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5 Best Home Improvement Projects to Do This Summer
Summer is upon us, and fresh home improvement ideas are popping up indoors and out. Let’s get started with a few that will make your home the perfect summer vacation destination. A little extra curb appeal invites summer visitors to drop by and celebrate the season with you.
Begin with these five ideas for easy summer home improvement projects and see where your imagination takes you.
1. Clean and refresh outdoor rooms (porches, decks, & patios) with summer décor.
This should be job one on your summer home improvement bucket list because once you’re done, you have all summer long to enjoy your outdoor living spaces. Give them some summer love with a thorough cleaning from top to bottom. Sweep away all signs of last fall and winter’s debris and dust. Clean your outdoor lighting, scrub your furniture, clean patio doors, and think about colorful ways to update your décor. A few new throw pillows add fun pops of color. A new patio umbrella or awning for shade and an outdoor carpet makes any seating area more inviting. Your front porch entry door deserves a summer upgrade with a new DIY summer wreath or basket featuring seasonal blooms.
Expand your existing outdoor space by adding room for a fire bowl or an outdoor kitchen. Add an outdoor fan to your porch or patio to stir up a cool breeze and shoo away insects.
Don’t have an outdoor living space? This is the time to create one! The list of ideas is as wide as the great outdoors — from a pebble and paver patio area to a backyard shed addition.
2. Add window boxes to increase curb appeal.
Adding color and beauty to your home’s façade can be as simple as adding a few window boxes. Keep an eye on how the summer sun hits your home to help decide what summer flowers to use. You’ll find plenty of options for sun and shade. The “thriller, filler, spiller” design rule for any planter can also apply to your window boxes, so select a range of heights and colors.
If you use boxes on your upper-story windows, be sure the windows are easy to open so that you can sow, water, and maintain your plants without hassle.
As seasons change, you can update your window box plantings with small evergreen shrubs or holiday décor.
3. Pressure wash walkways, patios, and siding.
There’s something so satisfying about pressure washing walkways, driveways, siding, and shutters. It gives everything a fresh new look with relatively little effort. You can rent the equipment, or buying a pressure washer is a great investment if you have the storage space. While the kids are playing in the sprinkler, you can make your own productive water fun.
Take care with your work. For instance, when pressure washing siding, spray the surface at a 90-degree angle so moisture doesn’t get up behind the siding. And be sure to adjust the pressure for different tasks to avoid damaging surfaces. You can use a pressure washer to clean windows (even the upper level!), but be sure the windows are sealed shut and don’t have leaks.
4. Create an indoor accent wall with peel-and-stick wallpaper or paint.
If you’re looking for summer home improvement projects that you can do with the benefit of air conditioning, this is the perfect time to create an accent wall. The DIY project is relatively easy yet decoratively impactful. Choose a wall in a bathroom, behind a bed, or at the end of a hallway.
Applying peel-and-stick wallpaper is simple to do and gives you the flexibility to change your mind if you opt for a different color scheme down the road or if you decide to move and want to replace it with something neutral for your staging process. Consider using the same process on the back wall of bookshelves or as a backsplash in your kitchen.
5. Replace drafty, inoperable windows with energy-efficient models.
Summer is all about fresh air and breezes. It’s also about keeping out the heat and humidity and being prepared for summer storms — even hurricanes! Your windows are key to summer enjoyment and protection. Check them for any leaks and drafts, and seal them with caulk.
If you think it’s time for a replacement, think about all the options that can add to your summer pleasure. For instance, do you have a window behind your kitchen sink that is hard to lift open? Consider replacing it with a casement style that easily cranks open and closed. Or perhaps replace it with a garden window style where your window can do double duty by providing the perfect spot for growing fresh herbs for your culinary masterpieces.
Replacing old windows with energy-efficient vinyl windows can lower your energy bills, and tilt-out features make window cleaning a breeze. (Get it? A breeze?) Installing the right windows is a summer project that you may want to leave to the experts. A team of installers can do the job efficiently, so you aren’t left with a gaping hole in your home overnight. And just think of all the seasons and years of enjoyment your new windows will provide.
Your friends at Window World hope you enjoy all the pleasures of the summer season and welcome you to drop by your local store to discuss any exterior remodeling improvements, including windows, entry doors, patio doors, siding, and more. For more than 25 years, our experts have been helping customers increase their homes’ curb appeal, energy efficiency, and comfort. From ideas to installation, we’re ready to help you. Schedule your free consultation and quote.