--- title: "12 Easy Ways to Create Curb Appeal in Winter" date: "2016-12-23" modified: "2016-12-23" authors: - name: "Jennifer Noonan" job_title: "Contributing Writer" link: "https://www.bobvila.com/authors/jennifer-noonan/" url: "https://www.bobvila.com/slideshow/12-easy-ways-to-create-curb-appeal-in-winter-50744/" categories: - "Curb Appeal" - "Exterior" tags: - "curb appeal" - "lawn" - "seasonal" --- # 12 Easy Ways to Create Curb Appeal in Winter ![]() ### Winter Interest Plants ![]() *istockphoto.com* Invest in your [winter landscape]() this coming spring by planting shrubs that bring forth blooms, berries, and color in winter. Gardeners love beautyberry and *Nandina domestica* for their brightly colored berries that persist into winter. Red twig dogwood's bright limbs delight all winter long, while fringe flower's late-winter blossoms bring life to your landscaping. ### Hanging Lights ![]() *istockphoto.com* After the holidays, use your lighting to highlight hardscape structures and create winter focal points. A lonely [patio]() table or empty arbor draped with hanging lanterns can cast a warm glow over an otherwise dark and dreary corner of the yard. ### DIY Topiaries ![]() *istockphoto.com* The most cold-hardy topiaries are the ones that aren't made of living plants. Create your own faux version with grapevine balls or fake trees. When festooned with string lights (even after the holidays), the like-real accent will brighten your winter [porch](). Easily constructed, DIY topiaries can be stored away during warmer months and taken out again in time for the next year’s first frost. ### Berry Wreaths ![]() *istockphoto.com* Hang a collection of grapevine [wreaths]() punctuated with bright berries that you can cut from your yard or buy from the florist or craft store. The pop of color will dress up the porch and, if you use genuine berries, provide a smorgasbord for the birds. ### String Lights ![]() *istockphoto.com* [String lights]() don’t have to be just for the holidays. You can use them in imaginative ways all year long to create an upbeat atmosphere. Suspend them from your trees, or place them around the porch (set in a decorative glass lantern, for instance) to fend off winter’s bleakness. ### Winter Bird Feeder Garlands ![]() *lowes.com* Decorate your evergreen trees all through the colder months with [feeder]() garlands designed especially for the wildlife. Delicate strands of cranberries, nuts, and small fruits like grapes and blueberries will bring beauty—and grateful birds and animals—to your yard. ### Ice Luminaries ![]() *flickr.com user Robert Engberg* [Ice luminaries]() can bring ethereal radiance to even the most desolate winter night. For a glow that won't go out, skip the candles and use battery-operated tea lights or LEDs instead. To create an artful orb of ice, you can employ myriad methods and molds. Ice buckets, balloons, and even Bundt pans work well. ### Brightly Colored Birdhouses ![]() *istockphoto.com* A well-placed, cheerily appointed [birdhouse]() (or feeder) distracts from the lifeless landscaping of winter. While bright paint gives the eye much-needed relief from an otherwise gray winter wonderland, the functional yard accent provides refuge and refreshment to winged wildlife. ### Picket-Fence Snowflakes ![]() *blog.homedepot.com* Here's a simple decorating idea: Construct a set of DIY snowflakes out of traditional fence pickets to stake in your yard until long after the holidays have passed. They’re easy and inexpensive, and they make your yard look its wintry best, even if there's no [snow]() in the forecast. ### Pinecone Mulch ![]() *istockphoto.com* You probably know that, come winter, it's important to mulch flower and tree beds in order to protect sensitive plant roots. Add yet another layer of protection against the cold—as well as a decorative touch—by topping your beds with [pinecones](). The cones give great texture to the yard, and their acidity levels benefit plants like hydrangeas and blueberries. ### Colored Ice Balls ![]() *yourcharmedlifeblog.com* Add a little variety to winter's [gray]() palette with colored ice balls. This kid-friendly project can be accomplished by funneling food coloring and water into balloons and then leaving the filled balloons outside overnight to freeze. Once the water has frozen, cut the balloons away from the ice, and you'll have a set of colorful, glistening decorations to display. ### Mailbox Makeover ![]() *istockphoto.com* Winter is the perfect time to take on this quick and easy painting project: Give your [mailbox]() a makeover with a fresh coat of brightly colored paint. Spray paint won't adhere to a cold surface, so be sure to bring the mailbox indoors to a warm and well-ventilated garage or workshop to paint. ## Author A confessed DIY junkie, Jennifer Noonan writes about home improvement, gardening, and all things do-it-yourself. The recipient of degrees in International Relations and Library & Information Science from Syracuse University, Noonan has worked in media and related fields for over 15 years, including her time at [MTV Networks](), where she served as Manager of Digital Programming at [Nickelodeon](). Today, Noonan lives in Delaware with her husband and daughters, where she is ardently teaching the next generation how to use power tools. ### Author social links [LinkedIn]()