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Baby, It's Cold Outside.......Wintertime Curb Appeal

By
Home Stager with Lea-Ann's Home Beautiful Staging and Design LLC

 
 
Even though temperatures are dropping and there may be snow forcasted (yikes)...If your home is for sale, an important part of staging your home is .......Wintertime Curb Appeal!! 
 
  
 
 
Curb Appeal in the wintertime is important, dress up your window boxes to create curb appeal
 
 
Wintertime Curb Appeal tips:
 
1.    Clean up your planters, but don't trim plants too far back as they can add texture and interest to your landscape even in winter.  Just trim so it is neat.  Dried heads of hydrangia plants look great with a white snow backdrop.
 
2.    If you are in an area that has milder winter weather, be sure to clean up leaves and lay down some fresh mulch to keep things looking tidy.  You can also plant cold-hardy plants such as pansies, violas, and ornamental kale...which will last all through the winter.
 
3.  If the ground hasn't frozen yet, you can add some evergreens to your planters to add more color and interest through the drab dreary days of winter.  You can also do groupings of evergreen plants in planters or boxes on your front step.  With the variety of green, blue-gray, and blue toned conifers you can add some great color, shape and texture.
 
4.  In climates (like Minnesota) where temperatures dip well below freezing.  Adding cut branches and boughs mixed with berries, pinecones, and even fruit (see picture above) to your planters and window boxes will really draw the eyes of your buyers to your beautiful home.  You can even add little round white lights to add an extra touch in the evening!
 
5.    Add a seasonal ornamental wreath to your door and a colorful clean door mat to welcome visitors...especially buyers. 
 
6.    Don't overdo holiday decorations...forgo the blow up santas and reindeers.  Simple white lights and fresh green garlands can dress up your home beautifully.  Sweet and simple! 
 
7.    Outdoor lighting is crucial during this time of year...as your house will most likely be shown after dark (since it's dark at 4:30/5:00 pm).  Make sure steps are illuminated as well as any other walkways.  Put in high wattage bulbs to really make your house shine.
 
8.    Again in those snowier areas of the country....keep your driveways and walkways clear of snow and ice...you don't want a potential buyer not to stop because they are worried about making it to the door!
  
 
Create your own Winter Wonderland.......Don't let those buyers drive by!
 
 

Lea-Ann Virnig, owner and designer for Home Beautiful Staging and Design, can help you transform your home into a product that will sell! Check out www.HomeBeautifulDesign.com to see what Home Beautiful Staging and Design can do for you!

Home Beautiful Staging and Design services the Minneapolis and St. Paul metro area in Minnesota providing Occupied and Vacant Real Estate Staging Services, Redesign Services, and Color Consultations.


 
 
Show All Comments Sort:
Jessica Horton Jessica Horton Realty
Jessica Horton - Jessica Horton & Associates - Griffin, GA
Jessica Horton: I'm not #1... You Are!
Lea-Ann:

Anything below 70 is cold down here in Georgia!  I saw that you got featured on Localism.com - Congrats!
Nov 30, 2007 08:07 AM
Fernando Rosado
West Palm Beach, FL
561-906-0050 or 561-840-8950
Lea-Ann ~ That arrangement is flawless, gorgeous, Did you make it yourself ? Is that a log cabin, we dont get to see places like that here in the Sunny State would love to have snow a few times :(
Nov 30, 2007 08:16 AM
Dawn Taylor, SE Minnesota Home Stager~
Taylor'd To Sell - Winona, MN

Good tips - I live in SE MN and even though the snow is beautiful, it sure messes up landscaping!

Beautiful arrangement - very warm and welcoming.  Nice color for a drab time of year.

Dec 01, 2007 12:05 PM
Eric Kodner
Madeline Island Realty - La Pointe, WI
CRS, Madeline Island Realty, LaPointe, WI 54850 -
Lea-Ann, a little snow can really dress up a drab yard!  I made a sale today here in the Twin Cities metro area, in the midst of today's blizzard.
Dec 01, 2007 12:14 PM
Melissa Wagner
Leo Parker Real Estate & Auction - Woodbury, TN
I absolutely love the arrangement in the picture! It is gorgeous!
Dec 01, 2007 01:11 PM
Renee Parker
Coldwell Banker Hubbell BriarWood - Lansing, MI
Lansing Realtor
As we tell all sellers ~ Curb Appeal is IMPORTANT.  And I agree, this does not just mean in the summer time with trimmed lawns and flower pots.  Winter months need even extra effort to give the warm home cozy look.  Shoveling the snow is important...all the time.  Not just when there is a showing.  Great post, love your suggestions.  I am going to add a "winter" page to my listings info I leave for clients.  By the way, in Michigan right now we are getting snow and ice.  It's beginning to look like Christmas. 
Dec 01, 2007 01:18 PM
Jackie Peraza
Perceptions AdverStaging(TM), LLC - Framingham, MA
Home Stager - Framingham, Massachusetts

Lea-Ann - that window planter is gorgeous, did you arrange that?  I want one!  Call me, call me - cash in hand :)

The post is great too!

