The only way to know for sure how much something amounts to is to take a look at the bill. Without it, any attempt at making an estimate would be futile. You see, there are some DIY projects that can be wrapped up with all the items and materials you have in your possession, yet, having them professionally installed may cost a fortune.

Now, it all depends on the impression that you’re trying to make. In general, aiming to make your outdoor space look expensive may not seem like a good idea from the lifestyle standpoint, yet, if your goal is to boost the resale value of the place, that’s exactly the impression that you need to aim for. After all, isn’t your main goal to make the place seem more expensive to a potential buyer? The less you spend in this effort, the better the ROI. With that in mind and without further ado, here are several tips on how to make the property around your home look a lot more expensive than it really is.

1.      Well-maintained lawn

The simplest way to boost the curb appeal of your home is to keep your lawn immaculate. Prune the trees, trim the shrubs and mow your lawn on a regular basis. Also, make sure to clear all the leaves from the lawn in order to make it appear more homogenous. Depending on whether it’s the front- or the backyard we’re talking about, you should consider what else you can do in order to make the place appear more aesthetic. For your front yard, minimalism is more than fine. Therefore, keep the place immaculate and forget about any other ornaments. Also, the size of the shrubbery and its density may affect the visual impression of the home’s size. Sure, a buyer will inquire about the actual size but the first impression is often hard to shake off even later on.

2.      Pick a theme for your patio

Improvising when it comes to the patio furniture is the way to make the place look inexpensive. Instead, you need to pick a theme (ideally, monochrome or in a single upholstery pattern) and stick to it. By managing to coordinate these shapes, colors and patterns, what you’ll do is create an impression that you’ve purchased an entire collection at once (even if this is not the case). To make things even better, you need to make sure this patio furniture matches the deck below it. Ideally, you would plan this ahead but an idea to improvise in this manner isn’t a bad idea either. Remember, the furniture you pick doesn’t really have to belong to the same set, as long as it looks like it.

3.      Invest in functionality

In order to further increase the value of your home, you need to show that it’s pragmatic and great for maintenance. A lot of potential buyers are worried that they’ll have to overinvest in order to make the place exactly as they want it to be. For instance, when it comes to landscaping, the majority of buyers are aware that they’ll need a shed, which is why it would be great if you could install one on your own. A shed that fits the landscape would be even more ideal, yet, constructing one may not give you a great ROI. Fortunately, buying a shed from a company like BestSheds and having it delivered and installed on your property is a great idea.

4.      Invest in lighting

Another thing you should consider is to invest in beautiful lighting inside and out. It is how your home will look at night. First of all, the shroud of darkness allows you to conceal all the flaws in your property and illuminate (quite literally) all your home’s strongest selling points. Other than this, you also need to consider the fact that sustainability might just be one of the home’s strongest selling points. This is why you need to go for LED if you have the opportunity to do so. More importantly, it will increase the functionality of the place by giving you a chance to spend some quality time outdoors even after dark.

5.      Make garden paths

One of the simplest ways to improve your property is to make some garden paths and there are several ways to do so. Even a path made of pea gravel can be an exquisite addition to your outdoor space and it costs approximately $6 per square foot. If you don’t need too much of it, you can even go for a more expensive option like concrete pavers/brick pavers, which costs somewhere in the range of $14 per square foot. Sure, the most expensive-looking are stone pavers (somewhere at around $20 per square foot), however, the focus of this article are expensive-looking methods, not expensive ones.

6.      Use an indoor theme as an inspiration

The most expensive-looking trick you can employ is to decorate your outdoor area by considering an indoor theme or using it as an inspiration. The beauty of this is the fact that you have to improvise. You see, unless you have a pergola, a gazebo or a shade sail, you’ll have limited options when it comes to materials you can use for outdoor furniture. Therefore, you need to look for items that are indoor-looking, yet, made from sturdier and more durable materials. Aside from the all important decorative and functional lighting, installing electronics like outdoor TV is not nearly as easy as it may appear to you at the moment. On the other hand, outdoor, kitchen elements like a bar or a wine fridge are a good idea.

Conclusion

The very last thing you need to understand in order to make your home’s exterior expensive looking is the fact that maintenance makes a difference. It will take you only several minutes to clean the deck and less than an hour to mow the lawn but the difference in appearances and the perceived price will be astronomical. Always bear that in mind.