Increasing Curb Appeal...

"What's wrong with it the way it is?" A phrase commonly heard around our home.  "Nothing, I just want to improve it a little bit."


Let's face it, we all had a reason as to why we chose the home we did...that little something that no one else appreciated the way we did...you know, like the drippy faucet or groaning pipes.  It didn't matter if it was a "fixer upper" or brand spanking new, we knew from the beginning we would want to change things to make it uniquely our own.


Our home was new.  Before we even moved in, heck before we even closed, I had a list of things that would be changing in this house.  It has taken a while but the list is finally underway.  On said list was improving the curb appeal of our home.  Let me begin by saying there was absolutely nothing wrong with it...


...I just knew it could be more.  And, that it would be a process.

We started by removing all the existing plants in the flower bed and removed that shrub on the side.  We extended the front flower bed around to the side of the porch and added new flowers, mulch and some hanging plants.


Once the rye grass (shown in the second photo) died off, we set to work improving the lawn.  We knew we were on a tight budget for outside work and the budget did not include new sod.  We decided to overseed heavily to fill in all the dead spots.  We had to hire someone for weekly lawn maintenance...new garages have no room for a car, stuff and lawn equipment.  We chose to keep the car and the stuff.  Our yard is a postage stamp so the services are pretty cheap and we've given the high school kids gas money to drive up and down our street all hours of the night...revving their engines.  Since we believe in "giving back", we will be "giving back" when we're 80 and drive our car into their house!

This year, we overseeded heavily again...not that you would know it now thanks to those blasted army worms! We also replanted the same plants we did last year..."if it ain't broke", right??!  This year, our addition was painting the front door.  While there was nothing wrong with the white, I felt the front of the house needed some punch, so I punched it!

The deets on the door...color is Tricorn Black.  It is between a dark gray and black.  I sanded for 3 hours...count them...THREE hours!  Vintage doors have war scars and sometimes it takes a while to get them ready for  new paint.  Those scars still show, it's the lovely part of an old door, but are much less noticeable.  The door knob was getting some much needed repairs when I snapped this shot.

Seems like this door ran in the world of 3's...in addition to those 3 hours of sanding, it took 3 coats of paint.


I had to leave the door standing open all night so it wouldn't stick...while the hubster was out of town on business.  I taped a sheet over the door opening and prayed no varmints crawled in over night...like Armadillos. Rattlesnakes. Possums.  The hubster was more worried about 2-legged varmints. I got up during the night to make sure I didn't have company...me and my trusty cell phone, which happen to be my weapon of choice!  I figured the very best I could do was call for help while I stood on a chair and screamed.


World of difference!  Isn't it amazing what a little bit of paint can do??  I am so pleased with the result.  I feel like it totally changed the look of the house.  And check out our teenage mutant ninja coleus and caladium!  I don't know what happens in that part of the flower bed, but dang!!  Those things are totally taking over!  And all those brown spots in the grass....army worm damage...UGH!  The moths that emerged after those varmints cocooned themselves started eating the ferns...they are not long for this world...the moths or the ferns!

Some time later this week, when the rain finally stops, I will be painting the trim around the garage door the same color as the front door.  Our house is a very light gray, even lighter when it is sunny, so it definitely needs the punch of color!

 

28 comments

  1. I just read in Money magazine (this month's issue) a black door will increase your home's value by $6000! You are spot on with the Tricorn.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Awesome!! That's good to know, thank you!! Especially since the city tried to raise our property taxes 23% this year!

      Delete
  2. Your home is beautiful! Love the color and the landscaping is great. WOW! Lots of hard work I am sure. Oh girl...I am so glad you didn't encounter NO varmints! Hugs and blessings, Cindy

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you so much Cindy! I appreciate it…it has been a bit of hard work, but we know it is an investment. Oh, honey, me toooooo, I would have died, right there on the concrete floor!!! Love and hugs!!

      Delete
  3. Yes, big differences! And great ones! That Tricorn Black appeals to me and I take notice every time I've seen it in magazines over the past 18 mos or so. Your manner of self-protection is about on par with mine. Good thing cell phones don't require concealed permits. Love the give back theory. Too funny.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you so much Rita! I have always loved this color but it was too dark for inside. Solution was to use it outside! :-) Edward gets frustrated with me because I will not learn how to shoot! I explained my cell phone worked perfectly and got the job done! Giving back is always a good thing, right?! Love and hugs!

      Delete
  4. You did a fantastic job! It looks so much better with the landscaping and door painted dark. I've never heard of those worms. I have a bit of grass in front, but maintenance takes care of it.
    Brenda

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks so much Brenda! It did make such a difference! We loved the look of the door after the paint. We are waiting on all this blasted rain to move out to get started on the trim around the garage door. Honey, those things are horrible and will destroy a yard in a heartbeat! Love and hugs!

      Delete
  5. Well done .. and you are one brave girl!! I am glad you did not have to deal with any varmints 4 or 2 legged!
    Carla

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you so much! Honey, me too!! I don't know how I would have handled an armadillo in the house! :-) Love and hugs!