Jackie

Dec 01, 2007 05:45 PM
Kristina Leone
Lionheart Home Staging, LLC - Minneapolis, MN
Love the berries!  It adds such a great "pop" of color!
Dec 03, 2007 06:40 AM
Susan Brown
IMPRESSIVEHOME - Durham, NC

 

Gorgeous window planter.  Very inviting.

 

Dec 03, 2007 07:12 AM
Lea-Ann Virnig
Lea-Ann's Home Beautiful Staging and Design LLC - San Antonio, TX
Home Beautiful: San Antonionulls Premier , Home Staging Company

Jessica - Thanks!  It was very exciting to see my post featured on Localism!  It helped boost my confidence in writing blogs - as this is a new endeavor and writing is not my specialty - staging and decorating is!!

Dawn & Eric - Yes, I agree that snow can be very beautiful, especially when it is falling.  Fresh snow is a beautiful backdrop as well.  It can get a bit messy though after being plowed, trampled through, etc.  Congrats on your sale Eric - that is great!

Renee - Glad you liked the post and great idea to give your clients a wintertime info sheet - don't forget to mention how staging will help them add that extra homey feeling too:)!

Fernando, Melissa, Jackie, Kristina, and Susan - Sorry I didn't mean to mislead you, I used the picture of the planter box as an example of what I was talking about.  I did not create it myself.  I do give these tips to my clients for their planters though and have done some of my own - just didn't have any pictures! Please forgive me - I am new to this blogging and from now on I will make it clear when I am using a picture as an example:)  This was a good reminder to me of why I use all my own photos on my website.  I don't want to misrepresent myself!

Dec 04, 2007 07:12 AM
Kim Dillon
Creative Eye Home Staging - West Chester, PA

I love the window box.  I often tell clients to cut fresh greens and add winterberry in large pots by the door.  If they are watered well and then freeze, they will last the season.  Thanks for the other tips.

Kim Dillon, Creative Eye Home Staging

Dec 04, 2007 08:41 AM
Ginger Foust
Certified Staging Professional - Oakhurst, CA
Home Stager Oakhurst CA, Dream Interior Redesign & Staging

Lea-Ann, bookmarked your blog so that I can copy that arrangement.  We don't get that much snow, but everything is boring brown (may snow in the next two days??? I hope!) and this arrangement would be perfect for many applications.  Thanks for posting the photo and the list of ideas.

 

Dec 05, 2007 03:17 PM
Lea-Ann Virnig
Lea-Ann's Home Beautiful Staging and Design LLC - San Antonio, TX
Home Beautiful: San Antonionulls Premier , Home Staging Company

Kim - Good point about it lasting all season once frozen.  Thanks!  Glad you liked the tips!

Ginger - I am so happy you found the picture and tips useful!  Show us a picture of your arrangement when it is done.  We have eight inches of snow already - looks like it will be a White Christmas!

Dec 06, 2007 01:31 AM
Mary Lou Teague
HOME STYLE AND STAGING LLC - Knoxville, TN
Home Style and Staging Knoxville. TN
Lea-Ann, The window arrangement is AWESOME !!! Would you care if I use some of ideas and wording to send e-mails to my clients ? I like what you did, I will use my own photos but your suggestions are great...
Dec 06, 2007 02:32 AM
Kelly Kaufman
Elements Home Staging - Attica, MI
Michigan Home Stager

Hello Lee-Ann

The window box is beautiful! Thanks for the great advice on winter time curb appeal. As a new stager in Michigan I really appreciate helpful tips like yours. I have been focusing so much on the inside of the homes lately thanks for reminding me that the outside is just as important - even in winter.

 

Dec 06, 2007 04:12 AM
Lea-Ann Virnig
Lea-Ann's Home Beautiful Staging and Design LLC - San Antonio, TX
Home Beautiful: San Antonionulls Premier , Home Staging Company
Mary Lou - Glad you liked that information!  Yes, you can use the ideas but try and put it into your own words - it will be more personalized then!
Dec 11, 2007 05:00 AM
Lea-Ann Virnig
Lea-Ann's Home Beautiful Staging and Design LLC - San Antonio, TX
Home Beautiful: San Antonionulls Premier , Home Staging Company
Kelly- Glad you found the information helpful also!  Yes, don't forget about the homes exterior - it's the first thing the buyers see!  Good Luck!
Dec 11, 2007 05:01 AM
Karen Hubert
Center Stage Design-real estate staging, Ancaster/Hamilton - Ancaster, ON
Home Stager
Wow Lea-Ann what a beautiful window box. Did you create it?
Dec 15, 2007 02:20 AM
Kathleen Lordbock
Keller Williams Realty Professionals - Baxter, MN
Keller Williams Realty Professionals

Lea-Ann - great winter exterior staging tips.

For those wanting to copy this look you can put  floral sticks into faux apples or other fruit and wire onto the branches. Real pine  or cedar is nice or fake with real interspersed throughout.  For cold areas frozen crab apple branches add color or again use faux.  You don't usually get too close to a window box, so as long as it looks good from a distance...

Dec 19, 2007 06:55 AM