We all have that one neighbor who just doesn’t put a lot of effort in how their home looks on the inside or outside. Sometimes it can be a budget issue, and sometimes it can be pure laziness.
As I work with clients, I have come to realize that aesthetics in one’s home just isn’t a priority. And then there are some people who strive to win their communities’ “Yard of the Month!” awards.
When I lived in Washington, D.C., my neighbor across the street would never keep his lawn, flower beds or home clean and neat. I would joke with him about it that it sure was nice that he could look out his window and see my well maintained home, but I had to look out my window and see his, and I don’t think he ever took the hint.
A few thoughts in making friends in your neighborhood:
Keep the lawn cut and trimmed. I cut 28 lawns of grass for neighbors in Kentucky when I was a kid. I learned early how important it was to keep a well maintained yard.
Add flowers. Flowers on the ground can add a lot of pop and color. You can keep it monochromatic or jazz it up with a variety of colors.
Nature offers some very beautiful shades! And don’t forget flower boxes. Maybe on a porch rail or a second story window, it is nice to see cascading greens and flowers pouting from the planter.
Flowers add a lot of texture and dimension, even if you don’t choose a lot of color. Potted plants give you great flexibility because you can place them anywhere. Maybe you have some steps that are a hazard and a pot can help to block the issue in a most creative way.
Paint the front door. Consider a color that compliments the walls, shutters and landscape. Sometimes a bold color can make a great statement, but make sure not to intimidate your guests dining when they reach your doorbell.
Considering a door and shutter color is like considering a pillow for a sofa inside. It helps to give a layered and well put together look.
If you have seating on your front porch area, consider some comfortable seating. Add some pops of color with pillows. Your door and shutter colors can be pulled from your fabrics. If there is a space, a rug can help ground your furniture and again, offer pops of color!
House numbers are very important for emergency vehicles or even for that Amazon delivery. But consider a more decorative option and placement.
Many homes’ garages face the front of the property. We have all seen those large and boring garage doors. There are a variety of options when selecting a replacement door. You no longer have to settle for a boring textured white door with big black decorative hinges.
I like to use the wood grained metal doors that look like real wood, without the maintenance. Consider glass options that could help continue your theme of the home.
Many of my friends and clients love to hang seasonal door wreaths. This also helps to add character, color and texture. And it can be a fun hobby for the whole family!
Let’s talk about the home itself. The pictures I have included are of a recent project I was a part of. My client was tired of the basic beige walls. He wanted to know my thoughts.
First off, there is a lot of flagstone, both on the walking area and the short walls that can be seen. This flagstone was mostly in shades of gray. So his beige walls were a little too much of a contrast. I recommended we move to a gray scheme.
So, my client agreed and asked me to select a color. I surprised them by telling them they needed TWO shades of gray! For one thing, if the basic beige on all of the walls bored my client, then an all gray color was going to be just as flat.
We needed to give dimension and pop to the elevation. And, luckily for me, the architecture made it very easy for me. Considering the home has two sections that had a peak, these were the two areas that needed to shine.
I suggested a light/medium gray for most of the walls and a medium/dark gray on the two peaked sections. Considering the peaked sections had white hurricane shutters, it helped to make them become more prominent as well.
We left the gray roof and the black shutters and wood entry door, so this was just a repaint of the home itself. And look at the difference!
