Easy Ways to Increase Your Home’s Curb Appeal on Any Budget

During the pandemic, home renovations and outdoor overhauls became overwhelmingly popular. And at Forever Freckled, we jumped on that bandwagon too! While my twin sister focused her attention on her backyard, I did a complete renovation of my home’s exterior. I discovered some tricks along the way for front yard landscaping ideas on a budget, and today I’m sharing what I learned!

Front Yard Landscaping Ideas on a Budget

While I did end up taking on a relatively large renovation project, I learned there are very easy and simple things you can do to make a huge impact on your home’s curb appeal.

Whether you are getting your house ready to sell or just want to create a calming space, here are some tricks and tips to improve your curb appeal on any budget.

1. Paint the Front Door

Did you know that painting your door can increase the value of your house? Zillow found that on average, houses with black or charcoal gray front doors sold for as much as $6,271 more than expected!

When I started my outdoor renovation, I knew I wanted to change my front door. Once I decided on my exterior paint color, I found a shade in the same color family but multiple shades darker to create a monochromic look. Our door color is Gauntlet Gray.

Another very popular trend is a pop of color for the front door.

2. Create Depth or Architectural Interest

When we first started mapping out our renovation project, I wanted to make sure we allocated some of our budget to create focal interest. We focused a lot of our budget on building a front porch and bay windows with flower boxes.

It was important to me to have a space where I could relax and enjoy watching our children play in the front yard. This feeling can be achieved at all price points.

Here are some easy ways to create visual interest while staying within a reasonable budget:

Window boxes – When buying window boxes, you should measure the width of the window and make sure the box spans at least 3/4 of the window. For our home, our flower boxes are where I played with color. Planting a flower that grows in thick and is a vibrant color is a great way to add focus to the window and make a statement.

Window Awnings – Awnings are the perfect way to create depth when depth does not exist. I love a striped awning!

Pergolas – I struggled with a large window I had in the front of my house. I wanted to add some interest but not take away focus from the front porch. I ended up installing a beautiful pergola over the window and grew a vine with vibrant flowers. It was really one of the best decisions I made! There are beautiful, inexpensive pre-made pergolas or if you are handy, you can do a DIY version. You can also forgo the pergola and just grow a beautiful vine utilizing a wire grid to train the vine to grow over the window.

3. Choose the Right Exterior Paint Color

Although painting the exterior of the house can be an investment, it can have a high impact!

Picking the best paint color can be challenging, though. The best resource by far is Pinterest. Whether you are trying to achieve a farmhouse chic or mid century modern vibe, I feel like the best place to start is Pinterest.

For my project, I really want to create a french country meets the Hamptons vibe. I wanted the perfect gray. My quest to find it wasn’t easy. I learned quickly that grays can be very tricky, as different shades of grays have different undertones. I ended up going with classic French Gray by Sherwin Williams. Below is my was my color palette inspiration I was looking for more of a french country vibe.

Pro Tips: When picking a paint color, test paint different areas of the house, as the sunlight can change the whole look of the paint color. If you don’t have the budget to paint the entire house, a great and easy trick is to paint just the window panes.

4. Choose Your Landscaping Vibe Wisely

When it comes to landscaping, you need to know what vibe you are trying to achieve. I wanted to achieve a more Northern look, which I achieved with topiaries and Pentas flowers.

When picking landscaping, it is important to know whether the flowers are seasonal or if they bloom all year round.

I personally didn’t want to have to continually change the flowers out, so I made sure to pick landscaping that lasts longer than one season.

There are plenty of ways to create beautiful focal interest with landscaping within a smaller budget. Start with flower boxes flanking the front door or the front of your walk way.

5. Create a Gathering Spot

There are so many amazing and affordable options for outdoor furniture. Creating a space for yourself outside not only adds value to the house but also can serve as a space for you to focus on recharging and balance.

I make a point to start each morning with a cup of coffee on my porch swing. I watch the sunrise and set my intentions for the day.

If you have a porch, a swing is such an inviting way to add a statement piece. I paired my swing with stripes and rattan pillows to achieve that Hamptons vibe. One of my greatest finds were the weather resistant poufs that I put in front of the swings. They serve as extra seating and storage!

6. Plant a Garden

My twin is the queen of gardening. She created the most incredible garden on the side of her house. It has become not only a focal point but a life-long hobby for her. She wrote a great article on how to start a garden on your own!

Here are some flowers/plants that I used in my front yard that work well for the Florida heat:

• Pentas
• Bougainvillea
• Hibiscus
• Buttonwood
• Topiary

Final Thoughts on Adding Curb Appeal to Your Home

Boosting the curb appeal of your home doesn’t have to be a huge undertaking. Making minor adjustments is impactful, especially with these front yard landscaping ideas on a budget.

Happy landscaping!

~Dr. Katie

Additional Front Yard Landscaping Inspiration Pics on a Budget

{patio swing, outside wall lantern, pillows, wicker swing chair, wicker bench, black and wood patio set, wall herb garden, outdoor patio string lights, planter box, set of 2 wooden planter boxes, side table}