Six Ways to Give Your House Curb Appeal
You’ve heard the adage, “You never get a second chance to make a first impression.” The same holds true for your home. While your home’s interior may hold the most gorgeous antiques or boast the most on-trend color palette, someone’s first impression of your home is formed by the exterior. It also impacts the rest of their perspective of your home. That’s why at Maestri Studio, we believe wholeheartedly in the power of curb appeal.
As a team of both architects and interior designers, the magic of curb appeal falls perfectly within the center of the Venn diagram for our team. Our philosophy is that your home should tell a story about the people who live within its walls. Are they playful and quirky? Sophisticated and refined? Bookish and eclectic? The curb appeal of your house will summarize that story for your neighbors and guests, and it will make your house feel that much more like home.
So how do you dive into the work of curating and designing the exterior of your home? How do you give your house curb appeal? That’s the question we answered through our design of this Lakewood Boulevard home and this Villa Cali home – and it paid off. The Lakewood French-inspired chateau was featured as one of the top ten most charming homes in Dallas by D Home, while the Villa Cali home has been recognized in Architectural Digest and Covetuer.
The secret to both? Curb appeal. Using these homes as proven guides, here are 6 ways to give your house curb appeal.
- Play to your home’s strengths.
When it comes to curb appeal, don’t reinvent the wheel. Oftentimes, major construction or architectural renovation isn’t required to highlight the existing charm of your home. For this Lakewood home, we let the Spanish-style Hutsell home speak for itself. We kept historic details – like the stained glass in the front door and the upstairs casement windows – and drew inspiration from the original framework. For our Villa Cali home in Preston Hollow in North Dallas, we let its mid-century modern architecture drive the inspiration for its sprawling Palm Springs style. We painted the brick walls white but kept the roof brown as a nod to its original cedar shingles.
- Make it one of a kind with the collected look.
Charm comes to those whole collect. Charm and character are often lost when homeowners try too hard to match every detail. Finding unique pieces at antique markets and estate sales can add a one-of-a-kind flair to your home’s curb appeal. For example, the New Orleans-style aged-copper lantern on the balcony of this Lakewood home gave a subtle nod to its French inspiration and a huge wave to its unique feel on this street.
- Keep the landscaping simple.
Landscaping can strike terror in a homeowner’s heart – especially when it comes to curb appeal, but there’s no reason to overthink. A well-manicured lawn and some well-potted plants or shrubs can go the distance in bringing green and symmetry to your home’s curb appeal.
- Try out some pops of color.
What catches your eye while driving through a neighborhood? Nine times out of ten, it’s color. You always remember the house with the yellow door or the orange shutters. You don’t have to go beach-house bright to get the pop of color you need to make your home eye-catching. Choosing one signature hue to highlight – like this robin’s egg blue on the gate and shutters at this Lakewood home – can make your curb appeal even more dynamic.
- Add playful cosmetic touches.
Curb appeal doesn’t have to mean it appeals to every single person’s style the same way. True curb appeal is built on a beautifully designed exterior that plays to the unique sensibilities of the individual owners. Don’t be intimidated by adding quirky and eccentric details. For this Preston Hollow, North Dallas home, we incorporated more of the Palm Springs vibe through surprising black-and-white cabana drapes and a valance.
Similarly, for our clients on Lakewood Boulevard, we restored the original black-and-white striped tile awnings (reclaimed from France). The family loved this playful touch of French inspiration, elevating the chateau feel of their home. Even if a detail is not for everyone, everyone can appreciate the details you carefully curate to strengthen your home’s curb appeal.