Are you looking to refresh the look of your property, make your guests and family feel welcome, or sell your home for top dollar? The first impression means everything, and this all starts with curb appeal. Making your property feel manicured and welcoming does not need to cost top dollar.
These were the first 5 things that we worked on at our cottage, in preparation to turn this into our first vacation rental property!
1. Paint the front door
For the price of a small can of paint and some tools, you can freshen up your front door to look brand new. The front door is the point of entry into your home and should feel welcoming to visitors, while representing the style of your home. You can play it safe with classic colours like white and black, or offer a more bold statement with a bright and inviting colour. We opted for a bright red that would reflect nicely in the sun, and coordinate well with the blue and white trim of the cottage. We suggest speaking to your local paint expert for tips on surface preparation, and picking the right type of paint for this application.
2. Update the light fixtures and mailbox
We liked the style of light fixtures on the patio area, so did not opt to replace those. We simply cleaned and touched them up with a coat of paint – the same as the front door to create a coherent look. The front door light fixture was in need of replacement however! The black metal clashed with the other finishes, and we replaced it with a white fixture that now ties into the house trim. Browsing local hardware stores and buying one on sale helped keep this cost low. We do not have a mailbox, but that would also be a simple element to change and coordinate with your fixtures. We spray painted a door knocker white and added it to the door to further decorate the entrance.
3. Change the address number
Our address number was small and not easily legible from far. In preparation for the guests that would stay here, we knew that adding larger modern numbers was going to be important to help locate the property and update the look from the cross-street. The original address was carved within a unique plaque, so we opted to keep it and hang it by the front door where it would be noticed upon arrival.
4. Clean and Pressure Wash all surfaces
A pressure washer is a great tool to have for regular maintenance of your home and property. In our case, being close to the water, there are many birds and wildlife in the area. Unfortunately, sometimes these birds can leave a mess on your house and windows. Pressure washing the exterior surfaces and deck area was a quick way to make the siding sparkle again, and rejuvenate the overall look of the property.
5. Trim the trees, bushes and grass
An overgrown yard can lead you to imagine that perhaps the inside of the house is just as messy as the outside. Depending on the size of your yard this can be a more laborious task, however it makes a huge difference to the property. A manicured lawn shows discipline, care and cleanliness; this is important when trying to sell your home, or in our case host travelers and guests. With some simple garden shears we took care of the larger shrubs, and hired routine lawn care professionals to regularly maintain the grass.
Overall, these few small touches have made our property feel more modern and inviting. All it took as a little bit of research and some elbow grease to make these simple transformations. It is a good place to start if you are unsure about your budget, or planning for larger renovation projects. We’ve done what we could DIY, and the next step to increase the curb appeal of this property will involve larger landscaping projects once the budget allows. Stay tuned for more!