$330 Later, an “Uninspiring” Home Exterior Transforms with Tons of Color (and Plants!)
It’s nice when there are clever pneumonic devices or methods to make certain design principles easy to remember. Take, for instance, the “3-5-7” rule for accessorizing with odd numbers of items, or the “thrill, fill, spill” method for front porch planters.
Homeowner Estelle Bilson’s (@70shousemanchester) front garden transformation can be described with the two (or three?) C’s: color and cost-conscious. She took what was once an “uninspiring block-paved front garden with zero green space” and turned it into a vibrant exterior to match the rest of her colorful home.
Not only is the exterior completely unrecognizable, thanks to bold greens, yellows, and oranges (Valspar’s Sunset Spice, Mimis Kimono, Sweet Watermelon, and Sundrop, to be specific), but the transformation cost very little (less than £250, or $330 USD), because it uses so many leftover materials. “Not every project needs to cost a fortune if you have the patience to salvage items that nobody else wants,” Estelle says.
Apartment Therapy Before & After Survey
- Name: Estelle Bilson
- Social media: @70shousemanchester
- Type of home: Terraced house, owned
- Who do you share this space with, if anyone? My husband, Stephen
Describe what this space looked like before.
I was sick of looking out of my living room window and seeing a depressing gray block-paved front. I wanted to see green and plants and color. I also wanted some privacy that planting can afford.
What were the important steps in the project?
We started by building an L-shaped raised bed so that we could incorporate some permanent planting. We got the bricks from my next-door neighbor who was going to get rid of them after her own building project was completed.
We then sourced some La Costa breezeblocks that we placed on the floor. These were also sourced locally for free, as someone was throwing them into a skip. The same happened with the edging stones, which we paid £25 each for. People were so pleased that we were able to recycle items they no longer needed.
We then painted the render at the front of the house and filled the front with gravel, built a side fence, updated the dividing fence with our neighbor, and added plants, which we had previously had in pots.
Is there any part of your project you can call out as a particularly budget-friendly solution?
Definitely salvaging the bricks, blocks, and edgers. The project would have cost hundreds — if not thousands — more if we didn’t salvage them for free out of skips or paid a few pounds off Marketplace.
Was anything easier than you expected?
Painting the upstairs windows in Frenchic outdoor paint. It saved us having to replace our existing windows to match the scheme.
Is there anything you did for this project that was a home improvement “first” for you?
Bricklaying! (Professionals make it look so much easier than it is!) Neither of us had done it before, and although it isn’t perfect … it is still standing up. We watched a YouTube tutorial, and we did it slowly over a couple of weeks, as it was lovely weather at the time.
What do you love about the “after?”
How green it is! I love how the plants are growing … we get so much more wildlife, like squirrels, hedgehogs, birds, and insects that we didn’t get before.
The school children that walk past every day love seeing the flowers and checking out the pink flamingos in the front.
We even took part 18 months ago in a green street initiative from our local council who planted a cherry tree outside the house. That has made a huge difference to us seeing that change through the seasons. I added a planting section to the tree pit this summer to include more indigenous planting which will help pollinators.
Inspired? Submit your own project here.