Curb appeal upgrades are one of the best ways to increase the value of your home. Whether you make smaller changes before listing your home, or go all out for your personal pleasure, great curb appeal can put a smile on your face and buyers too! Plus, while home prices may have dropped, the return on remodeling investments remains strong, according to the National Association of Realtors.

As it happens, my husband Craig and I just completed a curb appeal overhaul on our own home. We bought our house back in 2004. Looking at the house on the day we closed, it was NOTHING like our dream home (but whose real home ever is!) So we set out to make it the very best version of itself. Since then, we have gutted and completely renovated the entire property. Despite what has gone on with the economy over the past five years, we were absolutely determined to make this house our home--and with some careful planning, cautious spending, lots of saving, and a WHOLE LOT of sweat equity, we did it!

And here are some curb appeal tips we learned along the way:

1. Accentuate the positive. Our home was built in 1928 and it was very plain and simple. There were no exposed rafters or decorative brackets under the eaves and no fancy roofline or decorative gables. So, using fancier homes from the same time period as our inspiration, we decided to used white trim to enhance the architecture that was already there.
2. Revamp with color. We chose a new color for the house, and what a dramatic change that quickly made! Hint: Check around your neighborhood before choosing your color--while you want to choose a color that you love, you also don't want to pick the same color as everyone else. Choose something different from the crowd and your home will really pop.
3. Create a focal point. There was nothing about our original home that drew you in. The only thing grabbing your attention from the curb were the enormous juniper bushes swallowing up the front facade. So we cleared them out and one of the first things we bought was a beautiful fir craftsman-style door. Now THAT'S a focal point! And by investing in one item that had really big impact, we were able to save in the long-run since there wasn't a need to spend money on a bunch of smaller accessories.
4. Think outside the box. Okay so this home never had an open porch--but man, it just seemed to be crying out for one! I say, don't be afraid to do something spectacularly different. Sketch the house, look at the bare bones and let yourself imagine what could be. We weren't using the covered porch anyway, so we removed it, rebuilt it as open, and then added a swing and an overhead fan. Now we are out there all the time!

Do you love before and after pictures and want more ideas for curb appeal makeovers big and small? Check out more at ThisOldHouse.com.

How to Enhance the Curb Appeal of Your House.