The history of St. Louis is written in its architecture. Originally part of the Louisiana Territory, the modern city was settled first by French immigrants. This shows in the area’s oldest homes, from the massive French Colonial houses of the early wealthy to the vertical-log homes of the working classes.
As the population grew and urbanization took root, townhomes and Federal Style houses became common, while the suburbs were home to the Arts and Crafts building movement, with its emphasis on rustic design details as a reaction against industrialization.
All these styles in one city mean St. Louis homeowners have immense creative opportunity. The area is simply less uniform, less cut-and-paste, than many younger American cities, allowing neighbors to express themselves through the appearance of their home and still fit in neatly with the design aesthetic of their neighborhood.
Where, in many cities, curb appeal means conforming to a local standard, in St. Louis, homeowners can boost the curb appeal of their homes in countless ways. Here are a few of our favorites.
The most straightforward way to boost your home’s curb appeal is to work on the thing that covers most of its surface – the siding. If your home is in need of a major update, a refresh with new vinyl siding can be transformative. It’s also low maintenance, giving the warm, quality appearance of wood without the expensive upkeep, or the risk of peeling and rot.
For those in need of a less intensive refresh, Trimworks® decorative accents offer a touch of that Arts and Crafts detail with the durability of vinyl.
And, if your siding is in reasonably good shape, a simple power washing can make it look new.
Spend the Weekend on Landscaping
While the thought of boosting curb appeal brings to mind renovations to your home’s structure, there are cheaper and simpler approaches that can do a lot to make your home stand out. A weekend spent on the landscaping is both a nice diversion from the weekday grind, and a way to make your home look more beautiful.
Simply weeding beds and flowerboxes goes a long way. Building a few new ones – like a nice flower bed around the mailbox, or window boxes with seasonal flowers – can make the home visually appealing without costing you much.
Home window replacement is a more dramatic operation, but brings dramatic results. It offers a high return on investment in the form of lower heating and cooling bills, and substantially improves your home’s appearance.
Whether you’re looking to replace all of your windows for a major boost to your home’s value, or simply refresh the façade with one prominent statement window, Window Nation can offer you a number of custom options, scaled to your budget.
Refresh Your Driveway and Walkways
Changing seasons and weather take a toll on concrete and asphalt, which often means your yard’s hard surfaces show their age even when the lawn is lush and well cared for.
A renewed driveway and walkways can be a large or small weekend project, depending on how much time and effort you want to put into it. A simple deep cleaning can renew the look of cement, like a resurfacing does for asphalt. For a more dramatic step, you may want to cover over old concrete surfaces with stone tile that gives a more rustic and welcoming look.
Your home’s entrance does more to welcome visitors than any other single aspect of the building, and offers a wonderful opportunity to give your house an identity that stands out from the neighborhood.
Window Nation offers an unsurpassed selection of steel and fiberglass entry doors – more than 75 door styles and 35 decorative glass options – allowing you to select an energy-efficient piece more unique than anything found at a home improvement store.
Clean the Roof
Algae, grime, moss, and soot accumulate on shingles. Even in a best-case scenario, they discolor your roof and make it show its age. In a worst-case scenario, they can lead to costly water damage.
Properly cared for, a roof doesn’t need full replacement to look new. A simple power washing can boost your home’s curb appeal for much less than the cost of replacement – though this isn’t a DIY job. For safety reasons, it makes sense to use an insured contractor even for a simple cleaning.
