How do homeowners follow the fabulous results of a good spring cleaning? By tapping into their DIY side! As outdoor spaces open up for the long summer season, excitement fills the air. With bright, sunny days, homeowners can tackle those outdoor upgrades that were just ideas during those cold months spent indoors. Whether an amateur or advanced DIY’er, summer is the perfect time to put personalized touches on your home. For those enjoying a newly built A&G Residential home, turning that beautiful outdoor canvas into a gorgeous retreat is both exciting and rewarding!

Where to begin? There are so many simple ways to amp up outdoors spaces!

• Paint the Front Door: Hands down, the most common front door color is black. A black front door is safe, standard, and generic, making painting it one of the quickest ways to personalize a home. Choose a color that speaks to you and don’t be afraid to go bold! Choose a durable, semi-gloss paint labeled for exterior use. Metal doors will need an oil-based paint while fiberglass doors need water-based. Have a wood door? Did you know that the type of wood will dictate the best kind of paint? The best part about a front door DIY is that it’s quick, simple, and can be re-done anytime the mood for a change strikes.
• What’s Your Number? Once that front door paint has dried, add some chic house numbers! Think creatively when placing the numbers and invest in chunky, oversized digits. Numbers can be placed vertically, horizontally, or diagonally and come in a variety of materials. Want to make it personal? Head to your local DIY pottery store to design one-of-a-kind numeric works of art.
• Double the Rug, Double the Beauty: Trending now in front porches is a tip taken directly from high-end design teams: layering! Rather than placing a single doormat in front of an entry point, add a larger, outdoor area rug underneath it. This creates depth, interest, and a look of luxury! You might even invest in a few seasonal outdoor rugs to swap out throughout the year. 
• Curb Appeal Counts! Two unsung heroes when it comes to curb appeal are the garage door and the mailbox.
  • Sprucing up an existing mailbox is as simple as a fresh coat of paint and new hardware. If you’ve gone bold on your front door, paint your mailbox to match for some fun symmetry! Perhaps you’d rather install a brand new mailbox. Choose something unique that stands out from the rest of the homes in your neighborhood. Add a hook to your mailbox’s horizontal post so that you can hang a basket of flowers to welcome visitors or showcase your favorite ACC team with a flag.
  • Garage doors can easily be amped with magnetic hinges and handles, found at most hardware stores. This low-cost garage glam-up will take a plain garage door to a carriage or barn door style in minutes, with no tools required.

While many focus on the front of the house when it comes to customizing, the backyard is just as important.

• Concrete Decisions: Most patios are simply a slap of concrete with little personality. For a more advanced DIY project, take it from bland to beautiful. Invest in a sturdy, plastic stencil and give your patio a gorgeous transformation. This project takes patience (and a little practice) but when complete, your patio will truly be unique. Not quite ready to make the jump to concrete stencil? Perk up your patio with a large, colorful outdoor rug.
• Setting the Mood: It’s no secret that lighting can turn an interior space from bright and cheery to calm or romantic with the flip of a switch, but what about outdoor spaces? Absolutely! By installing a variety of lighting outdoors, your patio or backyard can be set to fit several different activities. String lights are terrific when the night calls for a quaint vibe. Spotlights are perfect for lawn games that go on into the night. Solar lights marking walkways or paths are a terrific, simple way to add charm to your home’s exterior.
• A Protective Pop: Whether on a fence or porch, exposed wooden posts should be capped for protection from the elements. A benefit? Post caps add opulence! Post caps come in a variety of colors, take almost no time to install, and take an mostly unnoticed element to a featured piece.
• Screen Time: It’s not your home’s fault that some of those items necessary to keep it running aren’t very aesthetically pleasing. From well covers or propane tanks to vent pipes or garbage cans, there are many utility-related items that may be taking away from your yard’s beauty. Invest in sturdy covers or screens to hide those not-so-pretty items for an instant upgrade!
• New homeowners often start their outdoor makeovers in the garden, but it often takes time for plants to really pop. If you’d like to speed up that process or, perhaps, you haven’t found your inner green thumb don’t discount the use of faux flowers. Create individual moments on porches, patios, or on that mailbox hook arranging some faux flowers in pretty containers. The secret to keeping your secret a secret? Swap out faux flowers before they begin to fade and tuck them away in colder months.

A&G Residential is a premiere homebuilder with a variety of gorgeous floorplans. Placed on beautiful homesites, homebuyers quickly fall in love with their newly built homes. A new home breeds excitement as minor updates mean customization that lasts for years. As the summer months arrive in North Carolina, residents welcome time outdoors to dive into a variety of simple DIY projects. Where will you begin?

Reach out to A&G Residential today to find your dream home and the perfect outdoor space!