4 Ways to Boost Curb Appeal before Spring

While you might feel like it’s the middle winter and you aren’t even thinking about your landscaping, February is actually a great time to plan and implement ideas to boost your home’s curb appeal before spring starts. Here’s four ways to boost your home’s curb appeal this winter.

1. Paint the Front Door and Shutters

Painting your front door is a great way to give your home instant curb appeal. However, beware of painting siding and trim in February, as temperatures that are too low or too high can prevent paint from binding properly, causing it to crack or peel. An ideal temperature to paint your exterior will depend on the type and brand of paint you use, as certain paints can be used in temperatures as low as 35° F. As a general rule of thumb, it is best to paint between 50°-80° F.

While you should avoid painting outside in February, you can certainly paint your front door and shutters inside your home or garage. You may even be able to paint your front door inside your home without removing it from the hinges, but if you need to remove it, be sure to have a storm door or temporary replacement to prevent too much cold air from entering into your home.

2. Update House Numbers, Exterior Lighting Fixtures, Mailbox, etc.

Today you will find countless design options for updating exterior home fixtures. Take a cold winter day and do some online browsing to explore different ideas for your house numbers, exterior lighting fixtures, and mailbox. Check out sites like Houzz and Pinterest for ideas on using different textures, LED lighting, and other DIY projects to make your home address stand out. If your exterior lighting and mailbox are as old as your house, chances are, it’s time to update these fixtures as well. To save costs, perhaps all your lighting fixtures and mailbox need are some TLC and a fresh coat of paint.

3. Prepare Your Landscaping

February is a great time to do some pre-spring cleaning for your yard. Prune trees and plant bare-root plants such as roses, clean out flower beds, remove broken and unwanted branches, and spray your lawn to prevent unwanted pests and weeds. In addition, start planning out your garden area, deck, patio, walkways, and pool/spa.

4. Contact a Landscape Contractor

Contrary to popular belief, winter is an ideal time to contact a contractor about your next project for your home, whether it be a lawn makeover or even an interior renovation. Careful planning and consideration needs to be done before taking any significant project inside or outside your home. Acquiring the necessary permits for larger-scale projects or creating and approving project drawings will take time before you can begin your project. Most homeowners will wait until the spring or summer months to contact a professional, when contractors are in their busiest season. For the best, most individualized service, plan ahead and make the call sooner rather than later.

Turnberry Custom Homes located in Reading, PA specializes in new construction, renovations/ additions, commercial fit-outs, and project management. We serve Berks, Montgomery, Chester, and surrounding counties.

5 Benefits of Houseplants

House plants don’t just sit still and look pretty. From improving your health to boosting your mood, indoor plants can have a positive influence in your life as long as you choose the right plants for your life situation. Here are 5 benefits of keeping plants indoors.

Purify the Air, Breathe Better, & Improve Your Health
Plants naturally remove toxins from the air. In the 1980s, NASA conducted a Clean Air Study which found how plants play a major role in removing organic chemicals such as benzene, trichloroethylene, and formaldehyde  from indoor air. These toxic chemicals are found in common household items, such as furniture, plastics, and paints.

Increase Productivity
Several studies have shown that employees are more productive and have improved memory retention when plants were placed into offices. One study by Dr. Chris Night found that employees were 15% more productive when houseplants were placed into “lean,” minimalist workplaces. Other studies found that indoor plants can increase creativity by 45% and boost staff wellbeing by 47%. If you have a home office, you can easily boost your efficiency at home by adding a few houseplants.

Boost Your Mood
Looking at plants can make you feel happier and more optimistic. A study conducted by Seong-Hyun Park and Richard H. Mattson found that patients recover quicker when plants are placed into hospital rooms. Among health benefits such as lower ratings of pain and anxiety, patients who had plants in their rooms felt “more positive feelings and higher satisfaction about their rooms when compared with patients in the control group.”

Grow Your Own Fruits and Vegetables Indoors
For cold winter months and city life, having an outdoor garden may not be an option for your lifestyle. However, that doesn’t mean you can’t grow your own fresh produce right inside your home! Most plants don’t take up too much space and just need sufficient light, water, and TLC. Examples of plants that can be grown indoors include carrots, avocados, lemons, mushrooms, herbs, and tomatoes. Here are some tips for growing your fruits and veggies indoors.

Finding the Right Houseplant:
Kid & Pet Friendly Options
Choosing an indoor plant needs to be done with careful consideration and research. While some exotic plants may be beautiful to look at, they could place loved ones, including children and family pets, in danger. Even a non-toxic plant could cause reactions in certain individuals. For example, a plant that may be safe to eat and touch could cause an unforeseen skin reaction to a sensitive child or pet, or a pet could eat too much of a non-toxic plant, leading to an upset stomach. The safest bet is to keep all house plants out of touch of children and pets if possible. Some popular kid and pet friendly plants include the Christmas Cactus, spider plant, Boston fern, and African violets.

Turnberry Custom Homes located in Reading, PA specializes in new construction, renovations/additions, commercial fit-outs, and project management. We serve Montgomery, Berks, Chester, and surrounding counties. Call (610) 775-7575 for a FREE consultation today.