterior, while still catching the eye and attention, such as bold red, turquoise, or royal blue. Just be sure to use these colors in small amounts so you don’t overwhelm the rest of your home’s palette.
5. Update Your Roof
Your roof plays a big role in how your home looks and functions. If your roof is getting older, consider replacing it with newer, architectural shingles. Architectural roof shingles have more dimension than traditional asphalt shingles, and are now designed to help reflect UV rays, keeping your home cooler as well. Other ideas for updating your roof include using a standing seam metal roof on more contemporary properties; look for metal roofs in a light or cool color to get the latest in roofing trends. Or, for older style homes consider opting for a tile roof. Newer roof tiles are made of concrete – much more durable than older clay tiles, but with the many different shapes and styles available, you’ll have no trouble making a statement on your home.
6. Add a Porch
If you want to increase your home’s value and function at the same time, consider adding a front porch. Porches are listed as one of the additions most people would like to see on a home, providing not only a welcoming look to the façade, but also more outdoor living space as well. Porches can be as large or as small as you’d like; just make sure that they have enough space to include seating and other functional options, such as fans, fire pits or storage to increase their style and their versatility.
7. Add Some Texture
Another popular exterior remodeling idea right now involves adding some texture to your home’s exterior. That could mean adding a brick or stone veneer skirt or accent wall, or it could mean adding some cedar or cedar-look shingles to a section of your home. Modern homes can make great use of architectural wall panels, corrugated metal panels, or even stucco to add the texture with a clean and updated look at the same time.
8. Replace Your Shutters
Many homes have generic-style shutters that are not only fixed and non-functional, but unattractive as well. This doesn’t have to be the case, however; there are several stylish exterior shutters available today including country and mid-century modern styles that can enhance your home’s curb appeal. Look for shutter styles that compliment your home’s exterior architecture, and consider a bold color to really make them stand out.
9. Enlarge Your Windows
Windows are often considered the eyes of the home. If you have too few or too small windows on your home’s front, it can detract from its style, while keeping the interior dark as well. Consider enlarging your windows, adding a bay or picture window, or simply changing the size and shape of your existing windows to add dimension to your exterior.
10. Adjust Your Landscaping
Never overlook the importance of landscaping when it comes to your home’s exterior. Adding some well-placed shrubs and plants up against your home can hide a multitude of sins, while at the same time bringing some much-needed color and life to the area. Just take care not to cover windows or light sources as you plant.
11. Update Your Driveway
(Photo courtesy of www.truegridpaver.com)
Your driveway is another important part of your home’s curb appeal, and shouldn’t be overlooked. Add stability to your driveway with permeable driveway pavers or consider creating a more decorative option including stamped concrete ground pavers or bricks that can add a finishing touch to your façade.
12. Add Exterior Lighting
Make sure your façade can be seen no matter what time of day or night by adding some exterior lighting. Sconces, over the door lights, and accent lights can all help illuminate your exterior, making it visible at night, as well as easier to navigate for guests approaching after dark. If your home has large soffits or overhangs beneath your roof, you can also install some discreet lights in this area as well, which can help to define your roofline after dark.
13. Enlarge the Entryway
For many styles of homes, such as ranches, which have small, undefined entry areas, a new trend is to create a larger, more welcoming front door area. This may include building a “tower” such as those seen on Colonial style homes, or merely widening the front steps and adding some glass inserts on either side of the door. Calling more attention to this section of your home’s façade is a great way to welcome guests and increase curb appeal at the same time.
14. Enhance Your Walkway
Make the area leading up to your front door just as welcoming and attractive as the rest of your home. Widen the walkway itself, and invest in some new material such as stamped concrete pavers to create a more intricate and detailed path. You can also include built-in seating or conversation areas to increase the versatility of your landscaping and add interest to the area as well. Make sure you include some additional lighting in this area, possibly by including lights low to the ground that can unobtrusively light the path without taking away from its style at night.
15. Replace Your Garage Doors
(Photo Courtesy of www.timberlane.com)
Standard garage doors may be serviceable, but they do nothing for your home’s appearance or curb appeal. If you have been experiencing issues with your garage door lately such as figuring out how to diagnose a noisy garage door, it may be time for an upgrade. Consider replacing them with something more decorative, such as carriage style doors, carved doors, or contemporary style doors to give a fresh look to this section of your home.
16. Top Your Chimney
If your home has a chimney, is it capped for protection from the elements and small animals? Chimney caps are an important addition to this functional area of your home, but they can also add a lot of interest to your roofline as well. Consider using a decorative cap made of stone or wrought iron to call attention to your chimney and to dress up your roof, while you add function and protection at the same time.
17. Fence Your Property
A fence can be a welcome addition to any property. Fences help keep kids and pets safe, but they do so much more for your curb appeal as well. Fencing can help define your property, while adding style and interest. Look for decorative wood fences that use horizontal slats instead of vertical for a fresh new look, or consider investing in new, low maintenance vinyl fences that will keep your property looking great for many years to come.
