When you drive by houses or walk through your neighborhood, what grabs your eye? What makes you wish you lived there? Sometimes it’s hard to even define, right? It just looks inviting! It could be the brick or the windows? Usually it’s a combination of the permanent fixtures like the brick, stone, siding and windows and the extras. Extra’s could include landscaping, window boxes filled with flowers, potted plants, shutters, etc. Even the color of the front door could be the piece-de-resistance. I’ve been thinking a lot about curb appeal lately because I am working on picking out my brick and stone combo for the Jenny-Mike house. I sometimes feel I’m risking my life with Michael adding extras at every turn. Hehe!
Let’s start with the fixed components. These are the elements that cannot be changed without considerable renovation. The brick, stone, stucco, siding, and the windows…
Fixed Components
Let’s start Big!!
Have you ever??? Ofcourse when I began the process of picking out windows, this is where I started! Those are most definitely wood windows and they are fabulous! However, I found out quickly that wood windows are about 3 times more expensive than vinyl.
Of course they are!! This is my M.O.! Everything I LOVE is around 3 times more expensive than what is normally done. Well, not on pinterest! Right? Every window looks like a wood window! So pretty!! I just want to live in Pinterest Land!!
The landscaping is phenomenal! But let’s stick with windows for now. Fabulous, right!?! They just have to be wood!
I tried. I did. But in the end the vinyl was pretty enough. I mean, 3 times cheaper!! I just couldn’t bite off that much! AND I’m actually very pleased with the results!
I am especially pleased with the grill pattern! They’ve made some great improvements to vinyl windows since I last remodeled. Now you have options! You can put them in between the glass. This is a good options when it comes to cleaning but it doesn’t add a lot of visual interest this way and it is very easy to tell they are NOT wood. So, I opted for the grill pattern on the outside. Now you can choose between two widths of grill patterns in the vinyl as well. I went with the widest as I think it more closely resembles the wood windows.
Another detail to consider that definitely draws the eye is eye-browed or arched windows. This adds to the cost but also adds to the charm. An option is to just do 2 or 3 windows with an eye-brow and then talk with the contractor about little tricks that can be done to make more windows appear to be arched due to the way the brick or stone is laid around the window. This house is an example
Not a great picture, but if you look closely at the detail of the windows and brick, you’ll notice that only 2 of the windows are actually eye-browed. The rest have some sort of stucco around them to fool the eye into thinking almost all the windows are eye-browed. I am implementing this bit of trickery, but obviously it’s a little to early to show.
Brick & Stone
This is a big one for me! It’s so absolutely permanent!! And brick is a tough thing because you can’t just look at one brick! You have to see it all together! There’s so many variations! I know this, I DO NOT want a brick that is totally uniform. I prefer painted brick over a uniform brick option. By the way, the reason I’m not talking much about siding is because in this part of Texas (maybe Texas in general) there aren’t many sided houses. When we lived in South Dakota I learned that they use more siding because when the ground thaws every spring it tends to shift more, so brick is not ideal for that part of the country. Here, our ground certainly does not freeze. So, brick it is. I was planning on brick alone, but after finding this house I have decided I just NEED some stone mixed in!
I was exploring one Sunday afternoon and this precious elderly couple was working in their yard. They were kind enough to, not only let the creepy stranger take pictures, but also look up the name of there brick and stone! I really like it! The more I analyze why I’m drawn to it, the more I believe it’s the fact that it’s so light. Even the brick looks slightly whitewashed.
Here is a beautiful example of a stone house.
If you do live in a home or find a home that has the perfect floor plan but the brick is hideous, painted brick can be very classy as well!
See if you recognize this one…
This is the house that Samantha and Darrin move into at the end of the movie Bewitched!! AMAZING Curb Appeal!! Her “cottage” was also great! I could watch this movie over and over just to visually explore that cottage!
Also very quant with the window awnings is the original Bewitched house!
Which is a nice segue into the next Curb Appeal component! By the way, I have not selected my brick or stone yet. But you will be the first to know when I do!
Window Awnings
I LOVE awnings! I’m not sure why. It just seems so inviting and sweet! Like whoever lives there is inside baking cookies and planning Christmas! LOL
They pretty much speak for themselves. They simply add tons of charm and character!
Landscaping
Flowers and potted plants are a fast and effective way to add instant curb appeal.
Window Boxes are so charming! I MUST have a few! Again, another perfect segue to the next Curb Appeal element…
Shutters
There are so many styles of shutters and you can add instant color to your home. The above example is really my preference. They seem ultra traditional.
Ok, so this may be extreme as far as color, but it’s still so pretty! Totally appeals to the Jenny-Mike in me!
Here’s another style. Very common and classic
And another!! Really the styles are endless
The Front Door
Let’s not forget the front door! Easy to change and so many options! I have an entire pin board dedicated to it!
I love the idea of adding a pop of color via the front door! Plus the windows surrounding it is a great place to show a little creativity with a unique pattern.
Another great example of a beautifully painted front door. Notice, it’s with red brick even!
I love this farm inspired front door.
I almost never go for stained anything, but I wanted to add this pic because the glass is so pretty! It is one of the inspirations for my Front door. I cannot wait to show you!! But I’m still trying to decide on the color!
So many ways to add lots of curb appeal to your own home! I’d love to hear your ideas! Leave me a comment! Help me plan amazing curb appeal for the Jenny-Mike house!
Forgive me. This elevation is not the most accurate. It doesn’t show that we changed several of these windows to be eye-browed and the upstairs second from the right window is actually much bigger than shown. Remember what a nut I am about natural light. This size just wouldn’t do.
By the way… This is Jenny-Mike’s idea of curb appeal!
LOVE IT!!
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Right now I am chronicling the journey of the Jenny Mike house, and I would love for you to be a part of it!
