Seven Smart Ways to Upgrade Your House Exteriors

House exterior design was never this important as it is today. Whether one lives in a small cottage or owns a luxury mansion, there has to be some personality to the exteriors for establishing better appeal and value. An updated and well-maintained premises show that you are a caring homeowner and have something interesting to offer your potential buyers.

Traditional or modern, any property can be improved with simple tweaks or extensive changes. You just have to look for the right exterior renovation project that works for your home. If you are planning to take on a similar project any time soon, take reference from this post. By the end, you will know what is appropriate for you -

1.     Add New Finishes and Paint

If your home has an old built and stone cladding, multiple color bricks, or pebbledash, replacing it with another material finish can be a great way to achieve a new look. Cladding and rendering are very popular today. Stone tiles, fiber-cement weatherboarding, and metal are some more options to try. But, if you want to go a cheaper way, repaint the outside of the house. It costs just a few hundred dollars.

2.     Opt for Covered Entrance

A front door canopy and a porch are great picks for your front entrance. A front door canopy sits directly above your door and gives an overhang from the facade of your building. On the other hand, a porch is a more covered structure with an entry of its own. Both these options act as overhead cover during scorching summers or heavy rains and add newness and appeal to your curb.

3.     Combine Pediments and Pilasters

This is a very creative way to attain a perfect exterior look for your home. The combination of well-designed pediment with pilaster makes your existing entryway a thing of beauty and elegance. And besides providing a stunning architectural look, it prevents water seepage and protects your home against water and mold damage. Also, the polyurethane material used in it doesn’t deteriorate or rust.

4.     Lay Down Entry Walkway

Having your guests guided from the street to your front door with a clearly marked path shows your welcoming nature. This is especially great when you have a beautifully designed lawn, and you want the visitors to enjoy it. A well-maintained walkway enhances your landscape design and provides safety to children and older adults at home. You also get a comfortable path to walk on during bad weather. If your house already has a walkway, you must power-wash it periodically for a fresh appearance.

5.     Replace Front Windows

Windows are the eyes of your residence, so replacing them can help transform its whole personality. You can change the built of the openings and install new ones in conjunction with the overall design scheme without permission from the building authorities. However, choose the material that suits your house style and is durable for coming years and weather conditions.

6.     Install Outdoor Lighting

Outdoor light fixtures make a significant impact on the exterior look of your home. They bring depth and definition to flat facades and add up to the safety of the building. Motion sensing lights can provide excellent security, and low-voltage lights can illuminate pathways and other dark corners of your home. Solar fixtures are also trending these days; they are not as bright as other options, though.

7.     Do Complete Landscape Renovation

To have your curb appeal flying in its glory, the surroundings should match with the architecture. It is possible that the current landscape design is not polished enough or look like what you dreamt of for your house. If so, you need a full-fledged landscape renovation. New flowers, an outdoor kitchen, water fountains, fireplaces, swimming pools are some features that would create more interest and persuade you to spend plenty of time outside.

What flowers to plant in summer

Choosing What Flowers to Plant in Summer Time

What flowers to plant in the summer time? We are all interested in blooms and colors during the blooming season. Summer is the most vibrant season and is considered the flower wedding season. Sweet pea, hydrangea, mums, dahlias, and California bluebells are just a few examples of some of the more popular flowers used in summer flower gardens. They are popular because of their colors and beauty. I will provide some suggestions for your summer-flowering garden, and as always you can contact us at

Viburnum, or "Viburnum multiflorum" is a Viburnum hybrid. Viburnum is a tall perennial that provides bright color throughout the season. Viburnum is a bulbous plant that blooms in the fall with deep red and orange flowers. This plant is great for full sun but can tolerate some shade as well.

Shasta daisy is a hardy perennial that produces pink blooms. These flowers grow well on many kinds of soils. They are drought tolerant and thrive in partial shade to full sun throughout the season. They don't need to be planted from seed. This beautiful perennial has medium foliage and a short, graceful shape.

