Kerb Appeal Christmas

Create a magical kerb appeal Christmas

Whenever I think of the ultimate home at Christmas, my mind travels back to the mansion in the 1990 Christmas film Home Alone. All pristine and lit up with a million fairy lights; inviting, warm and magical. With rising fuel costs and budgets tight, how your home looks on the outside may not be at the forefront of everyone’s minds and not everyone is going to have the prospect of decorating a mansion this winter. It is important however to keep your home looking vibrant, to add value to your home, and the entire street. Whether its refreshing your doorstep to cleaning your driveway, we take a look at the best ways to freshen up your homes’ exterior over the festive period.

Brighten up your door A fresh lick of paint on your front door is a simple way of brightening up your home without breaking the budget. Add some colour to your outdoor wood while protecting it from harsh weather at the same time with Ronseal’s 10 Year Weatherproof Wood Paint. Available in 14 different colours, there’s no need for primer so it’s easy to apply and will keep your wood looking good not only in the winter but for a further 10 years. A new door may be a stretch too far for someone if its just to give the house an extra ‘wow’ factor over Christmas, but if you are looking at a more permanent decision, a composite door is very fashionable at the moment. It gives extra security and comes in a variety of styles.

Welcome in the spirit of Christmas by adding a wreath to the front door. Wreaths come in all different shapes and sizes and there are many tutorials online about how you can make your own. You can add in evergreen leaves and pine cones that you can find on winter woodland walks then twist the bracken around a wire frame and • Patios • Brickwork • Slabbing • Gravel • Landscaping • Fencing • Property Repairs • Roofing Repairs • Clay & Block Paving • Tarmacing (Red or White) • Driveway Maintenence (pressure • cleaning and sealing - weed free)

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Whenever I think of the ultimate home at Christmas, my mind travels back to the mansion in the 1990 Christmas film Home Alone. All pristine and lit up with a million fairy lights; inviting, warm and magical. With rising fuel costs and budgets tight, how your home looks on the outside may not be at the forefront of everyone’s minds and not everyone is going to have the prospect of decorating a mansion this winter. It is important however to keep your home looking vibrant, to add value to your home, and the entire street. Whether its refreshing your doorstep to cleaning your driveway, we take a look at the best ways to freshen up your homes’ exterior over the festive period.

Brighten up your door A fresh lick of paint on your front door is a simple way of brightening up your home without breaking the budget. Add some colour to your outdoor wood while protecting it from harsh weather at the same time with Ronseal’s 10 Year Weatherproof Wood Paint. Available in 14 different colours, there’s no need for primer so it’s easy to apply and will keep your wood looking good not only in the winter but for a further 10 years. A new door may be a stretch too far for someone if its just to give the house an extra ‘wow’ factor over Christmas, but if you are looking at a more permanent decision, a composite door is very fashionable at the moment. It gives extra security and comes in a variety of styles.

Welcome in the spirit of Christmas by adding a wreath to the front door. Wreaths come in all different shapes and sizes and there are many tutorials online about how you can make your own. You can add in evergreen leaves and pine cones that you can find on winter woodland walks then twist the bracken around a wire frame and adding LED candles to light throughout advent. You can also add bows, small figures, dried fruit, toys, even sweets, to bring your own personality to your wreath..

Clean your windows and frames You may already have a window cleaner that comes from time to time to give your windows a clean. Or you could give the home a regular once over yourself. A simple way of cleaning your windows is by mixing one part water to one part vinegar in a small bucket, then using a cloth (or mop for the higher windows) and give them a deep scrub. After drying, apply a window cleaning spray and wipe with a clean cloth. A clean, sparkling window shows off what you can see from the outside looking in. Make your Christmas tree visible from the outside and place any prominent decorations in the front room.

Driveway Cleaning a driveway throughout winter, may seem like a tedious job, but if forgotten about during this time, can lead to more problems when spring comes. A perfect way to give your drive or path a fresh new look is to use a hose to remove all unwanted debris, then apply a solution to the damp surface and wait for around twenty minutes for it to do it’s job, then scrub hard broom or brush. If there is a real weed problem with the driveway, you may need a stronger, more potent detergent to remove them before scrubbing away any debris.

A beautiful garden An unkept front garden is not what anyone wants to see whether they’re prospective buyers or its you coming home from a long day at work. You want to create a warm and inviting feeling for anyone coming to the house. If you have a front garden, keep on top of any unwanted plants, weeds and trim back anything overhanging on walls, paths or the front door. Add potted plants and trees to create the perfect entrance. Choose a winter foliage or an evergreen flowering plant like the Christmas Rose which is much more robust when the weather worsens. Other plants and trees to conside using are; holly, poinsettia, mistletoe, pine cones and dwarf conifers that can mimick small Christmas trees you can decorate and display at your doorway.

Add lights Lighting up the front of your house can be daunting when thinking of electricity bills, but a lot of decorations now are made with LED’s, so all you’ll need to buy are a good set of batteries to keep them going through December. You can still add kerb appeal to your home with lights and decorations inside the front windows. Looking into a warm and inviting home, goes past the front door to what you can see on the outside.

For whatever you choose to decorate the front of your home this festive period, have a Merry Christmas and Happy New Year! n by Daisy Bennett

Ronseal’s 10 Year Weatherproof Wood Paint www.ronseal.com