You care about your home. You take pride in its appearance and enjoy showing it off to family and friends. But your house exterior requires a little extra attention. This is especially true in suburbs, where people often judge house value by how well it blends into the neighborhood.

Your house exterior is your home’s first impression to both neighbors and potential buyers, should you decide to sell. Improving your home exteriors is one of the best investments you can make.

So whether you want to blend in or stand out, you have options.

Today, we go over 11 of the best house ideas for exterior renovations. 

Can You Renovate the Exterior of a House?

So can you renovate it yourself? If so, how do you do it?

The simple answer is yes! You can renovate your house exterior. A lot of people love an intensive DIY project for home improvement.

But do keep in mind that it is an intensive process, indeed. Well-seasoned DIY pros might be more apt to take on the project.

If you don’t feel comfortable building landscape structures by yourself or laying a new driveway, don’t worry. You can always hire a contractor. Your local landscaping company is more than up for the job.

Also, consider the amount of money you want to spend on house exterior renovation before you make the commitment. As always, if you have any questions we are here to answer them for you.

The most common types of renovations usually consist of things like:

• Changing the house siding
• Choosing fresh house paint colors and painting your house exterior
• Installing new windows and doors

Other home improvements can include adding a deck, driveway or walkway to your front door.

But we know that you are unique and want a unique property to match. So today, we’re going to give you several other stand-out ideas, too.

How Can You Make the Outside of Your House Look Better?

Before we get started with our top 11 house exterior improvements, let’s go over some basic tips.

There are many reasons why you might want a property upgrade. Maybe you just moved and need to update your older home from the previous owners. You could be in the process of putting your house on the market and want to increase property value before you do so. It might even be as simple as you want a fresh new look and some changes.

Regardless of why you want to, keep reading for the best ways to achieve all of those goals. For now, we have a few easy ways to make the outside of your house beautiful.

You could always start with your outdoor greenery. Trim and shape your shrubbery and add some pots with bright plants around your walkway or porch.

Pick up some swatches of your favorite exterior paint colors and choose the best one to repaint your front door with. Lay new pavers for an elevated walkway or highlight your outdoor space with some seasonal decor.

And listen closely here: above all else, the best way to give your house exterior that extra oomph?

Be bold. Stay true to yourself and your vision.

11 Ways You Can Upgrade Your House Exterior

So now you know the essentials. You understand the easiest ways to add some curb appeal to your house exterior. You get why and how important it is to boost your home’s presence on your residential street.

And now, you’re finally ready to take that extra step and go the extra mile. Here are our 11 tips and tricks on how to let your home stand out.

Start With Your Roof

You’re walking down your street as the sunsets. You love to glance up and see all of your neighbors’ architecture and landscaping looks.

First, you see that one abandoned house that you always think of as ramshackle, as best. The door is almost off its hinges and the lawn is overgrown. Its windows have boards on the exterior and the worst part is the roof. Its shingles are falling off at the slightest hint of a breeze. It’s an eyesore, to say the least.

But you forget about it as soon as you walk a little further and see your next-door neighbor’s picturesque landscape.

As the sun drops lower, there’s a golden glow on everything that highlights the peak of everyone’s house. And you can’t help but drop your jaw at that gorgeous roof.

Does your own roof need an upgrade? It’s not just about the visual appeal. Old roofs can cause serious foundational malfunctions.

Do you prefer a modern home exterior? If so, take advantage of architectural roof shingles. They are multidimensional and much more unique than the traditional asphalt ones. If you like your home to feel cool on the interior, these are a great option here, too.

These modern shingles reflect UV rays so that you can stay cool all day long.

Another option for a modern house exterior is a standing-seam metal roof. Metal roofs come in a lot of cool tones, as well.

Maybe you want to keep the charm of your mature home. A tile roof is a great choice for older properties. New concrete designs are durable and striking, unlike many of the traditional clay tiles. You can choose any number of styles, shapes and patterns for an eye-catching roof.

Add Some Texture

Are you big on your home’s interior and home decor? If you are an interior design buff, you know the importance of texture.

Your cozy bed has a lot of it. You have blankets, quilts and throw pillows for a carefully crafted look. You have a woven quilt and a velvet throw pillow. You have cotton and wool. You remember that every time you have a houseguest, they moon over your bed because of all the texture.

Do you have any outdoor or indoor plants? Imagine your miniature greenhouse in your living room or your front porch that’s robust with plant life. There are greens, reds and oranges in all different heights and textures. Your planters have various designs, feels and patterns.

Why do they look so great? It’s because of texture.

Don’t skimp out on texture for your house exterior, either.

