Accentuating Your Home’s Natural Beauty
Accentuating your home’s existing characteristics is a cost-effective way of obtaining stunning results – not only will it enhance the value of your home, but also create an environment that radiates with charm. Cohesive design elements inside and out can enhance the beauty your home already possesses.
Understand the Color Palette
Refreshing the exterior of your home can do wonders in terms of enhancing its overall visual appeal. When selecting colors, you can choose those that complement the existing tones of your home and surrounding environment. Are you surrounded by mountains? Are you near the coast? Let these natural color schemes influence the palette of your home if you’re not sure where to start. It’s always a good idea to complement your surroundings by allowing your home to become part of the landscape rather than sticking out like a sore thumb.
However, you don’t have to let nature inspire your color choices to hit the mark. A professionally inspired, harmonious color scheme will elevate the aesthetic of your property and increase its market value. If your home’s architectural style is gothic or victorian, your colors might be in contrast with the landscape around you. As long as you remain consistent, you can accentuate your home’s natural beauty with exterior upgrades such as new siding, a new roof, or a fresh coat of paint on the fence.
Invite Guests In
One of the most effective ways to enhance your home's curb appeal is by updating your exterior doors and gates. These elements are the first things that guests and potential buyers notice when they approach your property. It’s also one of the first things you see every day when you pull up!
If you don’t have the budget to replace your front or garage door, start by considering new hardware for your doors, such as stylish handles, knobs, and knockers. Advanced Door recommends customizing garage doors in a few different ways:
- Sectional Panels
- Roll-Up vs Swing or Sliding Openings
- Glass and Metal vs Wood Materials
- Raised Panel Doors vs Flat
You could also add paint to an existing door to spice it up, or install windows to let in more light. This simple change can make a significant difference in the overall appearance of your home.
Don’t underestimate the importance of window treatments, especially if you upgrade your entryway with a glass door, transom windows, or sidelights. You can choose from various options, such as frosted glass, decorative films, or even custom stained glass designs.
Make It Easy to Find
To further elevate the aesthetic of your home's exterior and let guests know they’ve found the right place, consider other decorative elements like ornamental address plaques, or a mailbox with your house numbers clearly displayed. The size, font, and color of something as seemingly simple as your address can go a long way toward accentuating the natural beauty your home already possesses.
Let the Light Shine Through
Imagine transforming your home into a stunning oasis of light, elegance, and style with the simple addition of new windows, interior mirrors, and other glass accents. Both functional and aesthetically pleasing, these glass accents can breathe new life into your living spaces by brightening up any room, showcasing delightful vistas, and adding a touch of sophistication in the process.
Incorporating larger windows, skylights, or even floor-to-ceiling glass walls allows natural light to flood in and accentuate the existing features of your home. Plus, energy-efficient windows can protect your furniture from UV rays and decrease your monthly heating and cooling costs.
Carefully positioned interior mirrors and glass cabinetry can also amplify light and the feeling of space in your home. Smitty’s Glass, experts in mirrors, frameless showers, and glass-fronted cabinets, recommends using glass to truly elevate your home and merge beauty with functionality, allowing you to revel in the splendor of your living space.
Remember the Landscaping
By carefully choosing plants that echo the hues and form of your house, you can create a seamless bond between the indoors and the outdoors, allowing both domains to blend and give the appearance of more space. Plus, choosing plants native to or suitable for your climate will further emphasize the connection between your residence and the surrounding environment, ensuring that the flora thrives and provides aesthetic appeal throughout the different seasons.
Don’t Skimp on the Backyard
A lot of homeowners make the front yard their priority when updating the landscaping. Afterall, it’s what you see when you get home every day, and it’s what the neighbors have to stare at. Cottonwood Landscapes urges homeowners to incorporate their backyards into the big picture as well. Even if it has to be done in stages, making the backyard an inviting oasis not only increases your home value but the comfort you experience every time you step out the back door. Their suggestions? Consult with a professional to ensure you get all the functional and decorative elements you want that complement your home’s architecture, and the stage of life you’re in.
Add Texture Indoors
Textural interior elements such as wall panels, crown molding, or built-in bookshelves can elevate the aesthetic appeal of your home while staying true to the original architectural style. Wall panels, for instance, are a great way to add texture and depth to a room, especially when fashioned from materials that complement or contrast with the existing furnishings. Similarly, crown molding seamlessly transitions the junction between walls and ceilings, creating a sense of continuity and refinement. For book lovers and collectors, built-in bookshelves offer an elegant and functional solution to showcase your favorite literature, all the while preserving the architectural integrity of your home. In essence, these small yet impactful enhancements can transform your living space into a harmonious haven that exudes sophistication and warmth.
Highlight and Illuminate
Maybe the exterior of your home is already picture-perfect, but you just want to show it off better. Homeowners looking for an impactful yet subtle way to highlight architectural details, landscape centerpieces, or pathways can benefit from simply adding outdoor lighting.
Outdoor lights come in various styles and sizes and help easily draw attention to the intricate details of your house. Plus, there are several options for powering up your outdoor lights, including solar-powered models that reduce energy costs and battery-powered versions that will last around 6-8 hours on a single charge. With a well-lit exterior night after night, you’ll be able to show off your home’s beautiful accents anytime you want without lifting a finger.
Whatever your budget or style, there are many fantastic and affordable ways to accentuate your home's natural beauty with renovations and landscaping. Most of these improvements will not only elevate the appearance of your home but will also help keep it energy-efficient and comfortable in all seasons.
