Does your home have ‘front door appeal’? You’ve heard of ‘kerb appeal‘, now welcome to the plate the even more niche-specific concept that looks at how your front door impacts on the overall first impression given by your home. Fans of the 90’s film ‘Notting Hill’ will remember the iconic ‘blue front door’ for the same reason that front door aficionados wax lyrical about its importance; it helps create visual impact and allows a property to stand out from the rest of the pack.
Overall kerb appeal is one of the most important factors to consider when renovating, especially if you’re renovating to increase your return on investment. First impressions count and placing focus and funds on something that can be easily updated is a savvy move for renovators. Updating your front facade is also a cost-effective way to modernise and freshen the exterior of your home.
Here are 3 key points to remember when choosing or updating your front door.
3 easy ways to make your front door pop
1. Choose colour where you can – A brightly coloured front door can add a splash of colour and vibrancy to an otherwise understated colour scheme.
2. Intricate details make all the difference – Interesting or ornate knobs and handles can make all the difference between a bog standard front door and something much more eye catching.
Renovating your property and preparing it for a sale means you want to add maximum value for the least amount of money. And whilst we’re all familiar with the usual makeover tips, we go a little further, revealing not only what to do but also how to do it so you can get bang for your buck!
Not just a lick of paint but the right colour
We’ve heard it many times over; a lick of paint will do wonders for your makeover. Indeed it will but it is important to know what hues to use to maximise the aesthetic potential of your property.
For exteriors we recommend dark hues because they hide imperfections and can accentuate the architectural appeal of your home. A 1950s oval tin shed that would normally need replacing can look remarkably beautiful painted in a dark exterior colour. For a fresh, contrasting look complete it by replacing old worn out doors and windows with new white ones, and you’ve just saved yourself the cost of a new shed!
Create the illusion of space
For a few hundred dollars, you could be adding thousands to your sale price by knocking down a non-structural wall. Buyers are looking for open, airy spaces and open plan living is on the top of their agenda and lifestyle. Can you knock down the wall that’s joining the living room and the tiny kitchen? Great, go ahead and do it and you’ll reap the rewards at sale time.
A good clean up of the garden is a given, but a good prune is something most sellers don’t pay attention to. How do you feel when you get your haircut? Exactly our point!
We recommend pruning your trees and plants and giving them a generous ‘haircut’ at least eight weeks before sale time. This will not only aid your garden clean up but will help promote new growth just in time for your sale, making everything look vibrant and lush. Selling in a hurry? Get rid of any leggy growth or dead wood and tip prune your plants for an equally effective result.
Front door appeal
Much like dating, first impressions count and you’ll have potential buyers saying: “You had me at hello!” if you put a little more love and attention into your front door area.
Start by eliminating any clutter from your entrance to allow the energy to flow through your front door (this is a feng shui must). Make sure your front door is functional and in perfect working order. Rust on screen doors is a turn off for buyers and so are wooden doors that have had extended exposure to harsh elements like sand, wind and sun.
Repair or and repaint immediately and why not have some fun updating your front door with a fresh new colour. For as little as $80 and an afternoon’s labour you could be adding a few thousand dollars to your sale price.
Add the shiny things
Let’s face it, people are like magpies; they are attracted to shiny things!
Add some affordable bling to your home by replacing your old worn out taps with shiny, new chrome ones. Replace a plain tiled feature wall with contemporary tiles that offer textural reflection and lustre. Light switch panels can tend to go yellow over time, replace them with new ones or even opt for a completely new and contemporary light switch panel. Adding large inexpensive mirrors to bring in the light will also amplify your interiors. Finally, finish off by styling your property with luxe accessories which you can take with you after the sale, like copper, mirror, glass or chrome vases, trays and floor lamps.
Change buyers’ perceived value of your property
Small cracks, dents and damages that you think may not be noticed can in fact play a major role at sale time. As your potential buyers inspect the property these insignificant imperfections, although not major, can still be noticed subconsciously therefore shaping any buyers’ perceived value of what your property is worth. Attention to detail is a must, so make sure that during the makeover you inspect your property with fresh eyes just like your buyer will.
Flooring rule: less is more
With flooring always remember that less is more. Strip back that aged carpet to reveal the natural wooden floor boards underneath; not only will it freshen up your interiors but it will also create the illusion of space by having one type of flooring seamlessly featured throughout the entire home. If you are replacing your flooring opt for simple floorboards, or carpet (if you must). Unless it’s a bespoke property with exceptional quality materials, your flooring should never be the showstopper!
Ask a professional
For the affordable investment of a consultation session, you can have all the guesswork removed and save hours of laborious planning if you get the advice of a professional. Makeover blind spots are easy to miss, but with a pair of fresh, expert eyes you can be on your way to maximising the value of your property.
Image source: DIY Network
Image source: Katrina Lee Chambers
Image source: Architecture Art Designs
