25 Ways to Get Instant Curb Appeal for Less Than $100

First impressions matter. Enhance your front yard so people will stop and stare at the first glance. The good thing is, it doesn't have to cost a fortune.

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By: Jacquelyn McGilvray

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Eye-Catching Charm on a Small Budget

There are dozens of small, inexpensive home improvements that can boost your home's curb appeal. A few minor upgrades can add up to a finished look that you can take pride in. And if you’re selling your home, improving its curb appeal can have a big impact. Many of these budget-friendly updates involve landscaping and maintenance while others are purely cosmetic. Whether your yard is small or oversized, we’ve got DIY and store-bought ideas to make your house the best on the block.

Paint the Front Door

Most exterior paint costs about $35 a gallon. Painting your front door can add some brightness and revive the look of your entry. Pick a bold color that stands out, but make sure it coordinates with the other colors on your house. Properly prep all surfaces before you paint so you'll get great results that will last for years to come. Read this before you paint your front door .

Find More Ideas: 59 Inviting Colors to Paint a Front Door

Hang Wall Art

Wall art is not just for interior spaces. Give your home’s exterior some personality by hanging a piece of wall art. You can find fun artwork like this groovy metal sun in a variety of sizes for around $50 to $75. Exterior wall art is a great way to fill a blank space, cover imperfections or add color. Look for weatherproof materials like powder-coated metal, stainless steel or ceramic, and make sure to securely hang your artwork so it won’t move in heavy winds.

BUY: Etsy | SteelWallArtCom, $75.00

Plant a Tree, or Two or Three...

A well-manicured lawn with established trees, shrubs and plants will always boost a home's curb appeal. Start small with a few fast-growing trees and remember to water them often in the first year or so and fertilize them in the spring and fall. Trees not only help your home's curb appeal, but they'll also increase your property value, they can reduce your utility bill, improve air quality and reduce stress.

Get the How-To: How to Plant a Tree

Install Window Boxes

If your house is lacking color, try adding window boxes. Install them on the front porch railings as well as below the windows. Window boxes are relatively cheap, or you can DIY them in an afternoon. The flowers and soil may actually cost you more than the box, and remember, you have to maintain the flowers to actually add curb appeal. If you'd rather not add window boxes to your house, then consider adding container gardens in pots and placing them on your front steps or porch.

Find More Ideas: Easy Tips for Adding Beautiful Window Boxes

Reseal the Driveway

A driveway can take up a lot of surface area, maybe even as much as your lawn, so make sure it is clean and tidy. If your driveway has cracks and discoloration, fill in the cracks and apply a new coat of sealer. For an asphalt driveway resealing should be done every two to three years. Concrete requires less regular maintenance, but it is more prone to staining so you may need to pressure wash it more often.

Get the How-To: How to Repair and Reseal an Asphalt Driveway or Walkway

From: Brian Patrick Flynn

Clean and Pressure Wash

Give your home’s exterior surface a good spit-shine and polish to make it look fresh and well cared for. Rent a pressure washer and clean the driveway, walkways, fences, gutters, siding and whatever else looks grungy — you can even wash your patio furniture. On the driveway, you may have to use a degreaser before pressure washing to remove oil stains. No matter the surface you’re cleaning, start with the least powerful nozzle then work your way up to make sure you don’t damage the object you're cleaning.

Learn More: How to Pressure Wash Almost Everything Around Your House

Replace the Mailbox

If you have a mailbox at the street, consider replacing it if it looks old and shabby. The price of a new mailbox starts at around $20, and a post and concrete won't be much more. When you install your mailbox, make sure you are following the regulations that are set forth by the United States Post Office.

Plant a Mailbox Garden

A new mailbox will help elevate your curb appeal, but a plain post in the ground is pretty boring, plus it's a pain to mow around it. Beautify this tiny patch of yard with plants and shrubs. If you're new to gardening a small mailbox garden is a great way to dip your toes into the soil. Try a mix of annuals, perennials and vines to create interest year-round. If dragging a water hose out to your mailbox garden will be a big chore, use drought-tolerant, low-maintenance plants. Our favorite mailbox plantings include daylilies, clematis, black-eyed Susans, rosemary and many different types of conifers.

Find More Ideas: 14 Mailbox Garden Plants and Flowers

Stencil the Stoop

Plain concrete steps can be such a bore. Follow designer Jasmine Roth’s lead by adding pattern and color to your stairs and porch floor. We love the way she left the step risers blank and painted just the horizontal surfaces. This budget-friendly project took just two cans of paint (white and gray), a plastic stencil, a roller, a paintbrush and a few hours of elbow grease.

Get the How-To: How to Stain & Stencil a Concrete Patio

Install a Little White Picket Fence

You may not want to fence in your entire front yard, but a couple of white picket fence panels can add tons of charm. An eight-foot panel goes for about $50. Paint or stain it to match your home’s exterior or go with the quintessential classic white. Use the fence panels to flank a walkway, outline a driveway or create an extra barrier from the street. No matter where you put your picket fence, be sure to plant some colorful blooms in front of it.

