Copy the Curb Appeal: Fairfield, Connecticut

Built in: 1917. Bought in: 2013. Size: 1,200 sq. ft. “This cottage was light yellow when we bought it, but its most charming details — the white fence, the window boxes, and the brackets — stand out so much more against the gray paint we chose,”  say homeowners Stephanie and Richard Baumer.

“We considered painting it watermelon or teal, but yellow seemed like the best mix of fun and classic to fit our house style,” says Stephanie. 6-lite 2-panel steel door, from $330, jeld-wen.com for stores; Paint: Cheerful by Sherwin-Williams

Because this door knocker is shaped like a basket, Stephanie can put flowers in it. Michael Healy Nantucket Basket 3 ¾"-tall brass door knocker, $115, atgstores.com 

Baldwin Flush Mount 4 ¾"-tall metal house numbers in Venetian bronze finish, $16 each, homedepot.com