Curb Appeal By: Kassandra Ryerson

Thinking of selling your home or just want your home to stand out in your neighborhood.  Do you get enjoyment from driving into the driveway?  Maybe your home needs some curb appeal! So what exactly is curb appeal? Curb appeal is the allure or attraction to a home from the exterior. It is what makes you say Wow when you drive past a beautiful home. Many factors contribute to a winning curb appeal, such as fresh paint, attractive lighting and the lack of clutter. However, one of the most effective ways to enhance your home's curb appeal is through landscaping.

Curb appeal can be achieved by a full remodel of your front landscape or just a touch up by pruning trees and shrubs or topdressing of mulch. It all depends on how much your budget is. One of the main things to keep in mind when landscaping for curb appeal especially when you are putting your home on the market is to make sure that it is inviting. Accenting parking areas such as walkways and driveways with a few flower beds and borders will, in most cases, instantly create an impressive and inviting appeal.

If you have large overgrown shrubs in the front of your house, maybe say blocking a window and crowding the front walk, it's time to say goodbye and hello to smaller plantings of colorful perennials and ornamental grasses. If you are going to put your house on the market, be aware that most buyers cannot visualize changes, and often won't take a second look at a house if the first look doesn't appeal to them. Home buyers who can visualize changes, and are prepared to make them, expect you to reduce the price of the house to compensate for the work they plan to do.

Another important thing to keep in mind (that most homeowners overlook) is making sure there is all season interest. This is where Landscape Designers can help with plant selection that you may not know much about.

Remember that simplicity is the key to creating curb appeal. A few flower beds that border and define walks, curbs, and lawn areas and a few flower pots next to the front door is often enough. Always remember to keep the front door the focal point!

Here are a few examples of Bloomington-Normal homes with curb appeal.

 Before  

After                                    

After                            

To get ideas and see more pictures of the work we have done visit the photo gallery on Grieder's website.