6 Ways to Transform a Home's Dated Exterior

The best way to transform your homes exterior is to try to find more ways to spruce up a property’s curb appeal besides painting the front door or adding landscaping. For a home with an exterior that looks dated, a few strategic updates can make all the difference. This great article shared from NAR, says that Jackie Mosher, cofounder of Dzinly(link is external), a virtual design platform enabling users to test different home exterior features, offers the following tips:

1. Contrast colors.

This can add visual interest and highlight parts of your design that are important, such as three-story windows.

2. Consider a metal roof.

These roofs have been around a long time but have recently seen a large uptick in popularity. They offer performance, protection and could even increase a home's resale value by up to 6% compared to asphalt roofs, Mosher says.

3. Add a flat or low-pitched roof dormer. 

This can add personality and character to traditional and modern homes by creating an eye-catching look.

4. Accentuate with metal window awnings.

An awning has the added benefit of helping to reduce heating and cooling costs as well as divert water. But Mosher says her top reason to add one is that awnings boost curb appeal, too.

5. Try a limewash brick.

Unlike paint, limewash soaks into the surface and won’t chip or peel. It is easy to apply yourself, inexpensive and known to be resistant to bacteria, Mosher says. “This can give new construction the charm a 100-year-old house has earned,” she says.

6. Turf joint walkways. 

In warmer climates, these can add sophistication to what would otherwise be a boring, straight path.