Upgrading Your Home’s Curb Appeal?
Here’s some clear advice and resources to help with your curb appeal issues.
Curb Appeal Has The Highest ROI—2 Years Running
As someone in their 60’s who consequently knows a little about a lot of things, and will some day know almost nothing about everything, I am often confronted with certain vexing choices—like what new color(s) my house should be? One thing is for sure—I hate what I’ve got now!
The other for sure thing is that curb appeal projects have shown the highest return on value of any home improvement project according to the Cost Vs. Value Report, at around 90%!
The Little Voice In My Head
This is about the time when the little voice in my head starts reassuring me with the phrase, “How hard can it be?” What could be more simple right? What color? What color for what part? The roof, the trim, the siding, the…ah-humm. Then I remember that’s the same little voice I used to hear right before another entry into the DIY Hall of Cautionary Tales.
And Then We Talked It Over—Sort Of
Next that decision to improve the curb appeal of my hacienda becomes further complicated by my wife of 42 years who almost never agrees with me on such things as color and well, in general other stuff too. Our recent conversation went something like this:
“I think we should go with a cedar shake siding on the front entry surrounded by a nice multi-spectral sandstone and then trim it all with bright orange around the windows and soffits,” I shared professorially.
“No. What?? No,” reacted my wife. It would look like we’re living in a deer stand,” she shot back. “Every home needs to have character, but seriously…”
“Oh, come on. I’m in marketing. I know color and stuff that makes people stand up and pay attention. And I’ve won awards you know,” I countered.
“While that’s true, mostly,” she said, “And you are luckier than anyone else I know, I’m not willing to trust our curb appeal and thousands of dollars to your latest streak.”
“So I’m lucky with parking spots, granted, but you left out handsome and don’t forget humble,” I replied.
“Somehow I always do forget that one,” she said wryly. “No, I think we need some kind of system to match these different aspects of roof, trim, siding, soffits and gutters.”
My Brain Finally Woke Up With The Solution
And then it happened. Some part of my brain finally woke up, which happens periodically throughout the day, and it reminded me of some advice and a great resource color selection tool by LP Building Solutions.
When it comes to exterior schemes think of it as a set of colors, not just one to settle on. In fact, choose three that work together, with the main exterior color as the most striking element that really grabs that curb appeal attention and works with the style of your home. It should complement the roof tones.
For example, cooler colors (blues, grays and whites) may work better with black roofs, while warmer colors (reds, creams and tans) go better with earth tone roofs.
Next, pair that color with an accent color for gables and other architectural details. Finally, tie it all together with a contrasting trim color, which incidentally, dear wife, doesn’t have to be white!
And don’t forget if you are choosing new siding there are always new textures that provide plenty of character to consider too. And character is at the heart of any curb appeal success.
In the end this LP Solutions revelation probably saved our marriage from another rhetorical tumble through the minefield of second-guessing and subjective obstinacy. God bless our trade partners!
BONUS MATERIAL
I keep reminding myself the goal of conflict resolution is to gain a better understanding of the other person, not to “win” the argument. Wouldn’t it be nice if I could remember that before the conflict encounter, not afterward?