Find More Ideas: 50 Fresh Fence Design Ideas

Coordinate Colors

A gallon or two of paint can do wonders for curb appeal, and a cohesive color palette will make your home look more refined and well kept. Whether it’s paint or stain, try to coordinate your home's architectural features like the front door, shutters, trim, railing, posts and garage door. Keep your palette limited to two or three colors; any more colors and the house might look too busy. They don’t all have to match; you can pick one trim color then do a lighter or darker shade for the second color. Another common approach is to have the siding and main trim color be similar in tone, then add a bold accent color, like the home pictured above.

Find More Ideas: 68 Inviting Home Exterior Color Palettes

From: HGTV Magazine

Add an Arbor

Placing an arbor at the end of a walkway can make you feel like you're entering a cozy room instead of a plain old front yard. Even if you don’t have an attached fence or swinging gate, a standalone arch covered in flowering vines will make a welcoming portal. A DIY arbor can be crafted in less than a day and store-bought models start at around $60. Our suggestions for arbor-friendly plants include climbing roses, clematis and black-eyed Susan vines.

Get the How-To: How to Build a Grapevine Arbor

Display House Numbers

If your house numbers are not adding up to chic style, purchase some new numbers or DIY your own display. If your numbers are on the house, try to match the new numbers with the finish of your exterior light fixtures. Simple house numbers can start at $2 per number, or you can look into customized plaques that can cost $50 - $100.

Find More Ideas: 38 Chic Ways to Display House Numbers

Color Coordinate Plantings

Adding plants and greenery (either real or faux) is a surefire way to boost your curb appeal. However, groupings are more striking when they’re color-coordinated and symmetrical. Use only one or two types of containers and one or two different colored blooms. Here, red geraniums are mixed with green cypress and rosemary to keep the color palette simple while matching flowerpots on each side of the door create symmetry and cohesiveness.

Find More Ideas: 28 Ways to Decorate Your Front Porch or Entryway

Illuminate the Landscape

Great curb appeal doesn’t go away at night so make sure your landscape lighting highlights your home’s best features. Plus, good landscape lighting increases your safety and security. Illuminating a walkway with stake lights is probably the easiest lighting to install. Low-voltage lighting and solar stakes (aka spikes) are available in a variety of styles and price ranges. Low-voltage kits are easy to install. They include all the necessary components, like the transformer (it transforms the 120-power from your house to a safe low-voltage charge), wiring and instructions, and they often come with a timer or an automatic motion or light sensor. These kits start around $75 and go up to a few hundred dollars. For the best coverage, place stakes 5 to 8 feet apart and about 14 inches off the ground. If you can, stagger each light on opposite sides of the pathway. Alternating pools of light are more attractive than a straight line, and you’ll get more coverage from fewer stakes.

Floodlights and spotlights or a combination of both can be used to add dimension and height to your yard. Floodlights cast a wide beam suitable for illuminating a large area like a driveway, while spotlights will disperse a narrower beam of light. Spotlights can be used to create special effects, highlight landscaping or your home’s architectural features. There are plenty of solar and low-voltage spotlights on the market that are easy to install and don’t cost a fortune.

If your home's entry includes a stairway, try solar step or railing lights. They will help make your home glow and make it safer.

SHOP: The Best Landscape Lighting Buys for Every Outdoor Space

From: Paradise Restored Landscaping

Update Existing Light Fixtures

When buying new exterior light fixtures, consider both the style of your home and the function of the lights. You want them to be able to adequately illuminate your entryway and make it safer. Look for fixtures that have the same mounting system as the current ones that you have to save time and money. Exterior light fixtures can be found from $25 and up. Check salvage shops if you want to try to find vintage lighting to match the age and look of your home.

Find More Ideas: 25 Outdoor Lighting Ideas That Won't Break the Bank

Add Window Shutters

If your home doesn’t have shutters, hang a few to add symmetry and personality to the exterior. Shutters should be the same height as the window trim. If they’re not functioning shutters, the width should be between 25%-50% of the window’s width, unless it’s a really wide picture window. New vinyl shutters start around $40 a pair. If you prefer real wood shutters, make your own. DIY board-and-batten shutters are an easy woodworking project you can knock out in less than a weekend. Or try architectural salvage shops to find unique shutters, but you may have to apply a little elbow grease to paint or refinish them to match your home’s color palette. What’s the best way to install shutters? Use French cleats. This way, you can easily pop them off to clean them.

Find More Ideas: 20 Front Door + Shutter Color Combos We Love

From: HGTV Magazine

Make an Inviting Seating Area

Setting out a few chairs or a bench in your front yard will make it feel inviting and welcoming. Use it as a chance to add color and personality to your curb appeal. Plastic lawn chairs are inexpensive and come in a variety of bright colors. Or reinvent an old piece of indoor furniture by bringing it outdoors — just make sure you give it a coat of weatherproof varnish or fabric waterproofing spray.

