When it comes to your home’s appearance, it’s crucial not to overlook the most important piece of all; the exterior. Your home’s exterior is the first thing people see when they pull up. Known as curb appeal, this first impression says a lot about the rest of your home, influencing everything from its overall style to its resale value.
Exterior Home Décor Ideas
So, when the time comes to give your exterior an update, make the most of it with these 7 exterior home décor ideas.
1. Warm Up with Copper
Gutters are an integral part of your home’s exterior; every home needs them to help direct water away from the roof. And while most people opt for either white-painted aluminum of vinyl gutters, opting for something more unusual, such as copper can make a big statement on your home’s exterior.
Copper gutters have a rich, warm color to them that instantly dresses up the rest of your home’s façade. According to John Anderson, owner of Fort Collins Roofing, over time copper also weathers to a warm brown before eventually becoming a delicate verdigris green. Copper gutters also last considerably longer than aluminum or vinyl gutters do, making them an investment that has lasting value.
2. Dress Your Home in Shingles
When it comes to your siding, you have a lot of options to choose from. Horizontal lap siding, board-and-batten siding, ship lap, and all kinds of shingles. Regardless of what type of siding you choose for the majority of your home’s exterior, consider opting for some decorative shingles to show off various architectural elements of the façade.
Decorative shingles in the shape of half rounds or octagons can be used to cover towers, additions, or simply to pick out the areas directly beneath the eaves. Done in the same color as the rest of your home, or in a contrasting shade, decorative shingles can help dress up any home.
3. Trim Out Your Windows
Windows are the eyes of your home, they help you see out and others to see in. A window that’s too small for the area it’s installed in, however, can detract from your home’s curb appeal. Some people opt to install shutters to help enlarge the appearance of their windows, but there are other ways to dress them and trim them out, too.
Fiber cement architectural panels and trim are one way to get a unique, decorative appearance for your windows. Trim out the window with an extended panel below each pane of glass to make the windows appear larger, and your home to appear more decorative than before.
4. Invest in Moldings
Many people know to make the most of their front door, with bold colors and glass insets, the door can be a great focal point for the home. To make even more of this area, consider trimming out the area just above with decorative moldings. Done in a contrasting trim to the rest of your siding, a molding can help attract attention to this area, giving it a more substantial look and feel. Moldings that contain finials and other decorative elements can also help to enhance the specific architecture of your home as well.
5. Light It Up with Sconces
Lighting is as important on your home’s exterior as it is on the interior. That’s why many people choose to invest in some type of exterior lighting, either leading up to the home or directly near the door.
Consider investing in sconces for either side of your door to both offer light, and to create a more interesting façade at the same time. Exterior lighting sconces are available in a range of metal finishes, sizes, and styles. So, whether your home is contemporary or traditional in style, you can easily find something that complements it, and brings out its best.
6. Be Unconventional with Board-and-Batten Shutters
If you have a traditional or rustic style home, consider doing away with the more ubiquitous shutter style that can be seen on most homes, and hang some board and batten style shutters as well. Created out of vertical boards with a horizontal slat at the top and bottom, these shutters are reminiscent of the popular board-and-batten siding style, and can add some extra interest and detail to your home.
7. Create a Fresh Look with Window Boxes
Landscaping is an important piece of your home’s curb appeal, but it isn’t the only way that you can enhance its appearance with fresh flowers or greens. Window boxes are a fantastic way of dressing up your home’s exterior and enhancing its looks. Look for boxes that match some feature of your home’s exterior, such as copper boxes if you have copper gutters or wooden boxes painted the same color as your trim, and keep them filled with fresh flowers or greens to help cheer up your façade no matter what shape your garden is in.
Create a Beautiful Home
There are many ways to you can create the home of your dreams, but while you focus on your interiors, don’t neglect your exterior façade. These 7 exterior home décor ideas will help you achieve the home you’re after, both inside and out.
