How do your ensure the outside of your home makes a good impression?

[Lizzie]

Hello everyone,

It is often said how important first impressions are and often when hosting, the first thing your guest will see is the outside of your listing.

Do you spend much time thinking about how to make the outside of your home look inviting? Do are your tips for this? Perhaps you regularly paint the facade or plant flowers. Or alternatively, if you are unable to touch the front of your home, what do you do to help welcome your guests.

Thanks,

Lizzie

[Deborah614]

I like quirky and vintage touches.   

I'm putting stained glass windows, with cornflower blue rippled glass,  into the front porch, to match the vintage leadlight windows on the side.   

Just completed making a nice bordered path way up to the porch.   With a bird-bath, a Buddha statue and an old teapot hanging from a branch.     

Getting some cushions made for the woodbox seats in the porch, so guests can sit outside in a sheltered comfort,  if they want to enjoy a naughty cigar or cigarette in peace.     

[Helen427]

@Deborah614 

Do you have Cornflowers in your garden as well?

Are you making your own Stained Glass windows?

There's some really great stories to the background as to how and who stained glass windows are created for in various buildings in the National library NZ website  - Papers Past NZ.

You might like to look up the history in Waikanae, NZ and share it in your listing.

https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers?snippet=true&query=Waikanae

All the best

[Deborah614]

@Helen427 

Yes, I do actually!    That's a thought, I must go and photograph the last remaining few.   Because when the window is done, I want to photograph it for my Profile.  Along with some cornflowers.  

A local stained glass artist, Rachel Pfeffer is making them.   She did a good job of repairing an antique stained glass cupboard door I had from my Kauri fire surround.   Which I'm repurposing into a book shelf.

thanks for that link, you seem to know a bit about our Waikanae history.   

[Helen427]

@Deborah614, I have to admit I've never ventured that far..one day..

That website link is fabulous for fact and fun finding

[Ruth486]

@Lizzie We already have lighting the whole way around the property, but added an extra 2 to the front drive and an extra set of house numbers to make it a little easier to find depending on their approach. We put all the lights on for guests arriving, including their porch lights. I love my gardens, so I make sure there is all round interest. We also have large grass areas and mature gardens which our guests use every stay, kids and adults alike. We like to let the guests have the run of the space when they are here. I think first impressions are very important. They also have their own private entrance, and parking right at their gate.Guests private garden with SaunaGuest EntranceThe main shared gardenThe walk down the garden to the BBQ Hut