Take a look at your home's exterior. Are you happy with it? Does it offer value and curb appeal? Does it do anything for your home? These are all important questions to ask because the outside of your home is more than just a pretty face. There are a number of different ways you can upgrade your home, and there is certainly quite a few good reasons to do the new look in a natural way.

The Importance of an Exterior Redesign

First of all, there's several reasons why a new exterior can be very important for you and your home. Consider each of these to help you make the right decision for your property.

It adds value. If you think there is any chance you may sell your home in the future, then a new, updated and workable exterior will add curb appeal and value to the property. When people are looking for a new home, their first impression will be of the outside of the house when they see it from the road. First impressions are extremely important because they could make or break a sale. So, making big changes to the exterior can add to the value of your home, make it more appealing to potential buyers and help you make that sale when you are ready.

A natural exterior redesign can also make your home more energy efficient. Proper sealing and insulation can keep cool or warm air in. Shade and management of the sun's light through the day (even through solar panels) can lower those energy bills drastically. Reducing your energy usage can save you money and can also help the environment.

The Value of the Natural Look

These days, people want a home that blends beautifully with it's surroundings. The natural look is an excellent choice for curb appeal, energy efficiency and beauty for your property. When you use colors found in nature and you work in plants and gardening throughout the property, you will find yourself with more than just a house. You will have a beautiful aesthetic.

Great Ways to Achieve the Natural Look

How do you redesign your home's exterior naturally? There are so many ways you can do this. Here are just a few to get you started.

Consider a roof garden. This is an excellent way to make use of space, especially if you have a small yard. A roof garden allows you to grow plants and vegetables you can use in your foods. With one of these gardens, you can control the temperature of your home and add a level of energy efficiency with the plants offering shade to even the sunniest parts of the roof. This will also allow the roof to blend in with the property's natural surroundings as well. A roof garden is a wonderful way to glean many benefits in one simple step.

Choose recycled or reclaimed materials. You can use shiplap, recovered driftwood, bamboo and other materials to build fences, flower boxes, rails and more. Not only is it a nice aesthetic, but it also means you aren't using new and environmentally unfriendly products. If you locally source the products, you will also find materials that blend in with your locale's surroundings even more.

Use natural colors on the exterior. One of the biggest steps in a full outdoor redesign will be painting your home. And, when you choose the colors, think tones you would find in nature. Browns, reds, taupes, and creams all blend beautifully with the surrounding world and create a natural and calm appearance. Be careful to choose environmentally friendly and nontoxic paints and solvents as well.

Finally, think about the yard itself. Making carefully planned use of plants, trees, and shrubs throughout your property can have a big impact on your home in many ways. It can add a level of energy efficiency when you use plants and trees to offer shade. You can create outdoor rooms for entertaining and spending time outside on cool evenings. And, of course, you can create curb appeal that makes your home more valuable and marketable.

Your home's exterior deserves a redesign. There are so many reasons to do this and choosing the right way to design it is a must. Consider the natural way. This is a beautiful way to create an aesthetic that is pleasant and appealing to you, your community, and even potential buyers if you think that one day you may sell. There are so many ways to create this natural look too.

Written by Taylor McKnight, Author for Amber Freda Garden Design