1Intensify the Accent Color
Emily J Followill Ashley Gilbreath designed an idyllic getaway in Rosemary Beach, Florida. With direct access to the Gulf of Mexico, this beach cottage just needed a coat of paint to enhance its exterior. Gilbreath chose a rich teal, just a few shades darker than your typical coastal blue, to make the '90s facade look more modern.
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2Shine a Light
Lisa Flood There's nothing welcoming about coming home to an entirely dark house. Adding exterior lighting can be helpful for finding your way in the dark and make your home look more appealing. A copper exterior light illuminates the entryway of this country home by Emily Janak.
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3Embrace the Historical Elements
KEVIN J. MIYAZAKI When restoring the House Beautiful 2023 Whole Home in Hinsdale, Illinois, Julie Laux and her build-design team, J. Jordan Homes, wanted to keep as much of the original 1906 exterior intact as possible. Everything brought in, from structural columns to new garden trellis, was in line with the turn-of-the-century architecture.
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4Stand Out From the Pack
Frank Frances When the Novogratz family renovated their stunning (but previously abandoned) townhome in New York's West Village neighborhood, they painted the exterior a buttery, golden yellow to brighten up the formerly bubblegum pink stucco instead of going for a safe, expected neutral color.
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5Keep the Plants Native
Stephen Karlisch Tyler O'Brien of Agave Custom Homes, who was responsible for the curb appeal of House Beautiful's 2021 Whole Home in the Texas Hill Country, wanted the landscaping to flow seamlessly onto the attached 30-acre nature preserve. So all the plants he chose for the landscaping were native to the environment. It's a decision that helps ensure your plants won't die on you and makes a high-maintenance care routine a thing of the past.
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6Stick to Soft Colors
Andrew Frasz To allow the stunning wood-paneled exterior of this Sonoma County, California, home to really shine, Victoria Hagan chose a streamlined exterior color scheme. Powder gray front doors coordinate perfectly with stone plant pots and stone walls, and various greenery cools the warmth of the wood tone.
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7Fill Flexible Planters
John Merkl The casual wooden planter boxes outside this home in California wine country have a wide enough opening for greenery to be easily swapped in and out with the seasons. It was designed by Sheldon Harte, Laguna Beach–based designer and principal at Harte Brownlee & Associates, and architect Kirby Lee, formerly of Backen & Backen.
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8Float On
Kevin Scott Floating homes need curb appeal too, even if their neighbors are far away. To make the most of being in such close proximity to the water, Studio DIAA equipped the front "porch" of this project in Seattle with plenty of deck chairs and towel hooks.
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9Elevate the Planters
Stephen Karlisch Because the entry of this home (a former parsonage) is quite formal, Shazalynn Cavin Winfrey of SCW Interiors accentuated it with a pair of high planters set on either side of the stairs. Their dark gray hue contrasts nicely with the simple white exterior.
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10Add Decorative Trim
Frank Frances Studio Take a note from HGTV stars Erin and Ben Napier and opt for a decorative style of exterior trim. Period-appropriate gingerbread trim and decorative brackets give the front porch of this Victorian in their hometown of Laurel, Mississippi, a quaint feeling.
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11Let Your Interests Guide You
Jessica Klewicki Glynn Tom Scheerer looked to the equestrian lifestyle as his muse for this Florida home, designed for a family with daughters who compete in the sport. "Without being too obvious, we used certain elements that were reminiscent of barns and stables," he says of the home's exterior. The low, circular pool (reminiscent of a horse trough, of course) in its central courtyard is ideal for scalding summer days.
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12Welcome Guests With Comfortable Seating
Frank Frances Studio The Napiers know that a rocking chair on a warm spring afternoon is what a front porch is all about—that's why they gave this Victorian three. Plus, it's a welcoming way to greet guests, providing hospitality before they even cross the threshold.
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13Opt for Low Landscaping
Shade Degges This quiet and cozy patio off the guest room of a Los Angeles Country, California, home "creates a vacation-esque getaway for anyone visiting," Jeremiah Brent says. Low greenery adds visual interest without blocking or distracting from the view.
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14Keep It Simple
Jenna Peffley White horizontal siding, white woodwork, and a white roof allow the marsh landscape around Whitney Leigh Morris's Florida home to take center stage. Morris worked with architect Jennifer Langford build the home over five feet off the ground in accordance with local floodplain guidelines.
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15Plant a Traditional Garden
Stacy Bass If your space (and the climate) allows, why not go all out and curate an English-style garden? You can fill it with a mix of flowers, local greenery, and statement blooms, acting as a pathway leading up to your home, as gardener Gerard Pampalone did at his Connecticut farm.
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16Let the Architecture Shine
Nate Sheets To restore her own home, a classic Colonial in Kansas City, Annie Anderson partnered with architect Nancy Ruzicka. Custom black shutters (that actually close!) complement the home's architecture and coordinate with the newly restored bay windows.
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17Raise the Pavers
jessie preza The best way to keep weeds from overtaking your stone pavers is to raise them up a bit rather than inlay them into your yard. At designer Krystal Matthews' Louisiana home, the walkway keeps guests' feet dry and out of the dirt as well. A fresh coat of Sherwin Williams Aesthetic White refreshed the 130-year-old farmhouse's exterior, brick front steps included.
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18Frame the Front Walkway
Ngoc Minh Ngo Susannah Charbin, founder and creative director of the creative studio The Beaux Arts, wanted her home to transition seamlessly into the surrounding Long Island marshes, so she lined the front pathway with native fountain grass.
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19Embrace the Side Yard
Nicole Franzen Leave no square foot of yard unused! Follow Michael Ellison's approach, implemented beautifully at this Nantucket home, and install a bite-sized seating area (complete with fire pit) to serve as a more private area of outdoor living space.
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20Choose a Ramp
JONATHAN MITCHELL For a more accessible entryway, opt for a ramp rather than stairs. While especially helpful for this floating home by Colleen Saglimbeni, a ramp makes your home easier to live in as you age—and the right railing can make it look chic.
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Kate McGregor is House Beautiful's Digital Editor, writing in-depth , design inspiration stories, and . With over five years of experience writing commerce and search-optimized content for brands like Domino, Real Simple, and Architectural Digest’s Clever, Kate has developed a passion for uncovering the personal stories that often lie behind the inspiration for people’s spaces. She previously worked as the assistant market editor at ELLE Decor where she identified top products and brands in the industry and interviewed emerging designers about their thoughts on the latest . Kate holds a bachelor’s degree from Belmont University. When not researching the specificities of begonia plant care, you can find Kate scouring vintage markets for the ideal wrought-iron chair, knitting yet another cardigan, or reading historical nonfiction.
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