Get Your Curb Appeal On! Part 2.

 

In a Day - You Can > Renew planter beds

Get garden beds into shape by pruning growth, pulling weeds, planting flowers, and adding new mulch to restore colour that was taken away by sunlight and harsh weather. If stone or brick borders your bed, consider cleaning and resetting any pieces that are soiled or dislodged. If your border is old or tired-looking, try upgrading to stone or a decorative cast-concrete edging system. Shortly I will post on Garden Bed Edging Ideas to help you achieve a sympathetic and fresh new look for your garden beds.

 

In a Weekend You Can - Add arbours or fence panels

Arbors, garden gates, and short sections of decorative fence panels will enhance your garden and the value of your home. These amenities can be found in easy-to-build kits or prefab sections you simply connect together. For best results, paint or stain these items with colours already on your house.

 

 

In a Weekend You Can - Add outdoor art

Give your yard a little spunk by adding weather-resistant artwork. Choose pieces that complement your home's natural palette and exterior elements. Birdbaths, metal cutouts, sculptures, and wind chimes are good choices for outdoor art. Water sculptures not only function as yard art, but the burbling sounds soothe and make hot days feel cooler. Place fountains on level ground in optimum hearing and sight vantage points. Avoid spots in leaf-dropping range.

 

 

 

In a Weekend You Can - Add shutters or accent trim

Shutters and trim add a welcoming layer of beauty to your home's exterior. Shutters also control light and ventilation, and provide additional security. Exterior shutters can be made of wood, aluminium, vinyl, composite, or fiberglass. New composite materials, such as PVC resins or polyurethane, make trim details durable and low maintenance.

 

 

 

In a Month You Can > Renew paint, siding, and trim

An exterior facelift (new paint, siding, or trim details) automatically transforms the look of a home. Periodic maintenance of that exterior surface is the surest way to keep your house looking its best. Any obvious defects, such as cracked or rotting material, can downgrade the aesthetic and quickly turn away potential homebuyers. Once defects are repaired, look for ways to add personality with colour, trim, or shingles

 

 

In a Month You Can - Dress up the driveway

If your driveway is cracked or stained or has vegetation sprouting from it, you can upgrade it without doing a complete redo. First repair the cracks and stains (and kill the weeds), then dress it up by staining the concrete or affixing flagstones. If you need more room to move your car or park, add stone, brick, or pavers to the sides of the drive to widen it with flair.

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Following from my initial post on Palatial Living Get Your Curb Appeal On! Part 1, true to my word - here is the follow up with Part 2 on specific areas and ways you too can get your home ready as a property ready to sell meeting market expectations....

Enjoy,

 

 

images & subtext via bhg, pinterest, country living,

tumblr, house beautiful.

 

a little greenery...

Not only did the dappled light first catch my eye but the perspective and
 finish of the bricked path and feathered grassed edging.
Just like walking through a natural cathedral....

Mr Palatial & I have been spending a fair bit of time in the garden lately - well ever since we bought our new-old home back in July really - aside once each 'mini projecty' is put to bed we have the other one ready formulated and partially saved up for! The local landscape supplier, ANL [short for Australian Native Landscapes], has gotten to know our driveway well, unloading tonnes of soil - that never really seem enough! Those of you whom have landscaped before will empathise completely!

The idea of providing seating around a tree in a courtyard makes this tree look
like a natural umbrella framing the above space over head of the seated... it makes
 it feel more intimate and cosy... the lace like leave of Japanese maples would
be perfect for this affect. Here the base of the tree trunk has been 'pleached'
[where lower branches & leaves removed'] to create a smooth effect and easy
seating space underneath the upper branches.

I love the concept of limestone or sandone dry-stone walls... Mr Palatial and I recently watched a program on how to make your own 'dry-stone' wall and yep - you guessed it that's one on the list for the front yard of our home!

We also recently found a great aborist through a good friend - we like to use personal referrals where possible - the gentlemen, Geoff & Clinton from Sydney Tree Removals, removed a 40 year tree 'stump' about 4.5-5mts tall to the centre side of our back yard. the previous and original owners. We are told by another long term neighbour - had cut the tree down some 40years ago but left the tall stump! This was now home to a massive monsteria plant also... Presumably it was expensive to cut down and didn't see the need to finish it to the ground. Well now that we have done just that it makes a huge difference to the vista and overall horizon of our back yard. We will now also have better access to the vegetable terrace [Zone 1] that we are now marking out and the stump's former position will now also be part of the place for Isabelle's cubby house that we recently just bought for a 'bargain of the century' price of $99.00 on eBay! More pics on  Isabelle's cubby transformation soon - we still need to build the brick piers for it!

