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On this week’s podcast, we’re taking it outside to talk about curb appeal with architect and designer John Gidding and carpenter Rachel Taylor. First up, John joins Marianne to talk about the return of one of HGTV’s most popular shows ever — Curb Appeal. On the 2021 reboot — Curb Appeal Xtreme — John joins forces with horticulturist Jamie Durie and carpenter Rachel Taylor to overhaul home exteriors and landscapes. On the original Curb Appeal, the focus was solely on the front yard; this time around the team also tackles the back and side yards.

Marianne asks John about home exterior color trends. He says often the best colors will be dictated by the home’s architecture, but all-white homes are big right now. "The all-white with natural-wood tone look is in this year. That's for sure, I'm seeing it everywhere," says John. "A key component of the all-white look is to bring in natural-wood tones. So, whether in the front door or the shutters or a pergola or a trellis. You just have to make sure you pick the right color white,” adds John. “Sometimes whites can be a little too bleak and cold, that’s why warm whites are popular, but you don’t want to skew too yellow either.”

When asked about easy updates for your yard, John advises, "One of the most budget-friendly, easy upgrades that you can do for yourself is to find a corner where you can create an outdoor living space to entertain, to welcome a neighbor, for a chat. Bring in furniture that would normally keep inside." When it comes to the best investments for your yard, John mentions fire pits for expanding outdoor living space and garage doors for curb appeal value.

Next up, Marianne chats with carpenter Rachel Taylor, who is John’s co-host on Curb Appeal Xtreme. She shares her top tips for properly storing outdoor furniture during the off-season and reveals simple ways to disguise unsightly home elements like garbage cans and HVAC units. Rachel also talks about her favorite low-cost, high-impact yard update — creating outdoor living spaces. She says, "I think the most important thing to do though is to create a covering for the space. So, a pergola or even a pop-up tent is just a really great way to create an outdoor room that's dedicated to a certain activity."