      Delete
  6. I painted my door black this summer and I love it!! Your whole house looks amazing...but I have to say, you are a better woman than I. Left the door open all night?? Alone?? You are one dedicated DIYer!! There should be an award for that!!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you so much! It has been a labor of love, believe me!! I love the darker colors for front doors! I couldn't decide if I wanted black, dark red or bright yellow. I had seen a cottage style house with a bright yellow door and just fell in love with it. But, in the end, we decided the black would work better since most of my interior décor is black, white and gray! LOL...Edward had some choice names for leaving the door open all night...they started with "are you crazy"??!! LOL I had worked hard on that door and didn't want to have to resand/repaint because it stuck to the door frame...it was the only logical solution for me..LOL Love and hugs!

      Delete
  7. I think I'm probably more afraid of the snakes than the 2-legged varmints! I cannot imagine just leaving a sheet up - what about skeeters??? Looks great!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I am definitely more afraid of snakes than the 2 legged varmints!! I can kick them and run...can't kick a snake...it bites! :-) Mosquitoes were a bit of a problem but thankfully they all died by the next day! :-) Love and hugs!

      Delete
  8. Welcome back friend!! Your front door painted Tricorn Black looks amazing! That's the same color we have and we had it at our house in Oklahoma too. It's a great color. I can't believe you were home alone with no door lock. You crazy girl! Your yard and flower beds are beautiful already too. :)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you so much on both counts! I’ve been holding on to this paint since March hoping to get the door painted. I had no idea it was such a popular color. I browsed the Lowe’s paint area forever and figured I had hit on something different…LOL. I really need to get out more…LOL Yeah, the hubster was not happy about me doing that with him gone, but I knew I couldn’t do it with him there. It was one of those insane risks that worked out well. It was a long night and I don’t think I would do it again! Thank you very much! All looking good just in time for this cold spell to kill it all…LOL Love and hugs!

      Delete
  9. Love, Love and LOVE! Tricorn Black is what I used for my black feature wall in the bathroom. It is a very pretty black. I so need to work on my curb appeal....can you imagine 22 years of overgrown bushes? Yah.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you so much AnnMarie! I just told Stacey that I thought I was being original when I picked that color back in March...that's how long I've been planning on painting the front door...LOL I do love the color though...it changes in different light...it can be black, dark gray or blue...depending on how the sun is hitting it. Honey, you have your work cut out for you!

      Delete
  10. Well done to you!
    I think you've done a fantastic job!

    All the best Jan

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you Jan! It is definitely a continued work in process! Love and hugs!

      Delete
  11. I'm with Edward, are you crazy?? A sheet taped up? I'm just thankful your guardian angel was on duty that night but don't pull that too often or you'll turn his hair white. I would not have slept a wink and I'd have had more than my cell phone pointed at that sheet.

    Your bravery did pay off as that looks like one fine job. I love the color and everything you did for curb appeal. But I first noticed the beautiful pattern on the front of the house, on the second story. If RH hadn't already gone to bed he could tell me right off what they are but whatever the proper name they add a big punch to curb appeal too.

    You're all set for trick or treaters, even if you only have 1 again this year! And I'll send you that recipe you asked for tomorrow, Benita,
    Dewena

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. LOL...yes, crazy and determined to not have to repeat my work...LOL I'm thankful also...if I lived anywhere else I would never have done something so careless, but I was determined for that door to get dry and not stick when I had to close it. :-) Thank you so much! We love the color...now just waiting on all this rain to stop so I can continue the painting. I don't know what that pattern is, but I believe it is normally a cedar shake that is placed on that part of the house. The builder definitely did a great job with that detail. Thank you...looking forward to giving it a try! Love you!!

      Delete
  12. Benita,
    Looking good. You should see my yard. But, I live in the country and chose to let the "yard" go au naturale. I love it best during cool weather when the annual rye grass is green. As spring approaches I let the grass grow tall to wave in the breezes instead of mowing it to 2 inches height. But, your curb appeal is looking great.

    Judith

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Judith, thank you so much! Since we live in the city, we have to keep the grass mowed. If you don’t, you get citations…and we definitely do not want citations! When we lived on 25 acres in Alabama, we let the pastures grow up a bit before we would cut them. Thank you again! Love and hugs!

      Delete
  13. Sharing this as a feature for Inspire Me Monday! Love the door! I just painted ours a dark grey! This feature is over at not a trophy wife on Monday! laura in CO

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks so much Laura! I appreciate it greatly! I love the darker colors for front doors...don't know if it is a trend, but it definitely made a difference at our house! Thank you again!

      Delete
  14. We live in gun country so I'd leave my door open. Any burglar would be look at the wrong end of a 38 lol But a cell? You are nuts! Everything does look great though. You're making it yours and that's the best :)

    xo

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. We do too. Texas is open carry and the hubster proudly carries – open when he can, concealed otherwise! 😊 He was not happy, and I do mean NOT happy that I kept the door open all night. He sleeps with a pistol and flashlight beside his bed…he said they get one chance (the flashlight in their face) to get out before he fires. Me, I’m the wuss and was really afraid of the 4-legged creatures…LOL Thanks so much girl! Love and hugs!

      Delete

Please leave a comment! I do love hearing from you and enjoy visiting your blogs. I will respond via email or by replying to your comment here on my blog! Have a wonderful day!