Curb Appeal: Six Before + After Transformations

Change is good! Here are 6 exterior transformations that add curb appeal and enhance the first impressions of a home.

You should love coming home, from the moment you pull into the driveway. A manicured lawn, a stately walkway, a protective portico, elegant illumination—a beautiful exterior enhances your pride of ownership the moment you catch a glimpse of your home. Everyone knows improving your home’s curb appeal is a good investment. Another bonus? Your neighbors will love you.

Anthony Wilder has been designing and building great first impressions for over 30 years—it’s our signature. Enjoy this small selection of some of our favorite exterior transformations that bring on the curb appeal.

“Transform the façade and fall in love with your home all over again.”

-Anthony Wilder

curb appeal

1 From Bland to Grand

Before and after curb appeal

BEFORE: This standard red brick colonial in Potomac, MD boasted a great corner location but lacked flair, and the entrance was too far from the driveway.

Traditional curb appeal

AFTER: An inviting portico now frames the front door, while landscaping and hardscape accentuate a new entrance from the street. Painting the brick a rich creamy color makes a dramatic difference.

Take a look inside this home in this Bethesda Magazine article.

2 From Bleak to Unique

before and after curb appeal

BEFORE: The main challenge for this traditional Bethesda, MD split-level home? Making it NOT look like a split-level.

Split level home curb appeal

AFTER: The homeowners’ love of art inspired the architects at Anthony Wilder to transform the front door into a masterpiece. They now come home to a custom stained-glass door and portico inspired by the Arts and Crafts movement. A sweeping custom iron railing frames the entryway.

3 From Drab to Fab

BEFORE: The homeowner wanted to bring a more contemporary look to this split-level style brick house with an antebellum façade in Falls Church, VA.

Modern curb appeal

AFTER: Anthony Wilder designers painted the exterior and replaced the antiquated façade with contemporary architectural elements. The distinctive horizontal IPE wood around the windows creates a bold statement and texture to contrast the painted brick.

4 From Shy to Shining

BEFORE: This classic Georgian Colonial in Bethesda, MD was hidden by overgrown trees, reducing the appeal of its corner lot location.

colonial home curb appeal

AFTER: We removed the overgrown trees, added dormers and designed french doors over the new portico creating a Juliet balcony. Whitewashed brick, a charming white gate and elegant landscaping give this Georgian Colonial an iconic historic feel.

5 From Flat to Flattering

BEFORE: A brick house on Washington, DC’s Embassy Row looked plain and lacked personality.

embassy row curb appeal

AFTER: To respect the Beaux-Arts architecture of the neighborhood, Anthony Wilder architects reimagined the façade, adding a custom Parisian-inspired wrought iron and glass portico. Gas lanterns, a sweeping railing, landscaping, and flower boxes further soften the façade.

6 From Dull to Delightful

BEFORE: The homeowners wanted to expand the living space and enhance the exterior of their Washington, DC home without changing the original footprint.

curb appeal

AFTER: We bumped out the front of the house and the sweeping lines of the new portico and roof soften the façade, while the new oval window draws the eye up adding visual height.

Each house has its own personality waiting to be revealed. If you’re interested in defining or refining your home’s curb appeal, let’s talk.

See more Anthony Wilder facelifts and curb appeal here.

Professional photography by John Cole, Paul Burk, Bob Lautman and HochlanderDavis.