Copy the Curb Appeal: Alexandria, Virginia
HGTV Magazine stopped by the Southern city to find eye-catching houses loaded with inspiring ideas.
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The House
Built in: 1946. Bought in: 2008. Size: 5,000 sq. ft. “We’re both from Southern California, and this house, with its stone details, painted brick and red front door, felt quintessentially East Coast, which is such a nice change for us,” say homeowners Katie and Chris Smith.
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Flowers
Mostly green with a few pops of color, the yard includes perennials such as a tall Spartan juniper, pink hydrangeas, a weeping blue atlas cedar, black-eyed Susan and Golden Mop false cypresses.
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Front Door
Painted fire-engine red, the door is an instant attention grabber, especially against the exterior’s neutral stone trim and white brick. Smooth-Star fiberglass entry door with clear glass and fixed grilles, from $438, thermatru.com for stores; paint: Hot Jazz by Dunn-Edwards
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Light Fixture
A sconce and a pendant illuminate the front door. Both have beveled glass and a polished frame for a timeless look. Monterey 19"-tall polished brass outdoor lantern, from $100, livexlightinglights.com for stores
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Door Knob
Brass accents match the light fixtures and shine against the red door. Schlage Georgian 4½"-tall metal keyed entry door knob with Brookshire rosette in antique brass finish, $37, build.com
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Door Knocker
Katie and Chris love the antique lion knocker for its grand look and feel. Lion 8½"-tall door knocker in polished finish, $114, jeffersonbrass.com
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Paint Colors
House: White Fever by Dunn-Edwards; Front door: Hot Jazz by Dunn-Edwards; Shutters: Black by Dunn-Edwards
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The House
Built in: 1940. Bought in: 1989. Size: 4,000 sq. ft. “After years as a rental, this house was a disaster. Luckily it still had some great features — a hilltop location, beautiful stonework on the facade and a stone retaining wall — that helped us see its potential,” say homeowners Joan and Robert Gotwald.
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Potted Flowers
Punchy purple petunias and yellow calibrachoas spill out from the low pots on both sides of the front steps. Joan waters them about once a week, depending on the rain and the heat.
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Front Door
Three arched glass panes give the wood front door, which is original to the house, its signature style. The Gotwalds painted it blue green to pick up the tones in the stone facade. Custom 407 oak door with clear glass, from $2,623, jeld-wen.com for buying info; paint: Sequoia Glade by Valspar
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Shutters
Two pairs of raised-panel shutters accentuate the first-floor windows. They’re painted the same color as the door. Ekena Millwork Raised Panel 31" x 15" composite wood shutters, $127.50 for a set of 2, homedepot.com; paint: Sequoia Glade by Valspar
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Doormat
Its simple trellis pattern fits in with the home’s historic vibe. Alex synthetic fiber outdoor rug in yellow, $49, homedecorators.com
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Lamppost
A post light, which is similar in shape to the sconces by the door, brightens the winding path to the house. Livex Lighting Westover 17"-tall metal outdoor post lamp in antique brass finish, $180, and Livex Lighting 7615 84"-tall aluminum outdoor post in black, $86, both 1800lighting.com
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Stone Facing
The Gotwalds’ house is covered in fieldstone original to the 1940 construction. Faux-stone panels deliver a similar rough-hewn charm. Norwich Dakota stone 48¾"W x 1¾"D x 24¾"H polyurethane wall panel in motley gray, $85.50, fauxpanels.com
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Paint Colors
Front Door and Shutters: Sequoia Glade by Valspar; Trim: Pam’s Lace by Valspar; Siding: Ivory Brown by Valspar
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The House
Built in: 1940. Bought in: 2009. Size: 3,400 sq. ft. “We love our home’s cedar siding. We’re thankful nature makes a wood that doesn’t rot! Since Paige is a professional landscape designer, we keep the front yard tidy. But in the backyard, anything goes,” say homeowners Paige and Scott McIntosh.
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Walkway and Steps
A Pennsylvania flagstone path emphasizes how far back the house sits from the street. Thermal bluestone veneers — which have a smoother surface and a more uniform blue tint — cover the steps.
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Front Door
Smooth-pro fiberglass exterior door, from $319, jeld-wen.com for buying info; paint: Jet Black by Benjamin Moore
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Shutters
Louvered shutters adorn the first-floor windows, with an extra-long pair for the front door. “Shutters were once common for doors, so I appreciate the historic touch,” says Paige. Alpha Shutters 80" x 13¾" vinyl exterior louvered shutters, $45 each, wayfair.com
House Numbers
Matte black digits coordinate with the door, the shutters and the light fixtures. Distinctions 4"-tall zinc flush-mount house numbers in black, from $5 each, hillmangroup.com for buying info
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Light Fixture
In order to secure the hanging lanterns to the slanted cedar boards, Paige first mounted them to white PVC blocks. Harrison Vintage 20"-tall aluminum outdoor wall light in black, $157.50, lampsplus.com
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Mail Slot
Letters pass through the impossible-to-miss brass slot, which glams up the black door. Exterior 8¾"-wide letter mail slot in polished finish, $23, houseofantiquehardware.com
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Doormat
Big tulips pep up this coir mat, which pulls together the house’s and the yard’s color schemes. Floral doormat, $25, jossandmain.com
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Paint Colors
House: Philipsburg Blue by Benjamin Moore; Front door and shutters: Jet Black by Benjamin Moore; Trim: Chantilly Lace by Benjamin Moore
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The House
Built in: 1937. Bought in: 2009. Size: 2,204 sq. ft. “The sharp pitch of the roof makes our house look like a quaint English cottage, so we kept the landscaping informal. Painted pale yellow, our house is warm and welcoming, like our neighborhood,” say homeowners Cynthia Westlund and Christopher May.
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Landscaping
Wanting to attract birds, butterflies and bees, the couple filled their yard with fragrant plants like bee balm, beautyberry and anise hyssop.
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Front Door
The storm door’s multi-lite design echoes the windows. Its color was inspired by the Green Bay Packers, Cynthia’s favorite football team. Traditional wood core and aluminum deluxe single-vent ¾-lite Colonial door with brass hardware, from $240, andersenwindows.com for stores; paint: Lafayette Green by Benjamin Moore.
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Doormat
This green-and-yellow leaf pattern matches the exterior colors perfectly. HomeTrax Designs Green Leaf coir mat, $34, overstock.com
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Light Fixture
The couple brought the onion lamp from their first home, a farmhouse in rural Maine. Its rustic look works here too. Quoizel Cooper 21"-tall aluminum 1-light wall lantern, $198, allmodern.com
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Window Box
The owners only have to fill up this wrought-iron self-watering planter with water once a week. Vienna 24"W x 9"D x 9"H window box frame with PVC liner, $177, flowerwindowboxes.com
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House Numbers
Metal numbers with a wispy shape, mounted to the arch above the front door, fit the exterior’s storybook look. 4"-tall iron house numbers, from $4 each, signaturehardware.com
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Paint Colors
House: Golden Lab by Benjamin Moore; Front door and shutters: Lafayette Green by Benjamin Moore; Trim: Atrium White by Benjamin Moore
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