home improvement

There’s no doubt about it. Paint is one of the quickest and least expensive ways to punch up your home’s curb appeal. A fresh coat of paint transforms shutters from drab to fab, and if you want to give your house a totally new look, painting the outside a different color costs far less than removing and replacing siding or other exterior materials.

Since the Sherwin-Williams and Glidden® companies are leading paint producers, we asked their experts about using paint to make your home the belle of the block. Here are six of their top tips:

Windows do more than bring light into your home. They provide views of your neighborhood, connect the indoors with the outdoors, accent your home’s architecture, and contribute immeasurably to its curb appeal.

“Windows matter,” says Brett Boyum, vice president of marketing for Marvin Windows and Doors. “They’re a large and important part of the overall statement that a house makes.”

You only have one chance to make a good first impression. That old saying is true for you and for your home too. All too often, however, homeowners dwell on how a house looks and feels on the inside and neglect the outside. A new granite countertop may add sparkle to your kitchen, but maintaining your home’s exterior appearance — or curb appeal — also is important to your enjoyment of the place where you spend most of your time and have invested much of your money.

If you have any doubt about how much roofing and siding affect your home’s appearance, ask some kindergartners to draw a house. They always delineate the roof and exterior walls first, then complete the picture with doors, windows, and a big smiling sun. That’s a real lesson in the basics of rejuvenating a house. “Get the right combination of exterior products, and you’ll turn an average-looking house into something stunning,” says CertainTeed Corporation spokesperson Mike Loughery.