7 Home improvement projects that add value (and 3 that don't)
A new mirror and light fixtures can easily transform the look of a bathroom. bathroom image. 4. Remodel the attic or basement. Adding square footage to your ...
curb appeal
First impressions count. Enhancing your home’s <anchor>curb appeal</anchor> can be as simple as scrubbing your home’s siding or as intricate as adding a new walkway. It does not need to be expensive to be effective.
35 Curb Appeal Ideas for the Best Front Yard on the Block​
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# 35 Curb Appeal Ideas for the Best Front Yard on the Block

Add budget-friendly curb appeal to your home with these upgrades you can do in a day, weekend, or month, from freshening your garden to replacing your mailbox.

By

Sheryl Geerts is an editor and author who has nearly three decades of writing and editing experience. She enjoys writing about garden, food, and home topics. Her bylines have appeared in Better Homes and Gardens, Allrecipes, Martha Stewart Living, and several other publications.

Updated on May 15, 2024

Fact checked by

Emily Estep is a plant biologist and journalist who has worked for a variety of online news and media outlets, writing about and editing topics that range from film and beauty to science and the automobile industry. Her plant biology degree has a focus on sustainable agriculture, and she's an expert on growing your own food, environmental sciences, and all topics relating to houseplants.

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Photo:
Brian McWeeney

Update your front yard, porch, and entryway to welcome visitors with a beautiful first impression. Check out these simple, low-cost curb appeal ideas for improvements you can do in a day, a week, or a month while on a budget. When your home looks good at first glance, everyone (including potential homebuyers) will want to see what's inside.

01of 35

## Curb Appeal in a Day: Replace Old Hardware

Jason Donnelly

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're dingy or need to be updated, your home may not convey the aesthetic you think it does. These curb appeal ideas 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.

02of 35

## Curb Appeal in a Day: Install Window Boxes

Adam Albright

Window boxes are a curb appeal idea that offers a fast, easy way to bring color and charm to your home. Choose boxes made from copper or iron for a traditional look. 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.

03of 35

## Curb Appeal in a Day: Paint the Front Door

Brian McWeeney

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.

04of 35

## Curb Appeal in a Day: Create Perfect Symmetry

Julie Soefer

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

05of 35

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

David Land

Invite guests to pull up a chair and stay a while with welcoming porch furniture. Look for seating with skids to help prevent damage to your surfaces. 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. Comfortable outdoor seating is a curb appeal idea that encourages everyone to engage with neighbors and participate in street-side activities.

06of 35

## Curb Appeal in a Day: Install Outdoor Lighting

Hedrich-Blessing

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) are budget-friendly and easy to install.

07of 35

## Curb Appeal in a Day: Do a Mailbox Makeover

Kritsada Panichgul

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.

08of 35

## Curb Appeal in a Day: Renew Planter Beds

Laurie Black

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.

09of 35

## Curb Appeal in a Day: Create an Instant Garden

Aaron Menken, Hatch & Maas Collective

Container gardens are a curb appeal idea that adds a welcoming feel and color 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. A staggered, asymmetrical arrangement works best for most landscapes to create a dynamic setting.

10of 35

## Curb Appeal in a Day: Plant Trees

Werner Straube

Planting small ornamental trees is worthwhile if you're preparing the house for sale soon. If you're staying put, think long-term and try oaks, maples, honey locusts, or other large and robust species suitable for your region. Consider fast-growing species or small ornamental trees, such as pagoda dogwood, redbud, flowering pear, river birch, or Japanese maple; these can add dramatic interest without requiring years to get established.

11of 35

## Curb Appeal in a Day: Accent with Colorful Furniture

Kim Cornelison

Add a pop of color to your front porch with outdoor furniture in a bright shade. Use the color wheel to find a complementary color for your home. Here, tangerine orange perfectly contrasts the dark blue-gray siding. Updating your porch with colorful outdoor furniture is an easy way to boost curb appeal on a budget.

12of 35

## Curb Appeal in a Day: Coordinate Hardware

Cameron Sadeghpour

Address numbers, mailboxes, locksets, and porch lights are simple curb appeal upgrades. Although these elements are small, they add a lot of polish to your home's look. Keep the finishes consistent, so the pieces look like an ensemble of accessories, not a batch of mismatched hardware.

13of 35

## Curb Appeal in a Day: Power Wash Exterior Surfaces

John Stoffer

Take a weekend to freshen up your home's exterior. Aluminum, wood, and vinyl siding are safe surfaces to power wash, as are wood decks and concrete sidewalks. If you don't own a power washer, you can rent one from your local home improvement center. Cleaning the siding is an easy way to boost curb appeal on a budget.

14of 35

## Curb Appeal in a Day: Install a New Storm Door

Kim Cornelison

Many homes have inexpensive aluminum screen doors that hide a more attractive entry door. For an eye-catching look, paint your storm door in an accent color, or look for one with larger glass panels and a sturdier frame. Install a full-view storm door design to allow the front door color to shine through.

