7 Curb Appeal Projects You Can Finish in a Weekend

First impressions matter, and your home’s exterior is the first thing people see – whether it’s neighbors, guests, or potential buyers. The good news? You don’t need professional landscaping or a new roof to make a dramatic difference.

These 7 projects are all doable in a single weekend, and most cost less than $100.

1. Paint Your Front Door ($30-50)

This is the single highest-impact curb appeal project that exists. A bold, fresh front door color can completely change how your house looks from the street.

Best-selling front door colors right now:

• Benjamin Moore Hale Navy (classic, works on almost any house)
• Sherwin-Williams Tricorn Black (modern and dramatic)
• Benjamin Moore Caliente Red (if you want to make a statement)
• Sherwin-Williams Basil (unexpected green that looks amazing)

What you need: 1 quart of exterior paint ($18), a good 2-inch brush ($12), painter’s tape ($7), and about 3 hours.

Pro tip: Remove the door from the hinges and paint it flat on sawhorses. You’ll get zero drips and a much smoother finish.

2. Upgrade Your House Numbers ($15-40)

Swap those tiny builder-grade numbers for something modern. Oversized floating house numbers make a surprisingly big visual difference.

• Budget pick: Everbilt 5-inch modern numbers ($4 each at Home Depot)
• Best look: Hillman 5-inch floating mount numbers ($8 each at Lowe’s)

Mount them vertically next to the door instead of horizontally above it for a modern look.

3. Mailbox Makeover ($20-60)

A rusty, leaning mailbox drags down your entire front yard.

Quick fix ($20): Sand, prime, and spray paint your existing mailbox with Rust-Oleum. Add new stick-on numbers. Done in an hour.

Full upgrade ($40-60): A new Gibraltar Elite or Architectural Mailboxes post-mount mailbox from Home Depot. Most come with installation hardware and take about 30 minutes to swap.

4. Solar Pathway Lights ($25-50)

Pathway lighting adds warmth and makes your home look polished after dark. Solar means no wiring needed.

• Best budget option: GIGALUMI solar path lights ($25 for a 12-pack on Amazon) – just stick them in the ground along your walkway
• Upgrade pick: Hampton Bay solar LED path lights ($40 for an 8-pack at Home Depot) – brighter and more durable

Space them about 6-8 feet apart on both sides of your walkway. Install time: 15 minutes.

5. Planter Refresh ($30-50)

Flanking your front door with planters instantly adds life and color.

• Two matching 16-inch planters from Home Depot ($15 each)
• Potting soil ($8)
• Seasonal flowers or evergreen plants ($10-15)

Easy plant combos that always look good:

• Spring/Summer: Red geraniums + trailing ivy
• Fall: Mums + ornamental kale
• Winter: Evergreen topiaries + pinecones
• Year-round: Boxwood topiaries (zero maintenance)

6. Power Wash Everything ($0-50)

If you already own a pressure washer, this one’s free. If not, Home Depot rents them for about $40/day.

Power wash your:

• Driveway
• Sidewalks
• Front porch and steps
• Siding (careful with the pressure setting)
• Garage door

The before and after of a power-washed driveway is genuinely shocking. Years of grime come off and it looks brand new. This alone can make your whole property look 10 years younger.

7. Add or Update Shutters ($50-100)

If your house doesn’t have shutters, adding simple vinyl ones creates instant charm. If it does have shutters, a fresh coat of paint can work wonders.

• New vinyl shutters: Builders Edge 15×55 ($25 per pair at Home Depot) – comes in tons of colors, installs with just screws
• Refresh existing shutters: Remove, clean, spray paint with Rust-Oleum ($5/can), reinstall. Maybe 2 hours total.

Color tip: Your shutters should contrast with your siding. White house? Dark shutters. Dark house? White or cream shutters.

The Weekend Game Plan

Saturday: Front door paint, house numbers, mailbox, and pathway lights. These are the quickest wins.

Sunday: Power wash, planters, and shutters.

By Sunday evening, your house will look noticeably different from the street – and you’ll have spent $200 or less. Your neighbors might start asking what contractor you hired.