Your entryway is one of the first things people see when they look at your home, so it’s important to make the area warm and inviting. It’s your ultimate first impression. And of course, it also needs to match the rest of your home’s exterior. Fortunately, there are many ways to enhance your home’s entrance and curb appeal.
Define a path
No matter how inviting your front door may be, guests may not feel warm and welcomed if they can’t find a clear way to get to it. Whether you install a walkway made of decorative concrete pavers or charming natural stone, it is important to provide a clear path from the street to your front door. The driveway is not a walking path! Ideally, this path should be flat and smooth – while wide enough to accommodate two people walking side by side (although sometimes this width isn’t possible).
Repeat other elements
Your front entrance should look like part of your home. While it can be highlighted so that it stands out a bit, it’s important that it feels like a good fit to the rest of the home’s exterior. To achieve this, have a landscape designer plan changes that incorporate details of your home’s facade. Mimic curved lines, colors that play off or highlight the decorative stained glass windows, and other style elements, recreating them or complementing them in an inviting space that pulls you into the home.
A pop of color
While some prefer to keep their front entrance aligned with the style of the home, other prefer a pop of color. Swapping your front door for a colored one, adding colorful plants, bright pillows on the bench are some easy ideas. You want colors that look great with the rest of your home – and this sometimes means you can add new colors you don’t see yet (complement doesn’t mean you have to stick to the current colors!). You can choose a bold color if you’re feeling daring or go for a softer color. Blues, reds, and greens work almost anywhere.
See it how they do
When sprucing up your front entrance, remember that you’re not limited to just the actual front door or porch. Consider what visitors see first. Is it the very edge of the curb, near the sidewalk? Or perhaps its the side door most people use since it’s closer to the garage? Don’t just limit yourself to what you see first. Take a stroll and enter your home using the same path they would use.
Add lighting
There is nothing more frustrating than trying to find someone’s home in the evening and not being sure if it’s the right one because you can’t see the house or number from the street (we’ve all been there)! From the mailbox, to the walkway, and all the way to seeing the steps properly, outdoor lighting makes a big difference. Not to mention, outdoor lighting adds class like nothing else can!
Accessorize
Pay as much attention to the little details on your front porch, walkways, and other entry areas as you do with the inside of your home. Add plants, charming light fixtures, interesting doorbells, and other decorative elements to the space. If you have seating areas, consider soft cushions and fluffy pillows for an extra inviting feel.
