Photo: Courtesy of @webbbrennan 

Increase Your Home's Curb Appeal with an Attractive Front Door

Curb appeal is an essential component of home value. Simply put, "curb appeal" refers to how good a home looks from the street to those who pass by. "If a home has curb appeal, it is attractive to the eye and inspires confidence. Great curb appeal helps sell a home faster and for more money because of the positive affect it has on buyers" (professionalstaging.com). In fact, according to a joint study published in the Journal of Real Estate Finance and Economics by the University of Alabama and the University of Texas at Arlington, homes with high curb appeal tend to sell for an average of 7 percent more than similar houses with an uninviting exterior and as high as 14 percent more in slower real estate markets with greater housing inventory (magazine.realtor). 

When you think about what creates good curb appeal, fresh exterior paint; manicured and vibrant landscaping; power-washed walls, driveway, and walkway; clean gutters; night-time lighting; etc., often come to mind. However, you might not consider the impact your front door has on your home's curb appeal. The look of well-thought-out door details, whether color; ornamentation; plants, flowers, and greenery; décor; lighting; etc.; makes a far more significant impact than you would first imagine.  

How to Create an Attractive Front Door 

1. Paint your front door a welcoming or vibrant color, or detail it in an imaginative, decorative design. 

A dramatic coat of front-door paint can refresh your home's exterior and make it pop from the street. According to Sue Kim, senior color designer at Valspar, "Current paint trends show a real shift towards using bolder and brighter colors outside, especially if you wish to sell" (homesandgardens.com). Color can even inspire mood. For example, interior designer Tyler Karu describes yellow as a color that inspires optimism (homesandgardens.com).  

In addition to painting your front door a striking color to make your home stand out, imaginative and decorative door detailing can add charm. For example, if your door has a window, you can frame it in a bright-white, scalloped trim. You can also incorporate hardware for a unique flare.   

2. Add plants or flowers.  

Greenery brings life to a space. If painting your door a vibrant hue is not your style, you can instead opt for placing a planter or pots of colorful flowers outside your front door to add natural color. Or, you can frame your door with a living wall. An abundant living wall can make a beautiful addition to the exterior of your home (homesandgardens.com). In addition to aesthetics, adding a living wall has practical benefits such as keeping your home cool, improving air quality, reducing noise, and attracting wildlife (homesandgardens.com). To create a vertical wall, you will need to root your greenery into a structure attached to an exterior or freestanding wall (homesandgardens.com). "Systems can range from something as simple as plant pots hung on a vertical wall, to highly sophisticated modular, hydroponic panels, where all the water and nutrient requirements of the plants are precision delivered and monitored electronically" (homesandgardens.com). 

3. Hang a Wreath 

A stylish wreath is an attractive accent that can easily be added to any front door. You can choose to bring some seasonal cheer with a wreath that you switch out for each holiday or season, or you can go with a more neutral selection that works year-round. Wreaths that bring a natural vibe with leaves, twigs, feathers, flowers, fruit, berries, etc., are always a good choice and can deliver a wonderfully wild look and create an ideal focal point for the entrance to your home (homesandgardens.com). According to Katie Smyth of Worm, a creative floral design studio based in London, people are drawn to handmade, natural décor ideas (homesandgardens.com). "There is nothing more satisfying than bringing in foraged moss, spring flowers, and bare branches from the backyard" (homesandgardens.com).  

4. Create Symmetry 

If you have a double front door, you can also "turn up the style by opting for a dual wreath for a symmetrical appearance. Symmetry is a technique used by interior designers to create a space that looks incredibly tidy and smart–and therefore calming and relaxing" (homesandgardens.com). Even if you do not have a double front door, you can still add symmetry by adding matching planters or pots on either side of your door. You can plant symmetrically clipped evergreens such as lollipop bay trees, smart box balls, and pompom conifers--adding strong shapes that will handsomely punctuate your front door (homesandgardens.com). According to garden designer Richard Miers, "Using sculpted evergreens is a timelessly elegant way to provide focal points" (homesandgardens.com). You can also create a symmetrical look by installing lanterns on either side of your front door.  

In Summary 

Giving your home the gift of high curb appeal does not have to be complicated or costly. It begins with the details and starts with the front door. 

Sources: 

homesandgardens.com 

magazine.realtor 

professionalstaging.com