What is curb appeal?

How do you define curb appeal?
It is the perspective that you gain just as you approach the home from the front curb. Curb appeal is directly tied to the value of the home and is vital to those looking to upgrade the appearance of the property prior to listing the home on the market.

What is its purpose?
To create and direct the emotion created by the Houston landscape. Adding curb appeal distinguishes a home as preeminent among other dwellings on the block and adds attraction factor to the innate worth of the dwelling.

Curb appeal is critical because it is the first impression one gets of a home owner’s personality, and a first impression is worth a thousand words.

What hardscapes enhance curb appeal?
The most effective hardscapes are those that tie architecture in with the natural elements of the Houston landscape. This always lends appeal to a home because it suggests closeness to Nature and outdoor living that add a sense of warmth and invitation even to inorganic elements and architectural structures.

What are some examples of superb work in hardscaping that you have done?
One in particular that stands out was a Tanglewood home with a driveway that was nothing more than a concrete slab surrounded by San Augustine grass. During the hotter months of the year the grass would die in places, leaving brown patches that added unsightliness to an already drab front yard.

We completely transformed this yard by replacing the circle drive with a brick walkway framed by boxwoods and dwarf monkey grass. This new combination of design and color had the effect of drawing the eye away from the surrounding Houston landscape and focusing it on the center of the home.

How can garden design contribute to curb appeal?
It is very important. In fact, many regard it as the basis of creating great curb appeal. A lack of garden design can make a yard appear disordered. If the home is located in a part of the Houston landscape that lacks little aesthetic in its own right, the absence of garden design can actually create a sense of chaos.

What role do trees play in curb appeal?
Trees add scale and control the perspective of houses. In some neighborhoods they screen the home from surrounding residences.

What other plant materials are crucial to this process?
Flowers are very important here because they add color to the Houston landscape. They decorate the yard with vibrancy and color, which in turn accentuates the home with an added dimension of outdoor décor.

What outdoor architecture can be added to front yard landscaping?
Many architectural elements stereotypically conceived as back yard structures only can actually be used to beautify a front yard. These elements include fountains and small patios. More complex structures can also be added such as walls, steps, and pedestals. The latter are very important anytime it is necessary to create a sense of grand entryway.