Find More Ideas: 28 Ways to Decorate Your Front Porch or Entryway

Use Rocks to Fill Voids

If your flower beds are looking sparse and your thumb isn't too green, use large boulders to fill in the open spaces. In this mountain home, boulders add dimension and year-round interest to the planting beds. Buying big boulders can be pricey, so check new construction sites, where you may be able to get some rocks for free — but you'll probably have to pay for hauling. If that sounds too daunting, consider faux boulders. They start around $50 and you can't tell they're fake unless your look very closely. But if you are worried about your fake boulders looking cheesy, add a few small plantings or real river rocks around them to help them blend in.

Find More Ideas: 30 Gorgeous Rock Gardens

From: HGTV Magazine

Clean the Roof and Repair the Gutters

A roof covered in moss and debris or dirty unaligned gutters can spoil your curb appeal, plus cause costly damage. Moss, algae and fungus all hold water, so if left on the roof for long periods, they will leave stains and can cause the shingles and wood beneath them to deteriorate and rot. It’s best to get up there at least once a year and clean your roof. If you’re not comfortable getting up on the roof, hire a pro. It’ll cost more than our $100 threshold, but if you have them do an inspection while there up there, it'll be worth the extra money. The earlier you find out about a damaged roof the better.

Without getting on a ladder, you should be able to remove moss and dirt on the exterior of your gutters using a high-pressure garden hose. Sagging gutters are not only unsightly, but they can also cause damage to soffits and fascias if the water isn’t properly flowing. Before calling a pro, check to see if all the brackets and screws are in place and tightened. If your gutters are bent or kinked, try a rubber mallet to get them back in shape.

Learn More: Top 6 Roofing Materials

Keep the Hedges Manicured

No matter what you’ve got growing in your front yard, make sure it’s neat and tidy. Try to keep the shrubs at similar heights and don’t let them cover the windows. This will give your curb appeal a more polished, uniform look. But before you get out the clippers, make sure it’s the right time of year to prune each particular shrub. Luckily, we’ve got easy-to-follow guides on what to prune and when.

- Plants You Should Never Prune in Early Spring

- What to Prune in Late Fall Late

- Winter and Early Spring Pruning Guide

Find More Ideas: 40 Gorgeous Landscaping Ideas for Small Front Yards

From: HGTV Magazine

Define the Yard's Entry

If you have a walkway that starts at the street or sidewalk, make it a grand entrance with planters, a fence, a gate or small columns. Here, the start of the pathway is highlighted by turning back the white picket fence and adding a set of planters.

Find More Ideas: 27 Cheap Fence Ideas

From: HGTV Magazine

Fill the Stoop With Greenery

Even if you don’t have a big front porch you can still make your entryway impressive with planters full of seasonal color and some cute outdoor decor. Plastic planters will keep the cost down, and if you use evergreens and perennials you won’t spend so much at the change of each season.

Find More Ideas: This Outdoor Planter Hack Will Save You Time, Money & Sanity

Give the Garage Door a Refresh

The garage can often take up a large part of a home’s front façade, so you should make sure it's attractive. Little updates like pressure washing, a fresh coat of paint, new faux hardware and window coloring can go a long way. Hardware kits with faux hinges, nail heads and latches — for wood or metal garage doors — cost about $40 and come in various styles to make your door look high-end. You can even get faux garage door windows if your door doesn’t have any.

Learn More: Cheap Garage Makeover With Magnets

Use a Trellis to Fill a Void

Does too much blank space on your siding make your curb appeal not so appealing? Add a trellis or two with some climbing plants to cover that plain wall. We made this easy-to-build set to flank a bay window with color and pattern. We love the way the herringbone-patterned trellises contrast the rectangular windowpanes and adjacent picket fence. If you don’t want to DIY your trellis, you can score a durable PVC vinyl trellis for about $50, and a simple wood trellis goes for less than $20. Our favorite climbers to plant in front of a trellis include clematis, ornamental hops (yes, your trellis will smell like beer) and star jasmine.

Get the How-To: How to Make a Geometric-Patterned Trellis

25 Ways to Get Instant Curb Appeal for Less Than $100

Related To:

Shop This Look

Eye-Catching Charm on a Small Budget

Paint the Front Door

Hang Wall Art

Plant a Tree, or Two or Three...

Install Window Boxes

Reseal the Driveway

Clean and Pressure Wash

Replace the Mailbox

Plant a Mailbox Garden

Stencil the Stoop

Install a Little White Picket Fence

Coordinate Colors

Add an Arbor

Display House Numbers

Color Coordinate Plantings

Illuminate the Landscape

Update Existing Light Fixtures

Add Window Shutters

Make an Inviting Seating Area

Use Rocks to Fill Voids

Clean the Roof and Repair the Gutters

Keep the Hedges Manicured

Define the Yard's Entry

Fill the Stoop With Greenery

Give the Garage Door a Refresh

Use a Trellis to Fill a Void

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