Having a home with a lot of curb appeal can be more than just maintaining your lawn by keeping the grass cut and getting rid of the weeds. It’s about creating an inviting and eye-catching exterior that gets people to turn their heads. Here are some of the best yard upgrades that won’t break the bank and will make your home more appealing.
First impressions are everything, and the yard is one of the first things people notice when they are looking at houses on sale. From eco-friendly habitats to artistic pathways, these innovative ideas will transform your yard into something amazing.
Introduce Plants
This may be a huge shock for many people, but traditional lawns don’t grab the attention they used to. Try swapping some of your traditional grass and replacing it with native plants and wildflowers. You’ll have a lush garden-yard hybrid that people will notice.
This approach not only reduces your water consumption but will also create an inviting low maintenance yard that will stand out to anyone, including potential buyers. This habitat will also attract pollinators like bees, adding an ecosystem of life to your yard.
Artisanal Pathways
Standard concrete walkways are commonplace, and don’t stand out all that much. Rather try artistic paving designs instead. Even mosaics, when used correctly, won’t look tacky. Using materials like wood and colored tiles can create a unique and attractive path that will also work as functional art.
What would have otherwise been a boring path that only suited functionality can now be an attractive art installation or even a centerpiece. Brick and stone can be used for a more modern look, so try experimenting with different materials to see what best suits the look you want.
Plants On Fences
Fences usually serve a purpose, such as showing your property line, and act as a form of privacy. However, there is potential to spruce them up a bit and more eye-catching than just a drab wooden fence. The most cost-effective and simplest way to achieve this is to hang wall planters on the fence.
These planters don’t take up any space on the ground, can be uninstalled in a heartbeat if they aren’t desired, and don’t require any permanent modification of your fence. They’ll create lush greenery and a welcoming feeling for visitors or one who passes by.
Lighting Systems
A well lit yard isn’t enough, and cleverly placed lights can increase curb appeal, especially if buyers visit the property at night. Smart lighting systems that automatically come on at night and can be controlled by hand are a nice bonus. Solar powered lights are a nice alternative, and are fairly inexpensive.
Design your night lighting to illuminate pathways and highlight architectural features. This will create a modern ambiance that makes your home unique in the neighborhood. Smart lights can even be programmed to change colors or brightness depending on the time or event.
Edible Landscaping
Yards can be so much more than just empty space in front of your property. Edible landscaping combines beauty with practicality and convenience. Planting edible plants like herbs, fruit trees, or vegetables in your yard will boost its appeal instantly and give you a valuable source of food.
Raised berry bushes and vegetable beds are aesthetically pleasing installations that serve a purpose – providing fresh produce. Seeing vegetables and fruits in a front yard will raise your home’s aesthetics and curb appeal instantly.
Outdoor Sculptures
It would be a shame if the lights in your yard had nothing to illuminate at night. Outdoor sculptures can be an eye-catching piece both during the day and at night. These installations will draw the focus of any visitors as a clever way of making them look where you want them to look. Visitors will also remember your house because of these unique structures.
These sculptures challenge the notion that landscaping is good enough by itself and add a unique twist to modern aesthetics. A large metal sculpture or mosaic mural can be an iconic part of not only your home but also a neighborhood landmark.
Painted Driveway
Some renovations to your property can cost you a pretty penny, and this is no different from repaving a driveway. Instead, consider going out and getting some decorative paint or stencils to create all sorts of different textures and patterns. This is relatively cheap and will set your home apart from the rest.
Using vibrant colors and geometric patterns can be a bold choice but if they fit your home’s style, then they’ll only add to the visual cohesion of your property that starts at your driveway and only extends into your yard and home.
Flower Beds
Flower beds are nothing new when it comes to landscaping and are often a go-to way to enhance the visual appeal of a yard. However, one of the biggest issues for flower beds is the change of seasons. You don’t want lush flowers in one season and nothing but dirt during another.
Planting evergreen shrubs and perennials will solve this problem and can keep your yard looking lush in every season and not just in summer. Combining spring tulips and summer sunflowers can also add variety, meaning that each plant will greet you as the season changes.
Functional Yard Features
Adding functional installations to your yard that are also pleasing to the eye can engage visitors and create a much more welcoming atmosphere. Birdhouses can be built easily or bought from hardware stores, and they will attract indigenous birds and make your yard more vibrant and stand out.
If you have children, a small swing set or seesaw can add to the visual appeal and attract potential buyers with children as long as they stay well-maintained and aren’t neglected.