By LUKE VOSE
Whether you are looking to sell your house or just keeping up with the Joneses, there is always room to improve your curb appeal.
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If you have young children, like myself, keeping a semblance of order inside of the house is a losing battle, but you might be able to fool people if they don’t come any closer than the yard. Making a good first impression on visitors is great, but it’s equally important that you feel that little swelling of pride as you pull into your driveway.
Let’s start simple. Hide your stuff. Yes, you’ve been meaning to fix the chain on that tandem bicycle and patch and paint the Zodiac boat that was a steal on Craigslist, but in the meantime, relocate them from the front yard to behind the shed under a tarp. Depending on how much stuff you have, renting a dumpster might be a better option. Being able to throw out pretty much anything is very liberating.
Don’t be shy about cutting back bushes. You want your windows and entryway to be clear and have plenty of room to shine. Having your address number clearly marked is always a good idea. My mother-in-law made us a beautiful hand painted sign. Metal numbers are a nice clean look. You can get creative here and the sky’s the limit.
Once you have a clean slate you can start on improvements. My brother Tom, who is a contractor, offered the following advice: ”It seems a little obvious but I would start with power washing the house. Paint, shutters and cleaning the gutters goes a long way. A cobblestone pull-off for the mailman is good for protecting the lawn from tire tracks. Controlling the rain runoff will help to make sure you don’t wind up with big puddles on the lawn. If you have an asphalt driveway, get a fresh seal coat, and if you have gravel, weed it out.”
Shawn Wolf, who is my brother-in-law and an arborist at Hamilton Tree, recommends planting hardy perennials like hostas, and native plants as well. Native plants have the added bonus of hosting beneficial insects that will eat pesky bugs. “Honey locusts and London plane are pretty easy trees to take care of and look good streetside or planted in the middle of the lawn,” he said. “Native oak isn’t very showy, but it’s a good one as well.”
He also recommends choosing a variety of plants that result in staggered flowering instead of all at once. “I have some witch hazel planted that has some really cool colors in the fall and I’m planting fothergilla as well,” he said.
Having any old trees assessed is always a good idea.
Seasonal decorations can be a fun way to keep your curb appeal fresh. Halloween is right around the corner and while you might not want to recreate a scene from “The Texas Chain Saw Massacre” on the front lawn, it’s a great time for some spooky aesthetics. I am personally a huge fan of jack-o’-lanterns. A carving party is a great fall activity. Scarecrows, witches and ghosts are all classic Halloween decorations. If you are into a more subtle look, try gourds, squash and wreaths featuring autumn foliage.
During the winter you can opt for the full Clark Griswold from “National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation” lighting extravaganza, or something more low key. I really like white lights strung up in shrubs and trees on the front lawn. It’s also a great time for seasonal wreaths. Things that aren’t holiday specific can be left up all winter. Anything that brightens the long nights is a welcome comfort in those cold months.
Spring is the season for cleaning up. Edging the garden beds and adding mulch where appropriate does wonders.
As the weather warms up, it’s also a good time to think outdoor areas for social gatherings. I found a great, affordable teak furniture set that we’ve gotten a ton of usage out of.
A fire pit and grill are summer essentials, as most of us want to spend as little time inside as possible (we got plenty of that during the winter). Kiddie pools are a nice way to cool off when you can’t make it to the beach and the inflatable options make for easy off-season storage. For our daughter’s first birthday, we got a six-foot-tall inflatable unicorn sprinkler. It may not get the Martha Stewart seal of approval, but we’ve had a lot of fun with it. Bistro lights are a nice summer touch, making the yard feel like a airy cafe.
Mint is a great summer plant. While it’s not visually striking it takes no maintenance, smells great when you accidentally hit it with the string trimmer and you will always be ready for mojitos.
While your house may not be Pintrest perfect, there is always room to make it shine. A little work and you will be admiring it from the curb saying, “Hey look at you. You clean nice!”
Luke Vose is a licensed real estate agent in Falmouth.