You could boost your home’s exterior appearance with a natural stone accent wall. You can sweeten it with a brick veneer skirt. If neither of those sound right, add an accent of cedar shingles to a portion of your exterior.

Are you a lover of all things modern? Consider corrugated metal panels or architectural wall panels. Think about stucco as an option, too.

Use Bold-Colored Accents on Trims

Have you ever vacationed in New England? Maybe you recently went to a fishing village in Rhode Island or took a trip for some classic New England dining.

But something else caught your eye while you were there, too. Even if you went up the coast long ago, you still remember the houses. Why?

It’s all in the accent trim.

There are white houses with black trim and a pomegranate-red door to add a pop. Think of cobalt-blue siding with bright-white trim. There are deep-maroon structures with black or chocolate brown accents.

Bring back a taste of that New England charm by appending some bold trim to your property. Here are some ideas of where to accent your house exterior:

• Your front door
• Shutters
• Trim
• Decorative woodwork

You want your exterior house colors to mesh with the rest of your home. But you still want it to grab the attention of passersby. Remember: it should be a pop. So don’t use a gaudy color on a huge scale.

Change Your Shutters

Suburbia has many perks. But sometimes, the overwhelming sense of sameness gets boring. Of course, check with your HOA before making any property changes. But a great way to stand out is through a small change, like switching out your shutters.

A lot of people forget they even have them since they are so standard. A lot of the time, they aren’t even functional.

There are massive amounts of shutter styles for you to choose from today. If you like that cottage-core chic look, opt for a country design for your shutters. If the mid-century modern appeal is something you can’t get away from, you have several gorgeous choices, too.

Your shutters have to flatter the rest of your house exterior. And there are many strong colors out there as well.

Be Creative With Your Driveway

A lot of the time, you think of your driveway as just a functional piece on your property. You don’t even register its appearance. At the end of a long workday, it serves as a haven. You pull up to it and breathe a sigh of relief: I’m home.

So why let boring asphalt stand in the way of that? We promise that you’ll be even more glad to be home if you have an updated driveway.

It’s usually the first thing one of your visitors notice as they arrive. It’s both yours and their first interaction with your living space. So get creative with it!

If you need a stable and long-term fix, check out permeable driveway pavers.

For that creative approach, you can lay bricks or stamped concrete pavers.

Enhance Your Entrance

The entrance to your home is similar to your driveway in that they’re both crucial to curb appeal. They are also some of the first things you or anyone else notices when they step foot on your property.

There are two essential parts in your entrance as a whole: your walkway and your entryway.

For a dazzling walkway, you can lay an elaborate paver path. Consider comfy seating areas along your pathway. Lighting is also a functional and gorgeous addition.

As for your entryway, you might want to think about opening up the space. This works well for almost any style of home. You could widen your steps or expand your front door with some panels. A Colonial-style tower is yet another wonderful option.

Add Drama to Your Exterior Lighting

Cold weather is on its way. Though this may sound daunting to you if you prefer summer fun, don’t panic. That depressing, dark feeling you get when the days become shorter? We have a solution.

Install warm and dramatic lighting for your house exterior. Pick different sconces to go with your house colors and also encourage safety as you walk up to your front door in the dark.

Install Wall Claddings

Wall claddings, or siding, don’t have to be boring.

Here are some options to decide on when you need a big change for your exterior:

• Natural stone
• Wood
• Brick
• Stainless steel
• Aluminum
• Vinyl

Consider a Fence

Picture-perfect. That’s what you imagine when you think of fenced property. But don’t just leave it to your imagination!

Any home benefits from a fence, and there are many styles to choose from, too.

They keep your dogs and tiny tots safe while striking the eye of anyone strolling by.

Add Vibrant Landscaping

Landscaping is one of the most fun ways to enhance your house exterior.

Shrubs, plants, flowers and trees all serve many purposes. They can offer privacy if you plant greenery that’s high enough. They add pops of color and interest, too. It’s also a great way to add a new hobby to your repertoire.

Upgrade to Larger Windows

There’s nothing like driving by a new neighborhood and seeing a tall home with massive windows.

Sometimes, those houses aren’t as tall as you might think. Larger windows not only enhance your property value, they give the illusion of extra height and size. It’s a win-win situation.

Conclusion

You have a lot to consider. Maybe you want some exterior paint ideas or a whole new landscape altogether.

Either way, we’re here to collaborate with you and bring your vision to life at Exscape Designs.

Check out our portfolio and testimonials to see just how much we can do for your home. For other fun tips and steps for the best house on the block, head to our blog.

And when you’re ready to level up your property, contact us. We’re ready, too.