Sprucing up the outside of your home adds both character to your home as well as additional safety. A well kept home is both a reflection on your personal style as well as a safety feature, for a well manicured home makes it exceedingly difficult for burglars to covertly break into the home.
Landscaping your home does not have to be a huge, expensive project. Here are five simple DIY renovations that will inexpensively and efficiently update up the area:
1. Garden
Landscaping the yard with colorful, drought-resistant plants adds a welcoming atmosphere to the home that does not cost much to upkeep. Made to survive with little maintenance and water, drought-resistant plants range from long grass like buffalo grass to eye-catching plants like hearty, brightly colored hydrangeas, which can be planted in just a day’s work. Plus the front garden is the perfect area to display your home security sign, alerting anyone who sees your home that you are protected. Check out http://1stchoicehomesecurity.com/ to find a system and sign suitable for your needs.
2. Window Boxes
Adding a window box to the home’s outside front adds a visual interest, especially for whimsical, cottage-like homes. Window boxes are rich in character, visually appealing, and extremely welcoming. And, as an added bonus, plants inside of the box adds color and vibrancy to the home’s front.
Depending upon personal style, you can leave the constructed boxes a natural wood color or painted to accent the home. Use inexpensive materials like reclaimed wood or recycled materials from wholesale construction stores. Often times these places have new or gently used wood items that can easily be used to construct any outside wood feature.
3. Walkway Lighting
Low-voltage landscape lighting creates a finished look, while providing safety and security. Fixtures can accent a walkway, a garden, or illuminate the yard when placed in trees or strung across the patio. Additionally, many lightscape fixtures are solar-powered, thus they automatically turn on and off with daylight, saving money on utility bills.
4. Front Door and Garage Door
The front door is the main focal point of the home, and it sets the tone for the home’s overall visual appearance. You can add so much style to your home by simply painting the door a bold color and adding new fixtures like a brass metal or antique door handle. Likewise, the garage door is usually visible from the street and can easily be elevated with a simple paint job. These small changes will have a big impact on the design appearance of your home.
5. Front Porch
If you have the space outside of your home, try your hand at building a small porch. An outdoor porch has a homey element to it that creates such a warm and inviting atmosphere around your home. Although it is a bigger undertaking than other outdoor projects, it is a relatively simple task that can be completed easily on your own.