Winter curb appeal

Got zero flowers and near-barren trees at the moment? Don’t worry. There are other ways to make your home look inviting and attractive during the colder months…

It’s easy to make our homes look good on the outside during summertime, as Mother Nature does most of the work for us. But when autumn turns to winter, it becomes more difficult to maintain that inviting exterior. Fortunately it is possible to create winter curb appeal without breaking the bank.

Clean up – Your lawn may no longer be green or need mowing, but you should still keep it looking neat and tidy. Rake up any leaves and other debris, remove weeds and trim the edges once a month. Keep an eye out for fallen tree branches and trim trees and bushes (try pruning them in a pattern that will accent the home). Bushes should be cut at the same height and stop just below windows, while tree branches should be cut so that they almost frame the house. By cutting them, they will look more manicured and won’t drop as many dead branches. Sweep the pavement and driveway regularly, as well as the patio or deck, and clean the gutters where leaves tend to accumulate.

Light the way – It gets dark before most of us get home from work during winter, so it’s important to have proper outdoor lighting; for one thing it will make your home safer. If you live in an area without much street lighting, lights on either side of the driveway can act as a beacon to you and night-time visitors. Walkway lights and garage sconces will help illuminate the driveway and path to your door. Make sure the garage lights are working and check the bulbs on any motion-sensor lights. Replace dim outside bulbs with brighter ones. A nice wrought-iron lantern hanging on a post can add a homely feel, or use a series of path lights to illuminate the way to your front door (or flank the door with decorative sconces or lanterns). Solar lights are easy to push into the ground and can brighten up a driveway or sidewalk leading to your house. You can even upgrade the entrance light to something more striking or install some well-placed floodlights to show off interesting architectural aspects of your home.

Add some colour – Spruce up your home’s exterior with a few pops of colour in key areas. One quick way is to repaint the front door a bright red, green, blue or yellow. Add to that a new door handle, some shiny new house numbers and a colourful welcome mat. If painting the front door is not an option, think about replacing it completely. Even one exterior accent wall painted a bold colour can make a big difference. Or if you want to go big, add a fresh coat of paint to the whole exterior of your home.

Plant in pots – Get some nice, bright pots, plant them up with some evergreen shrubs and line them up near the front door and along the walkway or driveway for an instant lift. Shrubs may not sprout masses of beautiful blooms, but many come in beautiful shades of green, gold and even purple. Place two potted plants on each side of the front door to help frame it and bring it to life. You can even dot a few pots around the patio and pool area for some colour on grey days.

Give the post box a makeover – Do something funky with your post box. Paint it, park a pot-plant next to it; anything to make it stand out more. This goes hand in hand with replacing your existing house number with new digits.

Do some repairs – If your home has any gates, take some time to ensure they open and close without getting stuck or screeching in protest. Repair or replace latches and hinges, and make sure they’re well-oiled. Remove any overgrown creepers or other clutter from fences and fill in any wall cracks. Bare trees in winter reveal a clearer view of your home, showing up exterior imperfections, such as faded or chipped paint, rusted gutters, fencing and so on.

Embellish the garden – Add some interesting non-plant items to your garden to liven it up. Think shiny garden ornaments, outdoor sculptures, a water feature and/or colourful bird feeder. Gravel, sand, stone and rock beds offer one way to add visual interest and a lawn-free alternative to your surroundings. Or create a fire-pit area with some built-in seating for cosy nights under the stars.