Pick the Right Features to Improve Your Homes Outdoor Spaces while also Adding Value

Below are five select home improvements and home upgrades that can have some of the most
significant impact on curb appeal and value. Now is the perfect time to research and plan the
best outdoor projects to enhance your outdoor living area and create a space that meets the
needs of everyone in your family.

Bluestone Walkway in Barrington, IL

1. A Paved Walkway and Stoop Creates a Powerful Focal Point

According to this survey from Homelight, 76 percent of realtors surveyed said it should be to focus on curb appeal. In fact, 94 percent of the realtors surveyed agreed that curb appeal adds to the seller’s bottom line. There’s no better focal point for curb appeal than the walkway and the door. 

A paved walkway and stoop provide a beautiful focal point for the front of your home. The walkway physically and visually connects various elements of your yard. It serves as a design element that leads the eye straight to the front door, or around the exterior of your home. The use of paver stones provides an elegant look and feel. 

Having a paved stoop can also enhance the look of the front of your home. When decorated with landscaping plants, or when it leads up to a vibrant-looking front door, it becomes the primary focal point for the eyes. These elements are a crucial place to start when you’re looking to enhance curb appeal. They can make an average looking exterior pop with excitement, and of course, they enhance value to your home.

Custom Patio and Pergola Build in Fox River Grove, IL


2. Add Elegance and Provide Shade with a Pergola

A pergola can define your outdoor living space. It adds architectural elegance and provides an accent piece for the patio. When it comes to adding a pergola to your outdoor living space, you can go with a simple design, or something more elaborate. They can also become a home for vines, or any other flower that climbs up the surface. On a warm summer day, pergolas also offer a tremendous amount of shade without making a space feel too confining. 

Because of their demand, pergolas can increase the value of your home. People may appreciate the look and feel of the feature, as well as the ability to spend some time outdoors with protection from the sun. They’re also one of less expensive hardscaping additions to your home and are relatively low maintenance.


Round patio element with seat wall and fire pit in Cary, IL

3. Breathe Life to Your Outdoor Living Space with a New Patio

According to the website Supermoney, a patio that cost between $2,000 and $4,000 will have a return on investment of 80 percent. The building materials that you use will have a significant impact on that return. 

A high-quality concrete paver patio is typically dry set over gravel with a sand base in order to ensure durability and longevity. Having a patio is like having an outdoor blank slate that you can furnish to meet your family’s lifestyle and needs. There’s also an ability to add new patio design features such as accent fencing, outdoor sofas, water features, or fire pits for example. For this reason, a new patio design and build also boost’s the home’s value. 

Homeowners with a patio see a space that offers tremendous potential, and often feel an increased desire to be at home, and to be able to enjoy the outdoors from their backyard. They’ll have a living space that is perfect for gatherings with friends and family, or simply a peaceful summer afternoon outdoors. 

A new patio is a place that people will want to spend their time and create memories. A patio contractor, or patio builder can walk you through all the possibilities for your outdoor living area.


Custom Outdoor Kitchen with Flagstone face in Cary, IL


4. Turn Your Home Into An Entertainment Hub with an Outdoor Kitchen

Having your friends and family over during the summer months is always fun. But it’s a little bit of a drag when you have to spend more time than you wanted away from your guests, preparing food in the kitchen. An outdoor kitchen means that you never have to leave the party. You can prepare that delicious meal and talk with your guests at the same time. 

An outdoor kitchen offers a new level of convenience and luxury. It’s an excellent way to step up your party-hosting chops. In this way, it’s an investment in the ability to enjoy your own gatherings that much more. 

An outdoor kitchen also greatly improves the value of your home. In fact, according to online home seller Zillow, homes with outdoor kitchens can sell for up to 30 percent more than expected.

Landscape lighting in Cary, IL


5. Enhance the Beauty and Aesthetics of Your Outdoor Living Area With Landscape Lighting

Outdoor lighting helps you better take advantage of your outdoor living area after the sun goes down. An elegant and well-laid-out lighting system allows you to enjoy your space well into those summer evening hours. Landscape lighting can enhance the mood and ambiance to your patio and outdoor living area. A fresh set of landscaping lights allow you to more fully and completely enjoy your yard. 

Of course, when you increase the brightness of your outdoor living space, you’re also providing an enhanced level of safety and security. People are able to more freely move around your patio and yard without injury. They’re also providing an added level of security to the property. 

Updated lighting can add a higher level of curb appeal, and it enhances the value of your home. You can highlight the elegance of your landscaping décor in new ways. It can give a vibrant feeling to the space that may have been absent before. There are always new trends, including solar lighting, that homeowners can take advantage of. 

According to the National Association of Realtors, when you invest in an outdoor lighting system that cost around $5,000, you can expect to see an average return of 50 percent.

Boost that Curb Appeal And Add Value Now

Most people spend the bulk of their time at home, so it may as well be a place that provides comfort, and ambiance that you enjoy. It should be a place that is able to meet your needs. When you take the time to make certain hardscape enhancements, you can create a place that is in tune with your lifestyle. With the right enhancements, you can also increase your home’s value. 

If you are looking to speak with a landscaping professional about your next project, contact Ringers Landscaping today!