Fixer To Fabulous' Dave Marrs Shares A Budget-Friendly DIY To Spruce Up Your Exterior

According to a report by Thumbtack in collaboration with Nextdoor, 98% of homeowners feel that their home's exterior "curb appeal" is very important to them. The survey also revealed that a poorly maintained exterior is one of the major factors in a home having bad curb appeal. Luckily, with a little elbow grease and some expert advice, it's relatively easy to DIY your way to a fresh and charming home exterior. HGTV star Dave Marrs, who spoke exclusively to House Digest on behalf of Cornerstone Building Brands, a leading manufacturer of exterior building products, gave readers some helpful advice for creative ways to increase your home's curb appeal on a budget. While you might fear that your home needs a massive exterior makeover, Marrs explains that some minor changes can actually make a big difference. First and foremost, he suggests updating your home address numbers, especially if they look rusty, faded, or painfully dated.

Just changing your address numbers can have a big impact on the look of your home. If you have a little more room in the budget, Marrs also recommends reassessing your trim and molding and considering a few additional design details to amp up your home's exterior appearance. Here's why Marrs says to switch up these simple areas on the front of your home, and how they can refresh your exterior overall. 

Unless you're a mail delivery person, you may not think too much about the numbers posted on a home's front porch, but address numbers on the front of your home could be surprisingly important for curb appeal. However, you should worry less about what an unlucky house number means according to feng shui and more about the overall style and legibility of your address. In his exclusive interview with House Digest, Dave Marrs explained, "Updating your house numbers and address sign and having them match your design theme provides an easy and quick upgrade." For such a small detail, home address numbers are one of the first things visitors may notice when walking up to your porch, so they're a great place to accessorize your home's exterior and give it a quirky edge above other houses in the neighborhood.

Marrs also recommends this upgrade because it's simple, affordable, and easy to DIY. There are countless styles to choose from, from modern and simplistic to maximalist and vintage-inspired, so shop around for a set of numbers that complement your home. The 5-inch black numbers from Axel Park give off a sleek, modern vibe, and they're just under $10 per number at Lowe's. On the other hand, these hand-painted ceramic numbers from Amazon add a bohemian feel. If you love a certain style but not the color, spray-painting address numbers is a quick way to give them some personalized flair. 

For those who are on a budget but still have a little more wiggle room, Dave Marrs offered some more exciting ideas in his exclusive interview with House Digest. "Trim and moulding are game changers when it comes to creating visual impact," says Marrs, "Cornerstone Building Brands' offers Ply Gem trim, crown mouldings, and sharp corner posts that provide the perfect finishing design touch to your home's exterior. And they can even be painted to coordinate with your current siding color." After installing trim and molding, you can give your home more curb appeal with vibrant and inviting exterior paint schemes, such as a bright blue with navy trim, soft yellow with sage green trim, or bold black and white, one of the most striking, popular color schemes. 

Like address numbers, blocks and mounts are other accessory pieces that can lend big appeal. "Blocks and mounts are an unexpected way to highlight exterior features like outdoor light fixtures," says Marrs, suggesting that homeowners "Mix or match colors and styles with your current color scheme for an interesting look." These exterior details help to accentuate your home's pre-existing architecture, making everything look more purposeful, put-together, and even luxurious — all for a relatively low cost.