We hope everyone is staying safe and staying home during this COVID-19 crisis. We thought we could provide some reading material and inspiration between Netflix, CNN, and glasses of wine! We’re all looking forward to getting through this safely, and getting back to normality!
Spring has officially arrived and it’s time to start thinking about ways to improve the curb appeal of your home! A great way to do that can be an exterior painting makeover.
A question we get every spring at Aloft is what CAN be painted? The answer is almost anything! Brick, Stucco, Wood, Vinyl, and Aluminum can all be painted. Our vendors have paint specifically formulated for specific exterior substrates. There are some restrictions in products and colours for certain substrates, but in short, we can improve the look of almost any exterior with a simple paint job.
For suggestions on how to improve the look of your home’s exterior, we’re chatting with real estate sales representative and trained interior decorator, Ashlee Mclean from The Mink Group, a top team with Coldwell Banker Community Professionals Brokerage (www.minkgroup.ca). Ashlee brings a unique perspective to the home industry with her breadth of knowledge in real estate sales, and a passion for designing beautiful interiors.
Here’s what Ashlee had to say:
“We’ve all heard the saying ‘Never judge a book by its cover’, well in the home industry that rarely happens! Picture your home as the book and its front façade as the cover. The exterior of your home provides visitors with a first impression. Whether it’s guests, potential buyers, or people just driving by, you want the view of your home from the curb to have the most appeal. Over time finishes fade, colour trends come and go, and every few years it’s time for a refresh!”
No matter what the reason happens to be for an exterior paint job, cost is almost certainly the major factor contributing to how far you can take your exterior makeover.
My top 3 areas to cost-effectively revamp your home’s exterior are to paint the following:
Front Door:
Your home’s entrance is the first space your guests see and painting the front door is a great way to create a focal point. You may opt to have the front door coordinate with the rest of the exterior finishes by choosing complementary, neutral colours or shades of grey, black or navy. For those who are a little more adventurous, use the front door as an area to accent by bringing in a pop of colour with brighter blues, yellows or greens.
Garage Door:
Another area on the front façade that can create a visual impact is the garage door. Even though it is much larger in scale than the front door, a fresh coat of paint is still quite cost-effective. Aside from regular wear and tear, the doors to your garage also tend to take a beating by Mother Nature’s seasonal weather causing discolouration and peeling. When selecting a paint colour, try to coordinate with the front door colour, while sticking to a neutral colour or shade and avoiding anything bright and bold. While an eye-catching colour on the front door acts as an accent, if the same bold colour is used on the garage it can be more of an eye-sore.
Window Trim or Shutters:
Don’t forget about your windows when updating your home’s exterior. If your home has shutters, freshening them up with a coat of paint in a colour or shade that matches and coordinates well with the front door can really give the home a brand-new look. Pay attention to your window trim as well, especially when getting ready to sell your home. Potential buyers will be looking at the age and functionality of the windows and well-maintained, freshly painted window trim will be appreciated.”
Full Exterior Repaint
For those people open to spending a little bit more money, a full exterior paint job can do wonders for the look of the home you plan to stay in forever, or the home you’re hoping to sell soon.
“I often hear my home buyer clients commenting on how a home might not be suitable for them because the outside of the house is older and outdated. I remind them that brick, stucco and siding can all be painted, giving the exterior of the home a complete transformation! My favourite colour choices when painting larger exterior surfaces are shades of darker greys and blues with crisp white trim. Another option is reversing that combination by placing white on the largest surfaces and accenting your doors, and shutters in darker colour such as black.
Whether updating your home to sell, or re-designing for personal enjoyment, refreshing your home’s exterior with paint will always be my number one recommendation to cost- effectively add value to your home. By selecting a few of the smaller areas to update, or going for a complete paint overhaul, both will add desirability and increased ‘curb appeal’ to your home.”
We’d like to thank Ashlee for lending her insight to this blog. If you’re thinking about buying or selling or want to get in touch with her for more information, she can be reached at 905-808-1484 or ashlee@minkgroup.ca
If you’re thinking about an exterior makeover don’t hesitate to contact us! Financing available! Contact Jeff or Joel for more information: info@aloftgroup.ca
