What number are you? First Impressions 3.

I covered "first impressions" in two previous posts i.e. the impact of the entrance to your property, which really is the first thing people see about you as a person and of your home.

In recent months, whilst out and about taking pictures I have found a number of interesting examples of what people have used to indicate the number of their house, and am posting a few here .... there really is no end to the options available and the level of creativity ..... from mosaics, above, to...

from a converted water fountain ....

to a customised tile .....


to decorative, cut out, rusted, metal work ....


to aluminium laser cut letters .....

Look around when you are next out and about, and take note of the abundance of creativity!

Picture credits: (All) Gena D Photography

A Grand Entrance - First Impressions 2.

A great example of an effective entrance area! This is, after all, what people first see when arriving at your home - first impressions, so to speak. In this case, an exceptionally attractive introduction to the home - a wall clad in slate, loads of lavender in abundant flower, and perfect signage indicating the address - all very inviting and providing a hint of what is to come, once inside the gate.

For more on Making a Grand Entrance click here

Picture Credit: Gena D Photography

Entrance Hall Makeover

In my endevour to show you how easy it is to make quick and simple changes that create great impact, I'll to use this example of an entrance hall makeover we did recently. Effectively using what was already in place, we simply brought in colour and texture and created a unified, vibrant look.

Before

A beautiful retro server in the entrance hall, was brought to life with a textural runner, fresh flowers, a simple lamp and glass container, filled with natural objects (feathers, stones, seed pods, etc.). This are is now warm and inviting both during the day and in the evening, when the lamp creates soft lighting in this area.

After

A glass container with a collection of seed pods, quills, feathers .... simple, yet effective

Pictures: Gena D Photography, taken on location

Making a Grand Entrance

We all know the importance of first impressions, in this instance though, I am referring to the entrance to your property. In South Africa, certainly, this is often a wall and pavement garden, and beyond that some garden space leading to the front door, but in no way is the entrance garden limited to these aspects. Essentially though, it really doesn’t matter what that “entrance” or “first impression” area is, the point is, that this area is attractive and serves as a positive introduction to you and your home.

More often than not, the outside wall or garden gives a glimpse of what the interior of the property is like, in simple terms, if the pavement or entrance garden is unkempt and untidy, normally the interior of the property will be the same. If the outside wall or entrance area, gives an indication of a theme such as Ethnic, Rustic, Georgian, Tuscan or other (most often by virtue of the style and colour of the wall or garden area), then this leads you to believe that the interior will follow suit. And in most cases, where proper planning and thought has occurred, it does.

Whilst I am not advocating that you spend a fortune on your pavement, exterior walls or entrance, I am suggesting that you look at those areas with a critical eye and assess what can be done to improve the “first impression” value, and also how through the use of appropriate materials, trees, shrubs, annuals, pots, trellises, rock, gravel, paint, etc. etc. etc. you can create a glimpse of what’s to come, i.e. what the inside of your home is likely to look and/ or feel like.

If your wall or fence is looking worse for wear, have it repainted or plastered (where appropriate), or have a paint effect applied, plant a creeper or climber. Introduce pots, or a reasonable planting area, that is manageable, low maintenance and water wise – by this I mean, ensure you select the type of plants carefully, so as to avoid wasting money in the first instance, and in the second, spending copious amounts of time, watering or maintaining this space. And always, before doing anything else, assess the amount of light in the area, as this impacts the types of plants you decide to introduce. The keywords are simple, effective, low maintenance and waterwise.

The pictures illustrate a few examples of entrance gardens/ areas, taken around the streets of Johannesburg. Note how simple, how effective these entrances are, but also how you can almost tell by looking at these pictures what the interior of the property will look and feel like.

So take a look at your entrance area and assess what you can do to improve it. First assess, then plan, and check what you already have that can be reused. If you’re stuck for ideas, as always, contact me.

G

Pictures: Gena D Photography - various sites around Johannesburg, South Africa