How to Decorate Your Home Facade

Paint the main portion of your home. Use a color that blends in with the rest of the neighborhood while allowing for individual personality. A lighter color gives the illusion of a larger home. Colored siding is an alternative that gives a similar look to the outside of your home.

Install new windows. Many homes are ready for an updated, more energy-efficient window, so you can use this opportunity to add equity to your home at the same time that you add new personality to it. Large windows are inviting, and windows in an arch shape add architectural interest.

Paint the trim around your house. Use a contrasting color to the main paint color to make your home's architectural details stand out, such as the window frames, roof line, shutters and trim between your home's stories.

Add a new door to the front of your home. The door gives you the opportunity to pick a bright, bold color that will catch the eye of people who are driving by.

Add decorative posts to the front entrance way. Rectangular posts are appropriate for a traditional home, while plastered columns are appropriate for a Greek style or Victorian home. Stacked brick accents a brick exterior.

Decorate the front entrance way or porch. Paint the railing and floor. Hang a porch swing from the roof if desired. Add a couple of outdoor chairs and colorful pillows. Place a table between the chairs, and top with a vase of fresh-cut flowers.

Add larger pieces of landscaping to the yard. Place smaller trees in the front yard if you plan on living in your home for a few more years, or opt for trees that have already grown for several years. Trim shrubs and mow the lawn.

Plant small flowers and plants around your home's exterior. Line a walkway with flowers, add flower pots near the front stairs and place fresh flowers in window boxes. Plants and flowers should range between 2 and 14 inches in height and consist of succulents, perennials and evergreens.

Intersperse rocks with the flowers. The rocks add a charming addition to the front of your house, while the color allows the surrounding colors to stand out. Dig a small area for each rock and plant about 1/3 of the rock underground. Cover a portion of the rocks with mulch.

Add lighting. Install a new sconce near your front door. As an alternative, make a rustic light fixture out of a birdcage or twigs with a battery-operated candle inside. Small lamp posts can help light the walkway and add an attractive addition to the design.