WASHINGTON — After being cooped up inside for a few weeks, now is the perfect time to get outside and freshen up the dirt, salt and snow-covered house.
John Gidding, host of HGTV’s “Curb Appeal” stopped by WTOP to chat about a few simple and inexpensive changes that will instantly freshen the front of your home.
“The thing to do is to really look at the house in terms of how you enter it,” he says.
Mailbox and Pedestrian Path
Check to make sure the mailbox is not crooked and that it is free of chipped or cracked paint.
“Those are the things that — rain or shine, spring or winter — they are the first things people see, and you only have a first chance to make that great first impression,” Gidding says.
And those sticker house numbers? It’s time to get rid of them.
Another element that can really improve your home’s curb appeal is a pedestrian path. Gidding explains a lot of people get to their front doors through the driveway, thus overlooking the use of a path.
But for neighbors and visitors, a path that extends from the front door to the sidewalk is a real plus. And adding a path is relatively painless.
“Flagstones are very easy to lay yourself. You can usually do it in a weekend. Even crushed granite or some kind of particle substance like that can be very easy to do yourself, rain or shine,” Gidding says.
House Numbers
On the front porch, replacing old or mismatched house numbers is another simple change that can elevate the look of your home. The key, Gidding says, is to make sure all of the metal finishes match.
“If you’ve got brass door hardware, for example, try to find brass numbers, and then the sort of one-two-three punch is a brass lighting fixture, as well
