Like most things in this house, our front door and curb appeal leave much to be desired.  The trees are overgrown, the paint is tired, and the colours are boring.

There’s not much I can do about the trees for the time being, but I can try and liven up the rest.  I took a quick trip to Home Depot and found my inspiration:

This is Behr’s Calypso Blue, and it was just the thing to liven up the front door.  The deck was in good shape, but also looking a bit tired.  I subbed out the faded dark brown for a dark grey.  My sweet little helper even got in on the action.

He did very well considering his age and learned some important lessons about how much paint is appropriate for the paint brush :-).

Repurpose What You Own

I didn’t want to replace the numbers or the mailbox, so I gave them a quick coat of flat black spray paint.  $7 sure beats getting new ones for $50 or more.  I also ripped off the rug that was stapled to the deck.  It may or may not have been contributing to the smell when you first walk in the house.

Curb Appeal for Less than $100!

This project took about 6 hours of work and cost under $100.  There was lots of paint left over, so I’ll be using that for the front fences once my neighbours are on board.  If you’re planning a refresh similar to mine, I recommend setting aside a weekend for it because you need to allow for drying time.

7 Cheap Things You Can Do in Weekend to Improve Curb Appeal

1. Paint your front door a vibrant colour
2. Repaint or replace your house numbers and mailbox
3. Plant perennials from a friend
4. Paint tired stairs
5. Add two large potted plants
6. Buy a cute welcome mat
7. Trim shrubs and mow lawn

Want to plant some perennials, but not sure which ones are beginner friendly?  Head on over to 28 Perennials You’ll Regret Planting and 53 Garden Favourites.

Want to see the inside?  Make sure you check out our home tour!

What do you think?   Would you try a bold colour on your front door?  If you already have one, what’s your colour?

**UPDATE**  The neighbours approve of our new blue door!  We got lots of compliments when we went door to door for Halloween

Kristen Raney

Kristen is a former farm kid turned urban gardener who owns the popular gardening website, Shifting Roots.  She is obsessed with growing flowers and pushing the limits of what can be grown in her zone 3b garden.  She also loves to grow tomatoes, but oddly enough, dislikes eating them raw.

www.shiftingroots.com