Creative Ways to Increase Curb Appeal on a Budget

Before last year, you didn’t hear too much about stone veneer panels, but the trend has picked up some serious steam — now, you hear about them almost everywhere. They have proven to be a powerful method for helping to improve the curb appeal of your home, but you should always be strategic when you install faux stone panels. In many cases, it won’t look complete unless you have tastefully blended wood and stone together. Reports have shown that stone veneer projects tend to have a high ROI of 92.9%, because of it being a trending home improvement project. Wondering about stone veneer projects that can raise your curb appeal, and as a result, raise your property value as well? Check these ideas out for some inspiration.

Faux Brick Facade: Add Drama and Texture

A lot of people like the natural stone look, but if you want real stone, it costs quite a bit more. For the mid-century to the modern home, these panels are the perfect choice to spice it up. You might pay around $90 for a 4’x3′ section, but you can also add these slowly to your home. The great thing about home improvement is how you can do it over time, making it easier to afford. You may not even want to cover everything with this panel because this works especially well as an accent. You might add it to walls or chimneys, and you could also choose to cover up an ugly old cinder block foundation.

Modern Linear Design

Especially intended for some of the larger and more contemporary ranch-style homes, you can clad your exterior walls with the horizontal lines that have textured stone, and you will have a highly fashionable treatment. This project becomes the most striking when you have trees and vegetation to bring out the greenery among the faux stone.

Traditional Timber: The Frame Design

A timber-framed home will normally accommodate for a mixture of various exterior treatments. You will have beautiful texture and colour of the natural stone to complement some of the grainy wooden beams. You could also turn natural stone into a partial cladding or a base for the columns at your entryway.

Craftsman Style Design

Known as the American craftsman style that first originated during the 20th century in Southern California, this style has a distinct vertical orientation, and it will work well with porches and gables. You might also highlight some of the natural stone cladding that works in concert with some of the other surfaces. For example, you could pair it up with stucco or brick.

The Tuscan Design

This design first began in a region of Italy made famous for its ancient stonework and masonry. Even with the humblest stone cottage, this design has all the grace and integrity that comes with the use of natural materials. These techniques are time-honoured. Unrefined and roughly chiselled stones will often be mismatched for the style, and you might see this mix of colours for the rock wall stone. It will form beautiful textures and patterns.

Replace the Broken or Missing Bricks in a Walkway

Cracked and broken bricks from a walkway do not look appealing at all. In fact, they look sloppy, and when you’re trying to improve the curb appeal, this is one of the simple ways that you could do it. Another thing to look for is loose bricks. A loose brick can be a tripping hazard to people, as can missing bricks. You want to replace or repair cracked or broken bricks. The change will be subtle but will have an undeniable positive effect on your curb appeal.

Upgrading Columns with Stone Veneer

Do you have boring wood or metal columns outside the home? You can add to the curb appeal almost instantly if you were to upgrade the columns to faux stone panels. The veneer wraps around the columns, and it’s a fun and affordable upgrade that will look gorgeous when finished. Also, it’s much easier to do than what you may think.

Laying a Brick Path

You have most likely seen a home with the standard concrete path on it. Instead of concrete, why not try gorgeous red bricks? They don’t cost much, and you don’t need much else to build this path to the home. The only thing that you will need is a little willingness to work hard, and you can create spectacular designs with your path.

Pick Complementary Plants

It’s a simple and subtle way that you can increase the curb appeal of your home through the stone veneer. Look at the siding and choose plants that will go well with it. Some of the plants that will work well with stone veneer include:

• Rosemary
• Sage
• Oregano

If you’re looking into trees, some of the trees that will complement stone veneer include:

• Blue Spruce
• Evergreens
• Arborvitae
• Juniper

All of these trees have a dark and cool tone that helps to offset the colour of your stone. If you happen to choose flowers to go with stone veneer, one of the biggest advantages is that you simply can’t go wrong with your choice. The colours should make you feel happy, and it will complement the exterior during the summer months.

Use the Stone Veneer for Outdoor Accents

After you have chosen the stone that looks best in your home, you can always choose to match this with some of the outdoor installations. For example, using the same style on a shed or mailbox can produce a beautiful look. If you have a visible chimney, you might choose to cover it with the fireplace stone because this will stand in contrast to the exterior.

Use Gravel, Rocks or Pebbles

You’d be surprised at the effect you can create with just rocks and pebbles. Not to mention, you lower the amount of time required to maintain your yard. Choose wisely, and pick a colour that matches up with the exterior. For example, if you had installed faux stone panels, you’d want to choose the colours of the rocks or pebbles so that it adds to the visual appeal from the street. You might even choose to install these panels with a water fountain upfront, which can look great.

For more tips on how you can improve your curb appeal, give Peel Exterior Maintenance Inc. a call at 1-888-265-7214, or contact us here