10 Ways to Add Curb Appeal to Your Home

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As the owner of www.FlowerWindowBoxes.com I have focused on growing my business through high end curb appeal accent pieces you can easily add to your home to increase it's value. All of our pieces are easy enough to install yourself or if you're not up to the task, they can be installed by a handyman or contractor.  I've put together a list of 10 items we offer that can quickly transform you home and increase it's resale value.  

1. Window Boxes. Window boxes are a cheap way to splash color on a home.  What's great about them is that you only have to get one flower box to change the look.  Many of these boxes range from $60-$200 depending on the size and come in dozens of styles and hundreds of sizes to fit any window.  They can be painted to match the home or left in white the way they arrive.  You can fill them up with flowers and plants and instantly change the look of a home.

2. Planters. Sometimes ground planters make more sense.  Not every home has an easily accessible window that makes a lot of sense for a window box.  Entrance planters work great on either side of a front door or for a front porch without railings you can fill in the space between columns to keep the space very open and inviting while maintaining visibility.

3. Railing Planters. If you've got lots of railing space on the front of your home sometimes all that railing can be overpowering.  A good way to transform the rail is to hang flower boxes over the edge of the rail.  Measure the space between posts and try a box out that's about 1-2 feet short of that length.  Odds are that if one box looks good you might be able to add a few more.

4. Exterior Shutters. Shutters are great for adding color, however, you may be committing to a big purchase, especially if you have a lot of windows on the front of your home.  Nowadays, people use exterior shutters for curb appeal on just the front of the home.  Functionality is not as important as it used to be so getting shutters that are narrow, around 15" wide is usually effective in creating the desired outcome.  You can get several paint samples from Sherwin-Williams first and hold them up to your house next to the windows to try to lock in on the correct color to the perfect contrast to your home.

5. Gable Brackets. These cedar accents are the triangular wooden pieces up in the peaks of your roof.  They can be very attractive and add a craftsman touch to a plain home.  You'll need to measure the pitch angle of the roof first before you order these to make sure they fit.  They can be stained for a nice natural wood look or painted the same as your fascia boards to blend in with the color.

6. Cedar Corbels. Corbels are small, but effective accent pieces.  A few of these can be placed in the roofline as accents.  You can also use them for an outdoor fireplace to give a rustic look.  

7. Overhang Brackets.  If you've got a garage roof overhang or other shallow roof overhang then there's a chance that putting a couple of support brackets underneath will totally transform your overhang.  Some overhangs don't require brackets to support them because they are built in such a way that the load bearing portions are inside the wall holding it up.  That's ok, you can still add brackets underneath to simulate the load bearing look.  Large brackets can make a wow statement.

8. Post Braces. If you've got posts on the front of your home then post braces is something to think about.  These are the little wood, diagonal accents that stabilize a post from swaying but also give it a decorative touch.  You can shop these online or make a cardboard cutout of one and hold it up to your post to get a good look at one before ordering.

9. Rafter Tails.  Rafter tails are super easy.  A rafter tail is the end part of a long rafter with a curved design in it.  Whereas putting in full decorative rafter beams is expensive you can add a few rafter tails to the outside of the home to make it look like these large beams are passing through the house and holding up the roof.  They'll give a very Craftsman or Victorian vibe to any home for a real low cost.

10. Window Headers.  If you're home is made of siding and the windows look plain at the top then you can add a window pediment or header above it to give it a little detail.  This is a great idea when you've got big gaps above the window that need to be broken up or lessened.

About the Author

Matthew Buquoi is the owner of Flower Window Boxes, Inc. a high end curb appeal and flower box company specializing in window boxes, planters, exterior shutters, and cedar accent pieces.