Make Your Front Yard More Appealing Yet Private

 You want to show off your lawn, but you also want privacy when you are enjoying it. A great way to do this is by using natural landscaping along your wall or fence. Here are some ways to enhance your privacy and curb appeal at the same time.

1. Install Light and Airy Decorative Screens

A decorative screen is a nice way to add some privacy without saying keep out to everyone. Strategically placing decorative screens is a common tool used to make your front yard a bit more private. A lattice-style wall is both private yet lets light pass through and does not entirely close off a space. Using a lattice-style wall will allow you to add decorative designs, hang things up or run a vine through the wall.

“Decorative screens are a gem. When positioned right, screens can give you much-needed seclusion. The trick isn’t just about hiding away. Instead it’s about creating privacy stylishly without losing the essence of your space,” explains Brian Pal, CEO of Green Pal.

2. Combine Lush Planting with an Ornamental Gate

Iron gates are a nice touch to any front yard. They are welcoming and look great, especially for a Spanish look. Tropical plants are another way to create a private setting in your front yard. These lush green plants help you feel like you are in a tropical oasis.

“Plant fast growing shrubs (like hydrangeas or weigela) either in the ground or in pots that you can move around. This can help block prying eyes while maintaining the natural appeal of your yard, plus it means you can place them strategically,” says Miguel Camperos with SunVara.

3. Choose Evergreen Hedging for Year Round Screening

Evergreen hedges are a great way to create a private setting. You can decide the height that you want. These are fast growing and include Italian cypress, arborvitae or privet.

“Evergreens are my personal favorites too. They’ve got your back throughout the year. If you’re leaning towards hedges, boxwood or privet can be your green guardians, and they’re super moldable as well,” says Clayton.

4. Put Up a Wire Fence and Grow a Pretty Vine Over It

A tall link fence is a perfect way to create some privacy and enjoy nature. All you have to do is install a tall link fence and intwine a vine through it to cover the fence for privacy. This way the fence will look like it is a part of your natural landscaping.

“Vines are one the best plants to cover a fence as they provide a lot of coverage, can grow quickly, and will provide blooms that attract birds and butterflies. Cross-vine is part of the trumpet creeper family, and a super star for being fast growing and giving great coverage, plus it’s super hardy too,” says Amy Hovis of Eden Design and Barton Springs Nursery.

5. Pair a Smart Hedge with a Picket Fence

Having both is a great idea! If you are adding a hedge to outline your front yard, then pair it with a nice picket fence. Make sure you read up on how big the plant that you choose gets.

“Native plants are useful, if possible, and ‘adapted’ plants offer an alternative option. Use something that has proven successful in your area and utilize local nurseries who can help with selecting plants that need minimum care and are adapted to your soil, climate and watering frequency,” says Mike Teal with SSC Services for Education.

These are some great ideas to make your front yard look natural and welcoming with a little privacy. Call in the experts if you are having a hard time with what works best with your home. Remember, there are plenty of creative solutions to enhance front yard privacy landscaping.

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Benefits of Tree Coverage for a Home

 What will shade from tree coverage do for your home?

Increase home value
Keep things cool
Decrease utility bills
Reduce UV exposure
Cut carbon emission

Professionals in the industry will agree that trees and shrubs are not just great for a home's curb appeal but also for social, communal, environmental, and economic benefits. It is said that tree coverage makes for a healthy and happy living environment. Here are some benefits of having tree coverage around your home. 

Increase Home Value

Planting trees and shrubs around your home can increase your home's value. Homes with mature trees are more alluring to prospective buyers. In fact, HGTV reported that the home value increases 7 - 19% if there are mature trees surrounding it. The Arborist News did a study that showed there is a 3 - 5% price increase in homes with trees in the front yard, a 6 - 9% price increase when there are a lot of trees in a neighborhood and a 10 - 15% price increase if there are mature trees in a high-income neighborhood. A Michigan University study reports that landscaping will give you a 109% return on your investment!

Keep Things Cool

Summer heat is not only uncomfortable but is also heavy on utility consumption. Trees are a perfect solution. They are not only beautiful to look at but also an effective cooling measure. Urban areas are usually hotter than the surrounding suburban areas. This is due to the lack of trees, grass, and shrubs in the city. Landscaped areas with trees and turf can be 25 degrees cooler than the asphalt area in the same location. The USDA's Forest Service did a study revealing that  a young tree is equivalent to ten room-size air conditioners operating 20 hours a day.

Decrease Utility Bills

This is good for our wallets and the environment. Trees can reduce the temperatures by 6% through shade and adding moisture to the air.  The Center for Urban Forest Research claims that trees planted on the west side of your home can reduce your energy bill costs by 3% over 5 years and 12% within 15 years. Over time, these results can greatly help you make your home more eco-friendly.

Reducing UV Exposure

Shade is your skin's best friend when it comes to reducing bad UV exposure. Skin cancer is the most common form of cancer in the US according to the American Cancer Society. Trees are a natural sunblock that provides a physical barrier between your skin and the sun. A neighborhood that is covered in trees reduces UV exposure in half!

Cut Carbon Emission

The whole world has seen an increase in global CO2. Trees are extremely important when it comes to the earth's carbon emissions. Trees can store over 708 million tons of carbon, in urban areas trees can store an additional 28.2 million tons of carbon and 100 million mature trees around homes can equal up to $2 billion annually in reduced energy costs.

Remember in order for trees to flourish and help the environment, homeowners need to care for trees and the landscaping around their homes. Experts can give trees a checkup to keep them healthy and keep them going from the roots up.

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Boost Your Curb Appeal By Painting Your Shutters

 A great way to update your curb appeal is to paint the exterior of your home. This can be a huge expense and might not be in your financial plan right now. If you have a smaller budget in mind, think about just painting your shutters to update your home's look and curb appeal.

If your shutters are dated, you might want to think about updating them to make sure the shutters fit your home. "Having an accurate ratio of shutter to window is pretty critical," says Greenville, South Carolina-based interior designer Taylor Hill. "You want to make sure your shutters are architecturally correct, meaning if they were to close, they would actually cover the window." Once this is achieved, follow these professional tips.

Play with Color…Correctly

Even if your favorite color is purple, you would not want to paint your shutters purple unless you live in a tropical area or an eclectic home. Remember to consider what type of home you live in. Many neighborhoods have HOA rules and regulations, so you have to be mindful of the HOA's color palette.

Consider a More Modern Monochromatic Look

Even a traditional home can have a nice clean modern look. One way to accomplish this is to paint your shutters the same hue as the exterior of your home. "It delivers a very chic look without being trendy," Hill says.

Take a Tone-on-Tone Approach

"If I'm starting with a neutral-colored house, I'll often look at the undertones present in the exterior paint color to help us determine a shutter color," Hills says. Hill confirms that this will add both contrast and balance to your curb appeal.

Embrace Classic Contracts

"I love a glossy black pop against a pretty red brick house," Chelsea Robinson, a Nashville interior designer, says. "Painted white brick might be really trendy right now, but you don't have to fall into a trend to make a big impact."

Keep it Natural

If you live near the coast, a natural-looking shutter is perfect for you. A natural wood shutter adds instant character with low maintenance. When you have a natural wood shutter, natural elements can improve their look by oxidating the wood and giving it a green or copper hue color.

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