This post is sponsored by Sherwin-Williams® 

I have long been a believer in the transformative power of paint. In most of my renovation projects, color has been an easy way to update a home’s interior—but guess what? Outdoor spaces can benefit even more from a fresh coat of something colorful. This revelation is all the more powerful after you’ve made some smooth moves inside and are ready to bring that same energy to the streets! 

At the core, this is the same “new-you” feeling that comes on when you’re ready to get a haircut or a fresh look after going through a big up-level in your life. Humans are social creatures, and naturally, we all want to show off the amazing growth work we’ve been doing to the world!

Reflecting internal shifts in the exterior helps integrate them into our day-to-day lives. And there is no better feeling than pulling into your driveway to be greeted by a home that isn’t just beautiful on the inside, but the outside too! A burst of bright, joyful color is infectious, and sets the tone for how everyone feels when they enter. 

With a welcoming exterior, you’ll notice right away how different it feels to come home. And that’s not just for a home’s inhabitants. When the energy guests bring into your home starts with a “WOW!” all those bad vibes get left on the curb. It’s like wiping your feet before coming inside or taking your shoes off at the door.   

True Blue Dream House

This is why I’ve been really encouraging my clients at the Japandi house to refresh their exterior. We’ve been taking down walls in the home’s interior to open up their home and create a more welcoming space for the whole family. I definitely think they deserve to bring that same love and attention beyond the front door.    

The Japandi house was built in the early 70s, and yes, it’s 50 years old! The clients painted the home a boring beige in the 90s, and it has stayed stale ever since. The unimpressive curb appeal was totally at odds with all the work we’ve done inside to make this house a home. I finally convinced them, and we couldn’t be happier with the result! 

I choose Slate Tile SW 7624 because, well, I love blue! I’ve shared in the past all about my favorite blues and greens for interiors. They’re a way to bring nature inside—but they do even better out in nature herself!

This blue is especially beautiful against fresh green landscaping and looks perfect with white trim. Its grey undertone is slight, but tones down the brightness for a just-right shade that won’t clash with the neighbors. For the trim, we went with Pure White SW 7005 and it really makes the deep blue color of the exterior pop.

Did you catch the IG stories of Travis & me painting? 😂  It was super fun, yet challenging, to not end up spraying the bushes and trim. Mad respect for my paint trade!! 

With exteriors, it’s so important to use the RIGHT kind of paint so it stays looking fresh for a long time. We used Emerald® Rain Refresh™ Exterior, which is an ultra-durable exterior coating with Self-Cleaning Technology™. Sherwin-Williams formulated this paint to offer excellent UV and weather protection, and dirt just washes away upon contact with water!

Delight In the Details

Beyond the paint job, we spruced up the porch with some autumnal flair to celebrate the seasonal shift. Exterior decoration can really add polish to a home’s overall presentation, and helps its guests and inhabitants feel prepared for the season ahead.

Personally, I tend to decorate in waves… some years I deck it out, and other times I tone it down. It depends entirely on my mood! Your home is an extension of your self-identity, so do what feels right for YOU! 

For this project, we wanted to keep the look a little on the lighter side and relied on the planters to bring in the fall color and textures. Marigolds brighten the area and contrast beautifully against the blue. Meanwhile, cattails add a little height! They are such a great late-season plant, since they transition nicely from the late summer months into full-blown Fall.  

Layering door mats adds an extra bit of variety and personality. In this case, the top doormat is great for collecting dirt and grime, while the checkered mat below helps to set the scene for a holiday greeting, without getting too ahead of ourselves. 😉 Finally, we added some large fall wreaths for festivity! The bronze color does so well on the doors, and brings a lot of security and warmth to the entryway. 

Perhaps with a little mid-way wreath replacement & plant exchange, (rosemary would work beautifully in winter) this front porch will work all season long, from September through December, and beyond.

It’s easy to go subtle when you have such great doors, and I love how these look against the blue. They’re made of metal, but they remind me so much of Sherwin-Williams 2021 Color of the Year! I recently brought this color into my own backyard, and it has made all the difference in elevating our outdoor living space. The rich, elegant brown lends a grounding quality to the experience of walking inside, so you enter feeling warm and calm. 

Set The Bar High! 

I liken taking care of your home’s exterior to taking care of your skin. It’s less about vanity, and more about self-respect. With a skin care routine, you set the tone for the rest of your day, and set a boundary for how you allow others to interact with you. Taking care of your home’s exterior does the same thing! 

My teen often quips, “Who cares if I have bad posture, or my legs are on the chair while eating?” (Can you tell I am BIG on manners and etiquette?) Each time I explain to her, in the most calm and convincing voice I can muster, that first impressions go a long ways! 

The home’s exterior is an extension of who we are in the most vulnerable ways. Our home is where we let our guard down in order to really, authentically live. So if you are happy inside the home and quite content, but have let the yard go, that’s not really accurate, right? Creating balance between the internal and external is all part of the process of developing authenticity—whether you have an HOA or not!

These kinds of spruce-ups aren’t just reserved for selling your house. Although it’s true that if you want higher offers, you must create a higher-value product. You deserve to live in a beautiful home while YOU live there! If you’re not optimizing your home space, are you optimizing your happiness? 

We teach others how to treat us in the way we treat ourselves. Setting a high standard helps ensure those around us will take care when engaging with us. So lead the way with your head held high! Our boundaries are not walls—they’re fences we should maintain, so we can greet the people in our lives beautifully.

Xo, 

Anita