While the interior of a home often has great value placed upon it, this sometimes causes the exterior of the home to become overlooked.  Your yard, both front and back, should still be something to take into consideration.  This does not mean you have to go all out here, but definitely spend some time making sure your exterior design is in somewhat decent shape.

Why does it matter?

Perhaps you have an HOA in your neighborhood so you don’t really have a choice.  Or, perhaps you just care about the aesthetic appeal of your home.  Regardless, having a clean, nice outdoor area will increase your home’s value, provide a nice curb appeal, and also provide a nice area to spend time with friends and family during the warmer months of the year.

How does one accomplish this?

Simple.

1. Trim Those Bushes. Having clean landscaping with nice edging does wonders for the exterior aesthetic appeal.  No one likes the look of overgrown bushes, trees, and shrubbery.  Pluck those weeds and use a trimmer to get your hedges looking nice.
2. Mow the Lawn. What a concept, right?  You’d be surprised.  It would appear that some people would prefer to live in a jungle, inviting mysterious animals and snakes to reside in their yard rather than mow their lawn. Chances are you can find a lawn service that will do the job for you for a decent price if you find yourself not having the time.  Your neighbors will thank you, and it will keep your yard (both front and back) looking nice.
3. Home Exterior. Although this technically is not your ‘yard’, per se, the exterior of your home plays into your overall curb appeal.  You can make sure this stays in good shape by keeping it clean with pressure washing, fresh paint, and even new windows if it’s time.  You can go above and beyond by taking plain siding and sprucing it up with faux brick or faux stone paneling.  You can use this paneling on the base of pillars as well to add texture and a nice contrast to the existing exterior.
4. Outside Seating. Add a couple chairs to your front porch, and absolutely add seating to your backyard.  This will provide a nice place to gather with family and friends and enjoy meals together.  Having a nice place to sit outside will force you to go outdoors more often, breathe in the fresh air, and absolutely make your yard stand out.

 Did you ever think for one little tiny minute that renovating a bathroom on a budget was possible?  If your only plan was to repaint the walls and maybe splurge on a new shower curtain, then perhaps you found this idea attainable.  However, if you were really looking to go all out on a bathroom remodel, you probably did not think that sticking to a budget was a possibility.  If that’s the case, perhaps you have foregone this idea completely, leaving it to the next homeowner to tackle.

We must stop you right here.  You CAN achieve this remodel on a budget, and at Faux Direct we have done all the research for you in order to give you the best tips and tricks.  Don’t leave it for the next guy to complete, and do the work yourself in order to add value to your home and make you more money in the long run.  Here’s how to get a bathroom remodel done on a budget:

1. Consign. Consign, consign, consign.  We cannot stress this enough.  There is absolutely nothing wrong with purchasing antiques or gently used items from resale stores.  First of all, they typically have much more character than brand new things do.  Second of all, they cost a heck of a lot less.  Many people are using antique dressers and turning them into sink vanities.  Cut out a hole for a sink (which you could also find at a resale store), maybe repaint, and you are good to go.
2. Faux Wall Paneling.  What’s a bathroom remodel without doing an awesome stone shower or a sweet brick backsplash behind the tub?  This is one step you don’t want to skimp out on.  However, you don’t have to go all out with spending here by using real brick or stone either.  With faux wall paneling, you will save tons of money and be able to apply it yourself.  It’s a win win situation, and the end result looks amazing.
3. Paint. A fresh coat of paint solves a plethora of problems.  Take your favorite color from Benjamin Moore or Restoration Hardware into Lowe’s or Home Depot and they will color match for free.
4. Flooring. If you have terribly outdated flooring, this is the one area that splurging a little bit might be beneficial.  Even so, you don’t have to go crazy.  Search for excess flooring on sites like Craigslist or Offer Up.  Often times people over purchase and have a good amount left over.  Go to a wholesale store like Floor N’ Decor so you aren’t paying top dollar.  If you can do it yourself, awesome.  If not, search Angie’s List to find a reasonably priced contractor with a coupon.