Know your home’s architectural style. Is it Midcentury Modern, Colonial, Georgian, or maybe Spanish? Get smart about your region’s climate and local environmental issues that might affect your landscaping choices, like water rationing in a drought zone or planting annuals that will have to be changed out every couple of months. Look at it through the eyes of a first-time visitor.
Is it easy to find?Does it say “welcome”?Does it stand out, like in a bad way?
It’s definitely time for an update, so why not make sure the house numbers are legible, easy to find, attractive, and in a font that complements your home’s architectural style? Or, from a design perspective, do you have a cast iron mailbox that would look better with a Georgian or neo-Colonial home than your Midcentury-modern? It’s a simple and quick change that can start to make an improvement. If you have a front porch, make sure it’s freshly painted, repaired, clean, and nicely furnished. Don’t forget container plants, light fixtures, outdoor pillows, and doormats as extras to help spruce up the entry and welcome visitors as they approach your front door. Also, think about repainting your front door with something colorful that goes well with your home’s exterior or replace the door if it’s in poor shape or the style doesn’t match the home’s architecture. Make a note of any changes you’d like to make and add them to the ever-increasing list. Hire a designer or contractor to assist you in choosing colors for the exterior, trim, railings, and other architectural features. The same goes for hedges, a thirsty lawn in a drought region, or high-maintenance shrubs that need weekly haircuts. Depending on your skills and time, this can be a do-it-yourself undertaking or you might want to enlist the services of a landscape designer or landscape contractor.
Are they well maintained? Do I need to trim them?Are the plants and shrubs I have spaced out well? Does it look cluttered and cramped or open and welcoming?Is it time to replace certain plants that aren’t holding up? Should I try something new?
