When building or renovating your home, an often overlooked area of attention is not even within the walls of your house. The outside of your home is just as important of a feature, specifically in regard to your landscaping. In fact, according to the Washington Post, curb appeal can increase the value of your home by anywhere from 5 to 20 percent. With cooler weather upon us in Texas, now may be the perfect time to work on changes and refresh your curb appeal.

Trim and Prune

Oftentimes, homeowners think a large plant signifies a healthy and visually appealing plant when this just isn’t the case. Shrubs, bushes, and other plants that are subject to overgrowth can look messy. You could also be hindering their flowering properties when plants are allowed to grow too large. Most landscapers would agree that a bare spot in a landscaping area would be better than a dead or diseased plant, so remove any that are past their prime. Seek to find a balance between lawn, earth, and plants; with the understanding, that not all of your lawn has to be green. This applies to grass and low-growing shrubbery.

Planters for Change

Planters are an economical and easy way to add additional color, utilize seasonal plants, or simply have plants you can move to different areas of your lawn to try new looks. Planters are also a great way to test your skills with new plants because you can adjust the location for sunlight and moisture levels for the planter itself. Seasonals, herbs, some vegetables, flowering plants, and even some types of moss are great choices for planters. Do not forget planters need to be maintained regularly too; weeding and pruning apply as well.

Exterior Structure

The exterior of homes gets dirty even when exposed to regular doses of rain. Hitting the walls and windows with a spray attachment on your hose will knock off most of the grime that collects. According to Texas Home and Garden, it’s better to save the power washing for the driveway and sidewalks; the power washer “[…] may be too powerful for your home exterior.” They also advise using a water and vinegar mix to wash the exterior of your windows. While cleaning the outside of the home, take notice of any hardware or lighting that needs tightening or replacing. Changing out door handles, adding a light, or other tweaks are great ways to alter the look of your home in a few hour's time.

Extend Your Living Space

There are so many benefits to extending your living space to an outside deck, porch, or patio. Adding a roof or awning, complete with lighting and an outdoor ceiling fan provides a place to visit or watch the kids play throughout the day. Consider new seating or a porch swing to give a comfortable place to sit and enjoy the hard work put into your landscaping. Planters, as mentioned above, can add easily adjustable places to try new plants or to add pops of color to your sitting area. Best of all, with a little tweaking, you can add space to the front or the back of your home.

While Gerard is known for building and renovating homes, we can help with your exterior plans as well. We have a reputation for completing the whole home, including landscaping plans. See our project gallery or contact us for more information.