How do you add character to the outside of a house? Secure Automation provide electric gate installations throughout Newcastle and Tyne and Wear. As a homeowner, it is important to make the exterior look as appealing as possible. We look at ways to improve the way you home looks to visitors and potential buyers.
How to Give the Exterior of a New Home More Character
You may go about several cities or towns and find that older homes tend to have the character and charm that many modern minimalist homes nowadays lack. Many newly built homes tend to have a similar, cookie-cutter look on both their interior and exterior, making most neighbourhoods in local areas look incredibly dull.
We want to offer some advice on how best you can personalise your home or property to ensure it has all the charm and character of more traditional homes and stands out against the rest in the most positive way possible.
Adding Charm to Your Home Exterior
Here are a few of our best tips and great ideas for those that want to invest in their household exterior, add extra charm and transform its aesthetic:
Add shutters to your windows and ensure they are in a style or colour that suits the exterior of your home. By adding shutters and dressing them appropriately, you can revitalise the overall front yard of your home. It can help curate an old-timey feel that has the character of more traditional houses from many years ago and will help draw attention in a way that other windows cannot.
To add personality and charm to your home's exterior while saving money, you need to focus on the little things you can do to bring it to life and add character to your home. Introducing a new design or colour to your shutters that match the rest of the decor can lift the appearance and transform it completely.
Pea gravel, much like stone, can be stylistically incorporated to suit any household. The material is incredibly straightforward to install and achieves a stunning appearance.
You can utilise pea gravel in various applications, such as walkways, surrounding fire pits or chiminea and between garden beds. Compared to poured concrete and asphalt, pea gravel is a highly affordable material to help you spruce up any front or back yard.
Window boxes add a wealth of charm and picturesque beauty to the home's exterior, and they can be built in a few short hours!
You can utilise pine boards and skillfully paint them with a robust exterior paint that matches your front door or shutters, or you can purchase them online or at garden hardware stores. Many of them are built to last for many years, so they are worth investing in for a more welcoming look.
Another great way to spruce up your house's exterior is to skillfully plant beautiful flower beds that complement the surrounding scenery. Whether you do so around your mailbox, along the driveway or around the perimeters of your home, flowers and planters are a great way to install colour and a more natural feel into your front yard.
If you don't have enough space, you could practically solve this by putting lovely hanging baskets on either side of your front door or by your windows. Most people enjoy the sight and scent of flowers, so it is an easy way to receive immediate approval and compliments on your decorating skills.
We highly recommend opting for a planter or flowers that return year after year and have relatively low maintenance, as this way, the upkeep is less expensive. Our favourites include hostas, catmint and hydrangea bushes, as they often flourish so beautifully each year.
When searching for aspects that will add an element of charm or elegance to your house or property, consider adding borders of rustic stone all around or throughout your yard or garden.
Stone is a prevalent material, as it suits all architectural styles, such as cottage, country, farmhouses, contemporary homes, etc. You can use it to curate a stylistic border around your garden, firepit or pond.
Painting the entire exterior of your household and roof can be an enormous task at an expensive rate; however, if you can afford to do so, it can be incredibly worth it.
You can opt for a neutral shade that will allow your home to look chic and minimal, or go bold and ensure your house stands out for miles!
On the other hand, if you cannot afford to paint every inch of your home's exterior walls, shift your focus to a fresh coat of paint on your home's front door and shutters. Even the little details can add a whole new feeling and aesthetic!
Exterior light fixtures can have a big impact on the overall appearance of your home and for a highly affordable price. Give these lighting fixtures an update every once in a while, as old, outdated lighting can take the charming look out of your property, curating a dim, lifeless look.
Replacements of these lights are quick, harmless and don't require skilled professionals unless you're looking for something wild and extravagant for the holiday season! Different styles of lighting are eye-catching and will boost curb appeal massively.