Prunella vulgaris also known as plumeria is a shrub that grows well-drained soil. It is a trim perennial and produces yellow flowers. It's a good choice for areas where you don't need a lot of maintenance. This medium-size plant requires full sun but prefers partial shade throughout the year. It is one of the more popular perennials used in landscaping.

Coreopsis 'Rising Star' is a fast-growing annual. It's a member of the fern family. It blooms in May and June with multiple, large blooms. This beautiful perennial is ideal for sunny areas in your yard as it blooms in just a few weeks during the late part of May until the first frosts appear in October. You will find this flowering plant is quite susceptible to frost so keep that in mind when planting.

Flowers grown in summer are known as Texas summer-flowering plants because they do best in full sun. They're considered true Texas summer flowering plants. Some common summer plants include honeysuckle, buttercups, bluebells, buckeye, crocus, zinnertree, and many more.

For those who prefer to do things organically, there's another choice for you. You can grow your own herbs, including Rosemary, chives, mint, thyme, sage, and oregano. There are numerous books you can read about how to grow these and other herbs at home.

Satin Pink, or "Satin Cloud," is a perennial blooming variety that's perfect for container gardens, and is a good choice for those who like to plant flowers that are a bit lower maintenance. They're available in many varieties, including white, purple, and pink. They're extremely hardy and will tolerate most soils, including rock salts, sand, limestone, clay, and rock. Their flowers open in the late spring and bloom for two weeks before closing up again, This is a perennial with a one-year bloom.

Hurricane Season Landscaping Considerations

Hurricane season is upon us once again, and with the upcoming Hurricane Season (or Tropical Storm), things could get hectic in advance of any potential Hurricane Season predictions. However, there are still ways to improve your home or property's preparedness for a Hurricane Season. If you are still interested in this topic, here are some basics to get you started. First, consider that "pre-season" is also an excellent option for those who want to take the precautionary steps to prepare early. Preparing for a Hurricane Season typically includes any necessary repairs, replacements, and renovations outside of your property.

There are several things you can do to improve your home's preparedness for a Hurricane season ahead. For example, many local governments, counties, and other municipalities require the property owner to submit the necessary paperwork for hurricane season public works projects prior to any such projects being released for landscaping. In addition, many local and state governments will post information about Hurricane Season forecasts on their websites and in local newspapers. Additionally, these local and state governments often provide free hurricane season Hurricane Checkup webinars, seminars, phone numbers, and important phone information resources.

The National Weather Service (NWS) and other federal agencies are another excellent resource for Hurricane Season information. These organizations publish important and frequently updated information on their websites and in pamphlets that are distributed to all communities prior to Hurricane Season. Additionally, most NWS offices have Hurricane Watch publications that allow you to check the status of Hurricane advisories. While it is not possible to give specific advice or professional advice about Hurricane season options and choices, these publications can be highly informative and can save your property and your business thousands of dollars in possible losses and damage.

As the National Weather Service (NWS) noted in a press release, many areas across the United States have "wet roads" that could become hazardous in case of heavy rain or floods. Wet roads may also become a likely path for hurricanes, which carry much more potential damage in addition to winds and damaging rains. Your landscaping contractor should be able to discuss with you the best options for securing your home from damage caused by flying branches and other foliage, also possibly including the use of barriers and other preventative measures to ensure that your home and property are as safe as possible from the potential hazards associated with hurricane season.

Another great resource for hurricane season information is your local newspaper. Many papers publish information about significant storms, including photos and brief news blurbs about the possible weather effects. In addition to using local newspapers to receive Hurricane season updates and information, you may also find it helpful to review general information about landscaping and home improvement through websites and online discussion forums. Many websites and discussion forums do share real-life experiences and recommendations based on what they have experienced during hurricane seasons. Being prepared with relevant facts and information ahead of time can help you make wise decisions regarding your home and property's design, construction, and maintenance.

