Home Curb Appeal How To Make Over Your Home's Curb Appeal with an Inviting Entry Take the exterior from boring to beautiful with five easy ideas. By Grace Haynes Grace Haynes Grace is a former Associate Homes Editor for Southern Living. She covered a variety of topics for print and digital, from design and flower arranging to cottage gardens and pets. Before moving to the Homes team, she joined Southern Living as a copy editor. Off the clock, find her strolling through neighborhoods around the South to admire the houses and snapping photos of colorful front doors. Southern Living's editorial guidelines Updated on June 16, 2020 Share Tweet Pin Email Making your home the envy of every other on the block doesn't have to be an intimidating task. Create an inviting entry that will make passersby do double takes. You can give an exterior a face-lift with a few easy projects that can be completed in a weekend. Dial up curb appeal with simple solutions like installing a cozy lantern on the front porch or planting window boxes with seasonal blooms. Try these five do-it-yourself ideas. Hector Manuel Sanchez 1. Lighting Don't keep a charming home in the dark. Light fixtures illuminate the exterior at night and set a welcoming tone for the front entry. Hang a stylish lantern from the ceiling of the front porch, or flank the front door with a matching pair of fixtures. 2. Fencing Build a border around your front lawn while adding major curb appeal. Call upon classic New Orleans' style with a wrought iron fence, or choose a traditional white picket fence reminiscent of Mayberry. 3. Painting Painting a front door is an affordable, easy way to infuse the entry with personality. Go bold with a bright red, or pick a playful powder blue. Shutters are another easy, traditional addition that bring instant charm to an exterior, and painting them can kick curb appeal up another notch. Whether you choose a neutral hue or a vibrant shade, be sure that the colors of the shutters and front door blend well with each other, along with the rest of your home's facade and landscaping. 4. Planting Who isn't attracted to eye-catching flower arrangements? Plant containers with seasonal blooms in a variety of colors, shapes, and textures, and display them on the front porch. Choose one large container, or group a trio of smaller pots together. Window boxes are another way to add fresh style to your home's exterior and experiment with new combinations of flowers for a striking look. 5. Living Make your porch a place where people want to sit and stay awhile. Create an outdoor living area (if space allows) by installing a porch swing and setting up a bistro table and chairs. Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! Tell us why! Other Submit