Homes are precious ways to share community with your friends and neighbors. Often, a lot of work is put into making the interior seem welcoming – but what about the outside? Here are some things you can do to make your exterior a bit more inviting.

Use Green

Plants, trees, shrubs, succulents, and other flora will create a visually pleasing scene of life in front of your house. There are innumerable ways to go about this, so pick the one that you like the best. People have differing opinions on lawns (some consider them bad for the environment), so you could either go with a lawn or with rocks or mulch between shrubs or plants. Make sure to get greenery that isn’t invasive to your area, causing inordinate damage to local plant life. Get plants that encourage a healthy ecosystem of bugs and bees that will live in your plants without damaging them. Trees (even just a small one or two) for the sake of shade or ecology would be a good idea.

Choose Welcoming Colors

You might be wondering what defines a ‘welcoming’ color from an ‘unwelcoming’ color. Ultimately, it really just comes down to what looks and feels nice. There might be some aesthetics that, although they are unified and interesting to look at, are not necessarily inviting (think old, Halloween witch’s house). Try to pick colors that seem happy without seeming kitschy. Even if you don’t want to make a change as big as the exterior color of your home, that’s alright – just painting your front door can be an affordable way to make a difference. If you’re doing more than one color, make sure they’re complementary and match the palette of the interior (at least generally).

Appropriate Decoration

Nothing says ‘fun’ like a few whimsical yard decorations! The danger here is doing too much and rendering your front yard a little campy. Tasteful lightbulbs can be strung around your front porch to create a wonderful atmosphere. A welcome mat is always a classic (and has important practical uses as well). Birdhouses and bird feeders contribute to the ecosystem and can be super cute if done correctly. Small animals, gnomes, fairy gardens, and the like can be constructed and displayed for a touch more character.

The very front of your home is important because it is what people see when they pass by. So, give it the effort it deserves! Even if they don’t stop, they will always take notice of what it looks like and always note how it makes them feel – even just subconsciously.

Check out this article on how to improve your home during the spring and summer !