Is your beautiful home being let down by a tired street view? Fixing it up can be easy, but knowing where to start can be a bit harder.

“You curbside appeal is incredibly important, especially if you’re selling your home,” says Dulux Colour Manager, Andrea Lucena-Orr.

“It’s the first thing people see when they drive up.”

“More importantly, when people look at a home’s exterior, they think of functionality. They might assume a home’s interiors are run down if the facade or roof looks weathered or dated.”

We sat down with Andrea for her industry tips on how to enhance your street appeal.

1. Don’t neglect your roof
When giving a home exterior a makeover, many of us fail to think about the roof – but it’s a vital part of a healthy and beautiful home. Restoring the roof could be your ticket to a fresh home exterior.

But restoring a roof isn’t a DIY task. However, opt into the Dulux Roof Restoration Service – an end-to-end roof restoration installed by registered applicators – and someone will do the hard yards for you.

Plus the Dulux AcraTex coatings offer protection from cracking and staining to maintain their looks long-term.

“From all the research we’ve done over the years, we’ve found a lot of people would love to re-coat their roof but they don’t know where to start,” Andrea says.

“Dulux Roof Restoration Service makes it so much easier. You can pay someone to do everything [clean, repair and re-paint] versus all the effort that goes into doing it yourself.” Don’t you love a transformation project that requires minimum effort?

2. A fresh coat of paint
Ensuring your exterior looks fresh and clean will do a tremendous amount for your street appeal.

Even if you don’t want to change your colour scheme, or your house isn’t visibly run down, you’d be surprised by the difference a paint job can make.
“Just remember simple things like making sure the colours all work together. Or, if you’ve painted your home don’t forget to paint the fence too. It’s the small details that make a big difference,” Andrea says.

“A popular way of colour scheming today is sticking to neutrals or natural colours, but slightly varying the [contrasting] shade instead of going for a dramatic contrast.”

If you’re feeling unsure of yourself when it comes to colour scheming, Dulux has some great colour scheming examples, plus some specific exterior inspiration on their website.

3. New windows
You don’t necessarily need to fit entirely new windows, although this might be the best option if your current windows are outdated, small or dark, broken or just don’t fit the style of the home.

The other option is to give them a fresh lick of paint – the trick is in nailing the colour choice.

“Starting with your roof – which may be a dark grey, for example – people often then work with that tone and change it slightly for the rest of the features,” Andrea explains. “So they may go a light or mid-grey for the main wall and then a softer grey for the trim or window colour.”

White windows are also eternally popular, she adds, as they can make other darker shades pop.

4. Taking in the bigger picture
Andrea stresses the importance of observing your home from all different angles, particularly from across the street.

“People tend to look at their homes quite close. But when other people are looking at your home they’re more likely doing so from their cars or on the opposite side of the street and often you can see more from this angle,” she says. “It’s important to actually go across the road and view your home from the perspective of others.”

When updating your home from the outside, it’s also important to take in the style of your home, street or neighbourhood.

“You don’t want to choose the exact same colour scheme as your neighbours – you want to stand out a little bit,” Andrea starts. “However, you’ve still got to be mindful. You don’t want to be clashing with your neighbours either. They still need to work together.”

Depending on your area or if your house is heritage listed, you may also be restricted in your colour choice. Check with your local council if you’re unsure.

5. A tidy yard
If you’re looking to do the bare minimum to enhance your street appeal, tidy it up.

Mow your lawn, sweep and remove any leaf litter or debris, trim and weed your garden, and clean your windows. Basically, ensure everything looks neat and orderly.

If you want to go the next level and have the space, brush up on your gardening or hire a landscaper.

Simply adding fresh pavers to a driveway or entry path, sprucing up your verandah or planting some new trees, flowers, shrubs or ground covers, can contribute to a real sense of entry.

Article from realestate.com.au