How Your Landscaping Affects Your Overall Outlook on Life

It’s a little bit amusing the sheer number of people who forget that landscaping is important all the time; not just when you decide you want to list your house for sale. Not only does lovely landscaping improve the overall appearance of your home, but it also helps to increase the value of your home, but we all know these things. Everyone talks about curb appeal and the added value careful landscaping adds to a home, but no one ever discusses the more intricate reasons to hire a great landscape design firm. Well, we’re going to tell you that there are reasons far outside the box that require great landscaping, and they have everything to do with how you feel as a person. Pretty in-depth and deep, right? We aren’t doctors or psychiatrists, by any means, but we firmly believe that the way your yard looks reflects how you feel about your home on the inside, and how you feel in general. Read on to find out a few of the biggest reasons we think that your yard deserves a bit more of your time and attention.

The Benefits of Landscapes

Lush green grass tickles our toes … flowers treat our eyes to bold, vibrant colors … and fragrant shrubs delight us with their sweet perfumes. It’s easy to appreciate the sights and smells afforded by lawns and landscapes, but did you know their real value is much more substantial than pleasing aesthetics and aromas? That’s right, well-managed landscapes offer tremendous benefits for people and for the environment. Let’s explore some of the little understood, but vitally significant, benefits of landscapes.

Environmental Benefits of Managed Landscapes

• Natural Coolants – Grass is much cooler than asphalt or cement. It acts as an “air conditioner” for the surrounding area. In fact, lawns can be 31 degrees cooler than asphalt and 20 degrees cooler than bare soil. But wait, there’s more. Trees shading homes can reduce attic temperatures by as much as 40 degrees.

• Environmental Cleaners – Grass plays a vital role in capturing dust, smoke particles and other pollutants, and it produces oxygen.

• Water Protectors – Healthy lawns absorb unhealthy runoff that might otherwise filter into bodies of water

• Air Cleaners – Grasses absorb carbon dioxide and break it down into oxygen and carbon. In fact, a 50’x50’ lawn produces enough oxygen for a family of four.

• Noise Minimizers – Lawns and plants dramatically reduce noise pollution; they can reduce noise levels by 20 percent to 30 percent over hard surfaces like concrete and pavement.

• Turfgrass slows down and absorbs runoff into bodies of water.

• Even in areas that have water restrictions and are experiencing drought, it is important that lawns and landscapes remain a viable component of healthy communities. There are a number of sustainable practices that will allow managed lawns and landscapes to reduce water usage but still provide important environmental benefits.

  Physical and Psychological Benefits

  The benefits of human interaction with plants, trees, and grass are also well studied and documented. Research has found that people find stress relief and healing when interacting with nature or even viewing it through a window. Children with ADHD seem to focus better after being outdoors (Harvard Health Publications). Workers are more productive as well when working in environments with plants, and cognitive function is improved.

  But, perhaps more important than what science tells us, is what people instinctively feel about the plants and green spaces in their lives–that the connection makes their lives better, and they want to make an effort to incorporate it into their lives.

  Research from the Husqvarna Global Garden Report 2012 showed that “63% of respondents reported being willing to pay more for an apartment or house if it was located in an area with good green spaces, compared with, for instance, 34% willing to pay more for an area with good shopping and 33% for good cultural venues.”

5 Pool Renovations tips

5 Pool Renovations tips

Does your swimming pool need a Makeover or to be completely renovated? Bring your dated pool back to life, so you can have the backyard of your dreams. A pool renovation, deck replacement, equipment modernization, and style makeover can also deliver a huge return on investment if you choose to sell or refinance.

• Add a Spillover Spa, Enhanced Aesthetics, functionality, and enjoyment for your family and friends

• Switch Up Your Pool Fencing making certain that the gate design and locking mechanism meet safety requirements.

• Change the Tile at the Waterline

• Swapping in LED Lighting

We at Envy Exteriors can help guide you in building the pool and patio of your dreams. whether it's a backyard kitchen, to a full entertainment venue, we can help you enjoy your backyard patio in style.