With lockdowns, travel bans and quarantine requirements looking likely to persist in many nations for the foreseeable future thanks to the current health pandemic, instead of splashing out on the regular family holidays, some homeowners are choosing to invest in their properties instead.
But short of a complete overhaul and extensive refurbishment, which areas should you focus on in terms of the outside of your property and the land around it?
Check out these six great ways to spruce up your home exterior and grounds to get started!
- Portal painting
First impressions last and one of the easiest ways to project a positive image of your home is to repaint your front door (plus it also makes returning home each day more pleasant for you and your family).
Yellow is said to inspire positivity and creativity, red reflects risqué passion and blue is cool and calming – take a look at this door colour guide from home décor bible House Beautiful for even more ideas.
- Soffits and fascias
Soffits and fascias sit between the top of your exterior walls and the roof and usually support the guttering. They’re hardly the most glamorous of household features but are eminently practical and when they’re repainted or replaced they have a subtle yet powerful effect on improving the look.
Talk to your local builder about replacing or refurbishing your peeling or dishevelled fascias and soffits – you won’t regret it!
- Rendering
Rendering your exterior walls with basecoats, topcoats and everything in between can dramatically improve the façade of your home by covering cracks, blemishes and general signs of wear and tear.
Talk to render experts Direct Building Products for pro advice on the best products, tools, repair systems and colours — your tired-looking exterior will soon look brand new.
- Orangeries
Orangeries are similar join-to structures as a large conservatories and these types of extensions were popular between the 17th and 19th Century, therefore they tend to have retro rather than contemporary styling which is sympathetic to older homes.
Companies like CR Smith and SRJ Windows specialise in orangeries but you’ll find deals from reliable joiners and builders up and down the country.
- Zen gravel garden
Whether you work from home or simply enjoy spending time in the fresh air, a Japanese zen gravel garden is a terrifically therapeutic and low-maintenance installation in your grounds.
Simply buy some larger rocks and suitable ornaments and plenty of grey granite and gravel chippings and you can spend many a cathartic hour raking your chips into deeply satisfying patterns – don’t knock it ‘til you try it!
- Garden office
If you like the thought of working from home for the most part, but the lack of boundaries makes it tricky, a garden office could be the ideal solution that’s a stone’s throw from your house but offers the privacy you’re craving.
Garden office gurus RoomsOutdoor have a wide range of stylish units to choose from and they can be customised to suit.