15of 35

## Curb Appeal in Day: Practice Lawn Care

Kim Cornelison

One of the least-expensive improvements you can make to improve curb appeal requires two simple steps:

- Apply a weed-and-feed treatment to your lawn to ensure the grass has the soil nutrients it needs and doesn't have to compete with weeds.
- Sharpen your lawnmower blade regularly and cut the grass at or near the mower's tallest setting.

16of 35

## Curb Appeal in a Day: Hang a Wreath

Cameron Sadeghpour

Whether placed on your front door or beside it, a wreath is a simple way to personalize your entry. This living monogram planter was created using spray-painted cedar boards and chicken wire. The interior is filled with peat moss and a variety of succulents.

17of 35

## 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 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.

18of 35

## Curb Appeal in a Weekend: Make a Grand Entry

Robert Brinson

Even with a small budget, there are curb appeal ideas that will draw attention to your front door and entryway. Add a few well-chosen and nicely arranged plants on the front porch to create an inviting focal point. Molding is an architectural detail that adds definition when applied to the sides and top of the doorway. Notice how the white door casing makes this door stand out.

19of 35

## Curb Appeal in a Weekend: Create a New Planting Bed

Laurie Black

Add contrast and color to your home exterior with a new planting bed. Prime spots for improving 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.

20of 35

## Curb Appeal in a Weekend: Add Shutters or Accent Trim

Richard Leo Johnson

Shutters and trim are curb appeal ideas that add a welcoming layer of beauty 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.

21of 35

## Curb Appeal in a Weekend: Replace Gutters and Downspouts

Greg Scheidemann

If your home has an older gutter system, odds are it's also suffering from poor gutter maintenance. Peeling paint, rust spots, drooping, 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 become brittle and crack over time in cold weather. Copper systems, while pricier, convey an unmistakable look of quality and pretty curb appeal. For the best results, we recommend hiring a professional to install gutters.

22of 35

## Curb Appeal in a Weekend: Add Arbors or Fence Panels

Edward Gohlich

Arbors, garden gates, and short sections of decorative fence panels are curb appeal ideas that will enhance your garden and increase the 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.

23of 35

## Curb Appeal in a Weekend: Add Outdoor Art

Ginny Weiler

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 decor. Water sculptures function as yard art; the gurgling is soothing and makes hot days feel cooler. Place fountains on level ground in optimum hearing and sound vantage points.

24of 35

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

Stephen Cridland

Planting colorful flowers is a surefire curb appeal idea to boost your home's beauty. Use bold, bright hues to create a big impact, even with 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.

25of 35

## Curb Appeal in a Weekend: Beautify the Driveway

Erica George Dines

Line your driveway with lush greenery for a curb-appeal-boosting effect. The colors and textures of plants soften a driveway's expanse and make it look less utilitarian. Groundcovers and low-growing plants are best in beds along one or both sides of the driveway.

26of 35

## Curb Appeal in a Weekend: Install a Prefab Trellis

Laurie Black

For exterior design on a dime, use an arbor or trellis to give form to your front yard and complement your plantings. To make this curb appeal idea even more budget-friendly, build a DIY trellis. Then train a flowering vine up it for a gorgeous living wall treatment.

27of 35

## Curb Appeal in a Month: Upgrade Railings

Robert Brinson

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.

28of 35

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

Helen Norman

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.

29of 35

## Curb Appeal in a Month: Tile Your Doorstep

John Bessler

Create a permanent welcome mat by upgrading your front steps. Installing tile, pouring new concrete steps, or painting a porch floor or front stoop are curb appeal ideas that can drastically change the look of your home. 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.

30of 35

## Curb Appeal in a Month: Dress Up the Driveway

Helen Norman

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 driveway to widen it. Establishing a crisp, clear shift between paved and unpaved surfaces can help to set off a driveway and enhance curb appeal.

31of 35

## Curb Appeal in a Month: Build a Walkway

Matthew Benson

A well-designed walkway is a curb appeal idea that will make your home 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 labor-intensive upgrade, 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.

32of 35

## Curb Appeal in a Month: Apply Stone Veneer

Michael Partenio

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 is a long-lasting curb appeal idea for your home.

33of 35

## Curb Appeal in a Month: Boost Basic Concrete

Kim Cornelison Photography Inc.

Refresh a plain concrete walkway to boost your exterior's character. Install brick edging or apply a colorful concrete stain to the surface for a playful touch. This inexpensive curb appeal idea is a quick way to transform your front entry, driveway, or garden path.

34of 35

## Curb Appeal in a Month: Update Your Garage Door

Dana Gallagher

An attractive garage door is an essential part of curb appeal. Sectional doors can feature windows in an upper panel, and some higher-end versions mimic the look of traditional carriage-house doors. If a new garage door is out of the question, add character with a pergola, new lighting, or by painting it to coordinate with your exterior color scheme.

35of 35

## Curb Appeal in a Month: Slope Your Landscaping

Marty Baldwin

Use cut stone or precast decorative wall blocks for a high-end landscaped look for sloped areas that need terracing. To save on landscaping costs, build a retaining wall yourself.

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