Since days are getting colder, staying home might be the best option for many people. But being indoors for quite a while can be too tedious and add to your winter blues. Spending your time outdoors may seem dreadful, but it doesn’t have to be that way. And just because it’s winter doesn’t mean you’ll neglect your outdoor areas.
You might want to try to create an outdoor living area, even just a little one, to up your home’s curb appeal. Here are simple and low-cost ways to do so:
Get rid of snow and ice
First things first, clean out debris and ice from your driveway and sidewalk by raking fallen leaves, then using a pressure washer. Not only is this the start of anything outdoor aesthetics, but it adds to everyone’s safety.
Clean the gutters and make the windows spotless. Trim any dead or overhanging limbs in your trees and bushes. Don’t forget to remove overgrown shrubs as well. Also, while you’re at it, don’t leave a shovel or any gardening and winter equipment in your front yard. It will decrease your home’s curb appeal, especially if your house is easily seen from the road.
Clean your outdoor furniture
Just like your furniture indoors, your outdoor furniture also needs cleaning and maintenance, despite them being weatherproof or waterproof. You don’t want to sit and relax in a grubby outdoor living room. Plus, hanging out in a place it’s dirty can cause you health problems. Air pollution, bird droppings, sun damage, water damage, mold, and mildew can ruin clean wood, glass, metal furnishing, and old cushions or fabric furniture.
Add or replace lighting
Since days are short in winter, lighting would make a big difference. It definitely adds appeal if you combine aesthetics and function, having the potential to make a house look warm and inviting.
Light up the pathways leading up to your front door and replace dysfunctional bulbs. You can put up string lights on plants, bushes, and trees or hang a lantern by your mailbox and house number. It also says safety during the night.
Put up the right amount of heat
Having an outdoor heating system, such as a backyard fire pit, is a lifesaver. It can be both practical and recreational. You can have them built according to a design you desire to blend in with your house’s overall design or to correspond to the ambiance you want.
To add more warmth, put out pillows, lots of blankets, and even space heaters if you can. You can have heat lamps installed on the ceiling of your outdoor area. Perhaps you prefer standing heat lamps, which can be moved around.
Use colors to bring your curb back to life
The front door of your house tends to be the first impression that other people notice when they approach and enter your home. Add pops of color to contrast the harsh winter season to turn your home’s curb appeal from cold and dull to cozy and welcoming.
Go for a bright splash of color to your front door and window frames to show an elegant modern look. If you don’t want them too bright, at least freshen your door up with a brand fresh coat or a color that’s at least less dull than what you currently have.
With your outdoor living room going, make the pillows and blankets of cheery colors, especially if you already have a plain couch.
Consider winter landscaping
If you think the colors aren’t enough, adding more in nature’s way is always right. You can use plants and flowers to liven up the front yard, pathways, or window boxes if you have some. Camellia, narcissi, snowdrops, and hellebores.
If you think you went overboard with the brightness and colors, you can always turn it back down. Adding winter plants to your front curb makes winter a little less dead and more alive. So add what you think is appealing and comfortable.
Whether you’re selling your home, its curb appeal is just as important as your interior. The outdoor area of your home is the first thing that people see, and it can also add convenience to the neighborhood you’re in. What you display outside your home can show what kind of a homeowner you are.
Of course, it doesn’t have to be extravagant or expensive-looking. Keeping everything in good condition will not only show that you’re a caring homeowner, but it will also ensure safety and security for the rest of the household and visitors.