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• Look at your
Front door. "The
front door
is the
most telling
detail of your
house," says
Alan Hanbury,
Jr., former
chairman
of the Remodelors Council of the National Association of Home Builders.
You can give your Historical home's entryway an instant lift by choosing the
perfect paint color, or re-finishing the door back to fresh wood, re-stain
and varnish. If the door is not original, search out a new, more age
appropriate or better quality antique such as a mahogany or cherry door. You
can also add a more appropriate wood storm door.
• Think
shutters. "If
you have an
older house,
this is one
way to add
character without
spending a
lot," says
Rocco P. Orlando
Jr., an architect
in Ridgewood, New Jersey. If this is a historically appropriate possibility
for your home, then it is a great investment. Just don't waste you money and
go with cheap plastic or non-authentic vinyl. Anyone who is going to spend money
on your home will pick these out in a heartbeat. Well made, handcrafted and
unique shutters will add value and you need these to last a lifetime, not
just look pretty for awhile then spend 20 years rotting off the house.
• Accessorize.
Authentic Antique
Brass knockers,
Appropriate
mailboxes and
Reproduction
Antique lanterns
are small investments
that make your
house look
great, says
Tim Carter,
a syndicated
home-improvement
columnist (www.askthebuilder.com).
House numbers,
kick plates
and doorbell
buttons are
also available.
If new hardware
is beyond
your budget,
polishing the
existing hardware
can make
an amazing
difference.
• Spruce up
the grounds.
Trim shrubs
so that doors
and windows
aren't hidden.
Even the most
abundant cottage
garden has
a certain grace
and neatness
to it. Fill
window boxes
with vines,
geraniums and
ornamental
grasses, or
plant tried-and-true
perennials
like climbing
hydrangea.
The garden
should complement
the style of
the house,
says Don Haldeman,
owner of Sycamore
Springs Garden
Center in Reading,
Pennsylvania.
• Paint it
right. If you
are painting
your home for
a quick sale,
traditional
colors are
a safe bet,
says John Crosby
Freeman, a
color and design
consultant.
And unlike
eggplant purple
(which was
hot a few years
ago), the classics
never go out
of style. Benjamin
Moore's Historical
Colors collection
is the company's
most popular
line, with
174 shades.
Timeless favorites
from Valspar's
American Tradition
line is another
good choice
for easy on
the eye colors.
Since the average
cost to paint
a two-story
home is more
than $8,000,
don't rush
your decision.
Check out homes
you like in
your area and
ask the owners
for the names
of the paint
colors they
used. When
painting a
home for yourself, click
here for
a different
view on your
color selection.
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