What is curb appeal?
Have you ever judged a book by its cover? Well believe it or not, how the exterior of your home or business looks is often the first impression a visitor gets! Curb appeal can include landscaping, lighting design, color of a building or home, and seasonal décor.
Why should it matter?
Curb appeal can play a valuable role for your business. First, it is crucial to attracting customers. How your business appears on the exterior can either draw customers in or push them away. For example, if you have safe sidewalks, a paved parking lot with clean lines, and top it off with intentional landscaping and seasonal décor a customer is much more likely to give you their business.
In addition to attracting customers, a building with a property that is well cared for will also attract tenants. From the lens of a tenant, their drivers are attracting customers
AND employees. They want a space that welcomes staff and customers. Providing a safe parking lot with ample lighting, smooth pavement, safe sidewalks, and visually appealing landscape elements such as trees and flower beds will increase the likelihood that a tenant will pay more to rent your space. Not to mention incorporating seasonal décor, will make your space feel more festive and welcoming.
How to enhance the curb appeal of your commercial property.
You will want to begin your curb appeal updates by making sure your property is safe, decreasing potential liability concerns. Your business can achieve this by repairing sidewalks and stairs. Bonus, they will not only look better, but having smooth sidewalks and steps will make snow removal more efficient and easier in the winter months. Next up you can look at the materials that make the exterior of your building, is there an opportunity to paint? Are the windows clean and structurally sound?
You will also want to make sure your building is easily identifiable and easy to navigate. This is often referred to as wayfinding. There are a few components that contribute to an easy wayfinding experience: how your sidewalks flow from your parking area to your building, is there enough signage to tell visitors where to go, is there a designated visitor parking area?
Once your property is safe and easy to navigate, we can jump into the more exciting components of curb appeal…landscaping and seasonal décor!
Landscaping!
Landscaping is a great way to increase your curb appeal. Landscaping can include grass, trees, mulch, flower beds, and so much more. But, what if you have limited opportunities for landscaping? Do what you can to enhance it anyway. Here are some options: keep grass green and trimmed, add potted flowers/plants, incorporate bushes or shrubs if you don’t have the space for trees, and utilize landscaping boulders or a rock display.
Seasonal décor!
Seasonal décor is a fun way to enhance your curb appeal. Be mindful of avoiding seasonal décor that promotes a specific holiday. You want to make sure your building is welcoming to all! Also, it is important to be mindful that you are not leaving seasonal décor up for to long or putting it up to early. Need some inspiration? Check out the list below for some fall and winter décor ideas!
Fall décor ideas:
Pumpkin displays
Seasonal wreath: leaves, pinecones, colorful ribbon
Plants that thrive in fall: mums!
Lanterns
Winter décor ideas:
Lights!
Seasonal entry mat
Seasonal wreath: holly, berries, bells, ext.
Live evergreens: holly, boxwood, spruce, juniper, ext.
Birch branches
Vintage snow equipment: sleds, skates, skis
Turn summer window boxes into winter window boxes by replacing the flowers with evergreen boughs, branches, pinecones, dried blossoms
Add cozy throw pillows and blankets to furniture – it might be too cold to sit there but it will look cozy and inviting
Hiring a team like Landscape America to maintain your property is a great way to stay on top of curb appeal. We are experts in knowing what to plant and when and we will keep your property looking sharp and welcoming.
