Improve home security while boosting curb appeal

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Improve home security while boosting curb appeal

By emily.bailey

Tuesday, May 16, 2017

4 easy ways to improve home security while boosting curb appeal

Making a good first impression is important. Whether it's potential buyers or family and friends, your home's curb appeal is the first thing people will notice about your home.

 

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Making a good first impression is important. Whether it’s potential buyers or family and friends, your home’s curb appeal is the first thing that people will notice about your home. But just as important ­­­is making sure that your home is safe. So, we’ve put together a list of things that you can do to improve both curb appeal and your home’s security.
 

Landscape

Landscaping is probably the first thing on everyone’s list when thinking of ways to improve curb appeal. There are a lot of ways to update your landscape and improve the look of your house ranging from fast and inexpensive to big projects that can take time and possibly require outside help. Some of our favorite, smaller projects to quickly improve your garden area are these Better Homes and Gardens suggestions for re-edging your garden plots and creating a new container garden.

 

While you’re at it, there are also a couple of things that you can do to your landscape to make your home safer. One of those things is trimming your hedges to make sure that they aren’t blocking the sight line to your windows or door. This removes the possibility of an intruder hiding in plain sight of your home. Another thing you can do, especially if you are planning on going out of town, is to make sure that your lawn is maintained. An unkempt lawn can be an invitation to thieves.

Garage

Fixing up your garage may not be the top priority when it comes to updating the exterior of your home, but it is a great way to increase your home’s security. Older garage doors may be easier to break into or open from the outside, and some states have standards for garage doors to make sure that they are able to stand up to the weather. If you haven’t ever replaced your garage door, it may not be up to safety standards. Also consider adding a Schlage Touch to your garage door. The keyless deadbolt adds another layer of security to your home without adding an extra key onto your ring.

 

There are also some easy and affordable projects that you can do for your garage to give it a whole new, more welcoming look. One of our favorites is this faux wood garage door stain from Domestically Speaking. We also love this DIY arbor project that would definitely up your curb appeal.

Door

Having a welcoming entrance may be the most important aspect of your home’s curb appeal. Your front door can make or break someone’s impression of your home, so updating it is a quick way to drastically improve the look of your home. You don’t have to get a new front door to make it feel like new though, a coat of paint can do wonders. We suggest painting the door a contrasting color to your house like Camila Pavone did for her front door. While you’re at it, replacing your house numbers can add some extra personality to your front entrance.

 

Replacing the hardware on your front door is another way to both improve the look of your home and increase security. The Schlage Sense™ Smart Deadbolt is easily installed and not only makes carrying your house keys around unnecessary, it also comes with a built-in alarm to protect your home from any unwanted visitors.

Lights

Once you’ve done all the work to improve your home’s curb appeal, it would be a waste if guests could only see it in the daylight. After all, guests tend to come over in the evening. Outdoor lighting can help to highlight all of the best features of your house and yard. Get some outdoor lighting ideas from the DIY Network.

 

Maybe you don’t have a lot of evening guests or you aren’t all that worried about making sure that people see your landscaping at night. Before dismissing outdoor lighting, consider that a well-lit house is also a deterrent for thieves. Landscape lighting can get rid of the dark areas in your yard that could hide an intruder.

Have you taken your home’s curb appeal to the next level? Share what you’ve done on our Facebook and Instagram pages for a chance to be featured on our Instagram!