The end of the year is the perfect time to put on a dazzling display that accents your historic brick home's natural beauty and charm. Your natural brick exterior provides the perfect backdrop for all types of seasonal displays, and one is certain to suit your taste and style. From low-maintenance, understated displays to high-impact showstoppers, here are some simple ways to achieve seasonal curb appeal for your historic brick home.
Clear the Clutter
Before bringing your seasonal look to life, clear and trim any spent summer plants and overgrown bushes; if you plan to decorate the greenery, shrubs with a tidy shape will improve the overall appearance of your décor. Put away toys, bikes and other off-season items that may have accumulated on the porch, and consider replacing them with potted evergreens instead.
Open Doors to New Color
If your front door has seen better days, it’s not too late to freshen it up with a new coat of paint. With plenty of historic colors available, choosing a color scheme that suits your style will create a welcoming entrance that speaks volumes about your pride of home ownership.
Light the Way Home
Walkway lighting provides a homey warmth, inviting guests to your home with both their comfort and safety in mind. Wired and solar lighting come in a wide variety of styles, so there are many options from which to choose that will work with the historic look of your brick home. Don't forget to consider spotlights and other directional lighting to highlight specific features, such as stately evergreens, unique porch trim, garden gazing balls, or statues.
Natural Elements Don't Have to be Green
Green garlands, swags, and wreaths are a classic, wonderful choice for your home, but if your style aesthetic leans in a different direction, try something new that will complement the historic beauty of your brick home. Different natural materials, from birch bark branches nestled in a planter of grapevine, holly, and LED solar lights, are a great alternative to evergreens. Interweaving grapevines and burlap creates an alternative to the typical green garland, swags, and wreaths. In addition, a variety of other natural materials, such as pine cones and berries that coordinate with the color of your door, can be combined with the grapevine and some pretty ribbon for a cohesive and attractive display.
Use String Lights – with Caution
Seasonal lights are timeless, but you should exercise caution and restraint when lighting up your historic brick home. You will want to avoid masonry hangers, which are clips designed to be drilled into the brick or mortar, leaving permanent attachment points. They are not designed for historic brick.
As an alternative, you can wrap string lights around your swags or garlands. If electrical connections are a problem, newer LED lights are available in solar-powered options, and battery-operated lights can also work on door wreaths. Special light-hanging clips are available if you have existing gutters, and they will not harm your gutters or soffit. Always follow ladder safety procedures if you choose to hang lights this way, but also consider whether it’s truly necessary to put up these additional lights once you’ve lit up the swags and garland.
Enjoy Your Home This Season
Don't let décor stress bog down your enjoyment of the season. Seasonal decorations should enhance your historic brick home and reflect who you are. So, whether it is pared back and understated or an extravagant display, focus on a stress-free decorating experience and enjoy the time spent with your family and friends.
Renaissance Development, a leader in brick restoration and historic preservation, specializes in the restoration of a historic brick building’s mortar joints using traditional methods (tuckpointing) and materials. Contact us for a free site visit and project quote.
