While painting the exterior of your home is typically necessary every 5-7 years, you don’t need to paint the whole exterior of your house to give it a refreshing facelift. With a little bit of paint on your front door, the shutters, and/or the trim, or a new light fixture you can have a striking new look with a fraction of the investment!

If painting your entire house is not in the budget right now, here are a few things you can do to get great curb appeal without painting the entire structure.

PAINT THE FRONT DOOR

Your front door shouldn't be an afterthought. After all, it's the first thing people see when they visit your home. A fresh coat of paint on your front door will spiff up your home and brighten its appearance. If your front door features a storm door or screen door, you can paint its frame a contrasting hue for a second punch of color. Some tips to think about when choosing a color -

Use a neutral hue such as brown, black, or gray for a look that will withstand the test of time. Even deep reds and navy blues are classic front door colors that act as neutrals.
Since your door will be exposed to outside elements, it's essential to use the proper paint to prevent peeling and fading later. Latex exterior paints provide weather-resistant coverage. If your door is metal, look for one with built-in rust protection. No matter what you choose, you will need to go over the door with an exterior primer first.
Pick the Paint Color Outdoors: Colors can look very different in different lighting conditions. Tape paint swatches to an exterior door and check out the color throughout the day. If you want to get an even better idea of how it'll look, paint a small swatch directly on the door.

PRESSURE WASH YOUR HOUSE

Over time, your home can get a little dingy from the dirt and pollen that collects on it throughout the year. Pressure washing can clean off all the dirt, grime, and mildew to reveal a sparkling exterior. Before you begin, make sure you know if the materials on your house are safe to be pressure washed.

PAINT SHUTTERS AND TRIM

Your shutters and trim might only make up a small fraction of your home exterior’s surface area, but their appearance has a major impact on your home’s curb appeal. The trim provides definition and distinction to your home’s exterior. The biggest factor to keep in mind when choosing a trim paint color is contrast. While people tend to choose flat colors for siding, gloss or semi-gloss paints are often chosen for trim and shutters. Keep in mind every house is unique in terms of its specific setting and attributes so when choosing colors, go with what you like. After all, you are the one living there.

PAINT RAILINGS

It doesn’t matter if your house is freshly painted, if you have a rusted or peeling railing it will negatively impact curb appeal. For iron railings always use high-quality, exterior-grade paint that is designed for painting metal. You can use spray paint, or you can brush on liquid paint. If there is any bare metal, you will need a primer as well. For wood railings, fall is a great time to paint them as they have had all summer to dry out from spring rain exposure. Prep work makes all the difference for this kind of project. Taking the time to do the preparation will give you great-looking railings that will last a long time.

INSTALL A NEW MAILBOX

A mailbox can be an accessory that makes a difference. If it's in bad shape, it reflects poorly on your house. Install a new one to give your home a clean and polished look.

HANG UP SOME NEW NUMBERS

If you have rusty or faded house numbers, chances are that it's a pretty difficult task to find your home. Plus, it reflects poorly on the upkeep of your home. Spray paint or purchase updated numbers to replace the shabby ones. You can change it up and hang your house number spelled out. Low cost and easy to do.

SWAP OUT YOUR LIGHT FIXTURES

Outdated light fixtures have a surprisingly large impact on the appearance of your home, making it look less attractive. Swap out the old for new, stylish fixtures. If you have a simple mounting system, the swap should be easy. But if you have tricky wiring, hire an electrician to make the swap for you.

Getting an exterior update without spending a fortune is possible and Cobb Brothers Company can help you achieve it. Contact Cobb Brothers today and we’ll be glad to help you find ways to update without the need to repaint the entire house. 508-655-7910

Easy Exterior Updates Without Painting The Entire House