How to Make Your House Look Welcoming from the Outside
Make sure your entrance is accessible., Have a clear access path to the door., Make sure the entrance is well lit., Add decorative features on the walkway or near the entrance., Have a nice front door., At the front door, add features to make it...
Step-by-Step Guide
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Step 1: Make sure your entrance is accessible.
That means cleaning up the front yard, porch and entrance-way to allow visitors to get to the front door without stepping through or over obstacles.
On the actual porch, clear away boxes, boots and shoes and anything else that doesn't belong there (these sorts of things can go at the back or family entrance).
Clean up the walk from the street, sidewalk, or driveway.
Remove brush, thorny plants, overhanging branches, toys, or other hazards.
Make sure the walkway path itself is usable.
Try to have cement, flagstones, gravel, or even a wooden walkway so people aren't stepping in water, snow or mud. -
Step 2: Have a clear access path to the door.
When visitors approach from the street, drive or other public area, can they see which way to walk? They must be able to open the gate, for example.
An archway, trellis, or other landscape feature is a good way to announce the entrance. , This means from the initial road entry through to the front door––anyone entering should be able to see their way clearly, both in dim light and dark night.
To improve poor visibility, replace any broken or dim bulbs and clean and polish the light fixtures.
You might even consider adding new light fixtures to improve both visibility and appearance.
Porch areas need at least 60- to 75-watt globes.
Lower wattage will be too dim.
Garden lights can be used to line a pathway or steer visitors off your lawn and toward the entry. , These could include potted plants, benches, paving stones, planter boxes, signs, statuary, bird baths, fountains, flowers, artwork, or decorative plants.
Even a simple straight path from the street can be made more interesting with cheap, used or free items.
Visit yard sales or flea markets and see if you can find anything colorful that can sit in the outdoor weather and attract the eye. , This could be as simple as giving it a good scrub and wash down.
Or, if it has faded over the years, repaint it to a vibrant new color.
Almost anyone can paint a door if they are willing to try! If the door is in really poor condition, it might be time to replace it completely, both for the sake of your sense of security and for improving the appearance of the front of your house.
Oil any squeaky hinges and polish up any metalwork on the door, such as brass numbers.
Don't forget the molding and framework around the door.
If it's flaking, then it needs repainting too.
Check the floor beneath the door.
If it is chipped, dowdy, dull, then clean it and polish.
You might need to paint, varnish or redo the floor, depending on its make and style.
Don't neglect this aspect, as it adds to the overall impression. , You might have a small chair and table, a bowl of rocks or shells, a potted plant, a sign, a place for shoes or boots, an umbrella stand, hooks for hats or wet clothes, a brush for muddy shoes, a bin for walking sticks or canes, or some shade for hot days.
A decent, pretty doormat should be both functional and welcoming.
Remove tatty doormats and either spruce them up or buy a new one.
The doormat doesn't have to spell out welcome in letters (although some do), but it must make the visitor feel welcome.
Chairs or seats at the front door can become dull and discolored over time.
If you have these, check that the condition of the wood or other material is good; if not, clean it up and redecorate it to look like new.
And replace worn and faded cushions to make it all feel better again. , If the front door is a place to sit and visit, to meet and greet visitors, to live in, it will definitely be more welcoming.
Putting some chairs nearby in a conversational circle would be one way.
Or just inside the door, make a space for visitors to transition into the house, with other chairs or benches to change clothes or shoes, to hang coats, set bags down, even to stop and admire a piece of art, a plant, or other decorative feature.
Don't allow obstacles at the front door.
Don't make visitors step over a pile of shoes, the family dog, children's toys, or other things on the floor to get inside.
This isn't welcoming. -
Step 3: Make sure the entrance is well lit.
-
Step 4: Add decorative features on the walkway or near the entrance.
-
Step 5: Have a nice front door.
-
Step 6: At the front door
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Step 7: add features to make it look like a home.
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Step 8: Make the front entrance a living space.
Detailed Guide
That means cleaning up the front yard, porch and entrance-way to allow visitors to get to the front door without stepping through or over obstacles.
On the actual porch, clear away boxes, boots and shoes and anything else that doesn't belong there (these sorts of things can go at the back or family entrance).
Clean up the walk from the street, sidewalk, or driveway.
Remove brush, thorny plants, overhanging branches, toys, or other hazards.
Make sure the walkway path itself is usable.
Try to have cement, flagstones, gravel, or even a wooden walkway so people aren't stepping in water, snow or mud.
When visitors approach from the street, drive or other public area, can they see which way to walk? They must be able to open the gate, for example.
An archway, trellis, or other landscape feature is a good way to announce the entrance. , This means from the initial road entry through to the front door––anyone entering should be able to see their way clearly, both in dim light and dark night.
To improve poor visibility, replace any broken or dim bulbs and clean and polish the light fixtures.
You might even consider adding new light fixtures to improve both visibility and appearance.
Porch areas need at least 60- to 75-watt globes.
Lower wattage will be too dim.
Garden lights can be used to line a pathway or steer visitors off your lawn and toward the entry. , These could include potted plants, benches, paving stones, planter boxes, signs, statuary, bird baths, fountains, flowers, artwork, or decorative plants.
Even a simple straight path from the street can be made more interesting with cheap, used or free items.
Visit yard sales or flea markets and see if you can find anything colorful that can sit in the outdoor weather and attract the eye. , This could be as simple as giving it a good scrub and wash down.
Or, if it has faded over the years, repaint it to a vibrant new color.
Almost anyone can paint a door if they are willing to try! If the door is in really poor condition, it might be time to replace it completely, both for the sake of your sense of security and for improving the appearance of the front of your house.
Oil any squeaky hinges and polish up any metalwork on the door, such as brass numbers.
Don't forget the molding and framework around the door.
If it's flaking, then it needs repainting too.
Check the floor beneath the door.
If it is chipped, dowdy, dull, then clean it and polish.
You might need to paint, varnish or redo the floor, depending on its make and style.
Don't neglect this aspect, as it adds to the overall impression. , You might have a small chair and table, a bowl of rocks or shells, a potted plant, a sign, a place for shoes or boots, an umbrella stand, hooks for hats or wet clothes, a brush for muddy shoes, a bin for walking sticks or canes, or some shade for hot days.
A decent, pretty doormat should be both functional and welcoming.
Remove tatty doormats and either spruce them up or buy a new one.
The doormat doesn't have to spell out welcome in letters (although some do), but it must make the visitor feel welcome.
Chairs or seats at the front door can become dull and discolored over time.
If you have these, check that the condition of the wood or other material is good; if not, clean it up and redecorate it to look like new.
And replace worn and faded cushions to make it all feel better again. , If the front door is a place to sit and visit, to meet and greet visitors, to live in, it will definitely be more welcoming.
Putting some chairs nearby in a conversational circle would be one way.
Or just inside the door, make a space for visitors to transition into the house, with other chairs or benches to change clothes or shoes, to hang coats, set bags down, even to stop and admire a piece of art, a plant, or other decorative feature.
Don't allow obstacles at the front door.
Don't make visitors step over a pile of shoes, the family dog, children's toys, or other things on the floor to get inside.
This isn't welcoming.
About the Author
Gloria Martin
Enthusiastic about teaching practical skills techniques through clear, step-by-step guides.
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