Most people would agree that matching outdoor seating adds an immense amount of charm to the front or back of a home. You can create an incredibly inviting living space on the patio that you can spend joyous summers relaxing in when the warm weather arrives.
On the front porch, you can place elegant rocking chairs, and in the backyard, you can strategically place chairs around chimineas or fire pits in the corner, ready for the colder seasons. You can even put up a nice hammock if you have enough room for support frames or sturdy trees in your garden!
As well as being a fantastic place to have guests relax for a bit of time on a sunny day or visit on bonfire night, outdoor furniture can be a strategic way to cover up any faults in your garden or yard. It can strategically disguise them or shield areas from the elements.
Outdoor seating can become expensive; however, there are plenty of exciting bargains across the markets and social media marketing platforms like Facebook Marketplace.
Many may be shocked at the excellent deals you can find on great outdoor pieces to suit your specific aesthetic for further curb appeal.
Enhancing or redecorating your garage or shed door can transform your entire front or backyard. You can opt to do some scraping, scrubbing and repainting along with some new hardware, or you can replace the old doors with brand-new ones.
Typically, new garage doors are costly, so many may take pleasure in the repainting and cleaning process to revitalise their existing entrances, making them appear just like new!
Reclaimed wood is straightforward to incorporate into a host of different yard areas. You can use it to create wooden walkways or accentuate raised flower beds in front or back yards.
Adding Charm To Your Home With Driveway Gates
Modern or traditional styling?
It matters not whether you've spent plenty of time in search of driveway gate design ideas or you've just started looking for inspiration; there are numerous designs, both modern and traditional, to pick from. Most traditional gates are usually of a more ornate appearance with several decorative features, including scrollwork, bow tops and art deco aspects.
Compared to more modern, contemporary driveway gates, which have plenty of minimalistic detailing and clean lines, they can easily complement any design or architectural style. However, even with this in mind, it's best to assess the architecture of your property to find what would best suit your household.
For example, if you live in a home with a specifically victorian or gothic design, it may be fitting to opt for a traditional driveway gate to match the aesthetic. On the other hand, if you've just moved into a newly built home with a modern character, you may benefit from a more fresh, contemporary driveway gate.
Wrought Iron or wood?
Another essential aspect to focus on when making these aesthetic decisions is the material that would best suit your property and its environment.
Wrought iron has been a prominent favourite for many customers and clients in the UK, even with the continuous demand for timber gates and their rustic charm.
Wrought iron has a multitude of affordable and versatile designs that are appealing to look at and easy to maintain compared to wood, which can come with a whole host of maintenance issues further down the line.
Gates made of such iron will ultimately stand the test of time with immense durability and strength, keeping intruders well away from your property and belongings.

Manual or automated operation?
You must think carefully about the style of operation you desire for your new driveway gates; for example, are you searching for double metal gates that close shut automatically or desire a single gate that you must close manually?
Many often opt for automated gates, as they are incredibly convenient. Their modern technology acts as a fantastic deterrent to display to opportunistic criminals that you have a top-quality, robust security system that isn't worth trying to obstruct. There are hundreds of metal gate designs to choose from various companies across the UK and your local area, allowing you and your company or family to purchase additional access control accessories and automation kits
Adding these aspects will enable you to bring a wealth of value, security and convenience. Metal gates will help elevate your property's appearance and increase the resale value if you ever wish to sell your household or building in the future.
Don't hesitate to give your local automated gate company a call for those searching for a brand-new driveway gate to add security, privacy, and charm to your household but struggling to find a gate that best suits them. Once you've confirmed they are trustworthy, perhaps send some pictures of your home's front and back, and the talented professionals will be happy to recommend a whole host of products they feel would suit your home best.
Contact them if you have any other questions about the budget, quotes, or essential information you require.
Fitting electric driveway gates is the perfect way to add character to the outside of a house.
Are you looking for Automatic Electric Gate Installation in Tyne and Wear? Find out more about our electric driveway gate services throughout Northumberland, Sunderland and Newcastle.