How to Update Your Home’s Exterior with Landscaping: A Fresh Look for Your Curb Appeal

When I first moved into my home, the exterior was rather plain and lacked personality. The lawn was sparse, and the flowerbeds were overgrown. After spending some time settling in, I realized that updating the exterior with landscaping was one of the best ways to improve the overall look of my home, increase its curb appeal, and make it feel more inviting. If you’re looking to refresh your home’s exterior, landscaping can be a fun and effective way to achieve that goal. Here’s how I transformed my home’s exterior with landscaping, and how you can do the same for your home.

1. Start with a Plan: Knowing What You Want

Before diving into landscaping, it’s essential to have a clear vision of what you want your outdoor space to look like. I started by walking around my yard, observing the areas that needed improvement, and taking note of what I liked about other homes in the neighborhood. For me, it was about creating a space that was both beautiful and functional, something that would make my home feel more cohesive with the environment while providing a relaxing space for myself and my family.

Think about the following elements when planning your landscaping project:

Functionality: What do you want your outdoor space to do? Do you want it to be a space for entertaining, a place for children to play, or a peaceful garden to relax in?
Budget: Landscaping can range from a DIY weekend project to a major investment, so it’s important to set a budget. For example, I decided to start small, focusing on low-cost but high-impact changes.
Style: Do you prefer a modern, minimalist design, or something more natural and rustic? The style of your home will influence your landscaping choices, but I found that incorporating elements of my home’s design into the yard made everything flow better.

Once I had a general plan, I felt more confident moving forward with my project, knowing I was creating a space that aligned with my style and budget.

2. Start with Your Lawn: Freshening Up the Grass

The first thing I did was tackle the lawn. A healthy, lush lawn can make a huge difference in the overall appearance of your home’s exterior. If your lawn is patchy or struggling, it might be time to invest in some lawn care. Here’s what I did:

Reseed or Sod: If your grass is thin or has bald spots, reseeding can help thicken it up. I reseeded my lawn in the early spring, and it made a noticeable difference in the fullness and color of the grass.
Fertilize: I applied a balanced fertilizer to give my grass the nutrients it needed to grow strong. Be sure to use the right type of fertilizer for your grass, whether it’s cool-season or warm-season grass.
Regular Mowing: Mowing the lawn regularly helps keep it neat and promotes healthy growth. I made sure to mow my lawn at the right height and not cut it too short, which can stress the grass.

Taking care of the lawn was a simple but important step in my landscaping transformation. It created a clean, green foundation that allowed the other landscaping elements to shine.

3. Create Defined Borders: Adding Structure to Your Landscape

One of the best ways I updated my home’s exterior was by adding defined borders between different elements in the yard. I used materials like brick, stone, and wood to create boundaries between flower beds, garden areas, and the lawn. This step added structure and kept everything looking tidy.

Some ideas for creating borders include:

Edging with Stones or Bricks: I used decorative stones around my flower beds and pathways. Not only did it give the garden a polished look, but it also helped prevent grass from spilling into the garden areas.
Raised Garden Beds: Adding raised garden beds is a great way to define a garden space while also making it easier to manage plants. I built a few raised beds for vegetables, which added both beauty and practicality to my landscape.
Pathways: A winding path leading to a front door or through the garden adds a welcoming touch. I used stone pavers to create a simple, elegant pathway that made my garden feel like a peaceful retreat.

Creating these borders helped add a sense of organization to my yard and enhanced the overall look of the space.

4. Adding Color: Incorporating Plants and Flowers

One of the most exciting parts of updating your home’s exterior with landscaping is choosing the plants and flowers that will bring your vision to life. I decided to incorporate a mix of vibrant flowers, shrubs, and trees to add color, texture, and layers to my yard. The right plants can complement your home’s exterior while also attracting wildlife, such as birds and butterflies.

Here’s how I went about adding color to my landscaping:

Flower Beds: I planted a variety of flowers with different blooming times to ensure my garden had color year-round. From tulips in the spring to sunflowers in the summer, having a mix of seasonal flowers created a dynamic, ever-changing display of color.
Use of Shrubs and Bushes: Shrubs can fill in spaces and provide structure to your landscaping. I chose evergreen shrubs to maintain greenery year-round and flowering bushes like lilacs for added color in the spring.
Planting Trees: Planting a few trees, such as a Japanese Maple or an ornamental Cherry Blossom, added height and beauty to my yard. Trees not only provide shade but also serve as focal points in the landscape.

Adding color to my landscaping was one of the most rewarding aspects. The plants brought life to the exterior of my home and made the yard feel like a natural extension of the living space.

5. Lighting: Highlighting Your Landscaping at Night

Once I had the landscaping in place, I wanted to make sure it could be enjoyed at night as well as during the day. Adding outdoor lighting is a simple way to highlight certain features in your yard and create a warm, inviting atmosphere after dark.

Here are some of the lighting options I used to enhance my landscaping:

Pathway Lights: Installing solar-powered pathway lights along my garden paths not only made the yard safer at night but also added a beautiful glow to the garden.
Spotlights for Trees and Features: I used spotlights to illuminate my favorite trees and architectural features. This created a dramatic effect and allowed the beauty of the landscape to be enjoyed at night.
Accent Lights for Flowers: Small accent lights directed at the flowers helped highlight the vibrant colors and textures in my garden during the evening.

Adding lighting was the final touch to my landscaping project, making it feel complete and adding a sense of magic to the space.

Updating your home’s exterior with landscaping is a rewarding project that can completely transform the look of your home. Whether you’re looking to improve your curb appeal or simply create a relaxing outdoor space, landscaping can help you achieve your vision. If you’re ready to get started, I recommend visiting Improvement for expert advice and personalized recommendations for your next landscaping project.