Copy the Curb Appeal: Boulder, Colorado

“We’re within sight of beautiful mountains, so when we decided to redo our exterior, we went with natural materials—we just didn’t want it to be too woodsy. Two different tones of wood plus white limestone make our house look sophisticated," say homeowners, Courtney and Craig Lewis.

The home's natural stone has lots of texture is charmingly rustic. In bright white, it really pops against the warm wood siding.

Built: 1950

Bought: 2011

Size: 1,500 sq. ft.

“From the second we laid eyes on this place, with its giant wraparound porch, big windows, and slabs of Colorado red bluffstone leading up to the entry, it felt welcoming," say Amy and Andrew Larson, homeowners.

The standing seam metal roofing in gray gives the farmhouse-y exterior a modern jolt. "Standard shingles would have made the house seem too traditional,” says Andrew.

As for the greenery in the front yard, nothing says “Happy to see you!” like a leafy mix with a flash of color.

Built: 2005

Bought: 2006

Size: 5,850 sq. ft.

“Our house hadn’t been updated since the 1960s—it was a faded chocolate brown with a carport blocking the front. Scrapping that and adding a new entry totally made it cool, especially with all our new windows,” say Gina Clifford and Tony Longhurst, homeowners.

For even more edge, Tony and Gina surrounded the front door with a swath of grayed wood siding, made with boards salvaged from old Midwestern barns. Painting the rest of the house cream let the entry stand out even more.

As for the landscaping, to pump up the young yard’s height and lushness, Gina added petunias in a hanging basket on the left and a tall pot on the right. They require minimal care, so she enjoys bright, no-fuss blooms all summer long.

Built: 1954

Bought: 2014

Size: 2,763 sq. ft.