BEFORE - the 40yr + Tree -Stump ready to clear

BEFORE - the 40yr + Tree -Stump ready to clear

So with that I found some images that had completely inspired me with regards to finishes & looks, and created atmosphere... I adore this time of the year in Sydney - Autumn - perfect time for gardening and so much looks so good. Is there something in your garden, or courtyard, or balcony that inspires you with a green thumb? Many say that they can't garden - but there's no harm in looking & enjoying other peoples fruits of their labour too! Check out your local parks or city botanical gardens... you don't have to lift a finger there -
Just enjoy!

Partially trimmed down... by Sydney Tree Removals

AFTER - plenty of beautiful firewood ready

for the cooler evenings.

AFTER - GONE! Old Hills hoist in the centre - Post tree trunk & stump...
clear view to the rear of the yard

to the turpentine trees [the sentinels of the yard] & Japanese Maple.
Now more access and light for the remaining plants

AFTER - remnants of the trunk piled up to cut down further and to

mark out space for the vegetable terrace behind the
garage [northern-western light all day] and Isabelle's cubby house!

 

images via lets drift away, tumblr, pretty stuff 

via david fueller, verandah-home & garden living solutions

Mid Week House Snoop...All the Right Views.

Pictures really telling a thousand & one descriptors for this stunning Palatial Living home in this week's

Mid Week House Snoop!

Not sure what I can add to describing any more to this stunning home locate do Sydney's Lower North Shore suburb of Mosman [this suburb is home to many well heeled , and many of whom work across the harbour in the city so it's a perfect commute location]  that these fabulous images don't already do... except I couldn't find an image of the master suite! So either it's a home of someone well know who doesn't want their bedroom showing - amongst their fellow executives or subordinates, or the view isn't that great! I'd prefer to lean to the first - something juicy maybe in a snoop! I know that I wouldn't mind taking a dip in the sumptuous lap pool and take in a chilled wine down at the boat house... 

But let me ask this of whomever purchases this home and finds this small blog posting on their [now] new home - please contact me to help you with working on introducing colour into your walls - even in 'aspect tonal neutrals' to help provide depth into each room/ space.  A blank canvas is one thing for hanging art pieces, but it's another thing & a shame to not showcase the depth of the space by tarring it with just one shade!

Lastly - One Question, Does the boat come with the sale I wonder...

Enjoy, 

Agent's Blurb - Ray White: Lower North Shore, Agent Kingsley Yates 

Deep Waterfront Estate - Breathtaking Due North Views & World-Class Facilities 

A veritable paradise for the boating enthusiast, this sophisticated classic residence has been custom crafted to offer the ultimate environment for both grand scale entertaining and family living. Situated in an exclusive cul-de-sac on the scenic shores of beautiful Quakers Hat Bay, it commands panoramic views over Middle Harbour from a sequence of indoor and outdoor living spaces and north facing resort-style gardens. 


Positioned on approx 1,800sqm with luxurious features and exceptional waterfront facilities including a fully equipped boathouse, slipway and jetty. - Electric gates to a grand sandstone drive & triple garage- Striking entry vestibule with travertine floors & reflection pond- Beautiful formal rooms, open fireplace, American Oak floors- Sunlit family living room, custom fitted home office & harbour view study- Loggia-style entertainer's terrace & lush manicured lawns- Gourmet Carrara marble island kitchen flowing to family living room- TV lounge, double beds with built-ins, au pair or guest suite - Master with dressing room, ensuite & magical harbour views- Bisazza mosaic tiled pool, waterfront gardens with boathouse- Wine cellar, vast storage, ducted air, outdoor lighting scheme


View by appointment. For further information please contact Kingsley Yates on 0411 875 017.

Property ID: 2009018349

images & subtext via domain.com.au via ray white lower north shore lisiting

no commision or fees were given to this blog post - but feel free to contact me to advertise!