Curb Appeal Across the Country

Built in: 1834. Bought in: 2007. Size: 2,400 sq. ft. “We love it now, but this house was in a sorry state when we bought it," say homeowners Patty and Mark Malcolm.  "We restored it with new siding and windows, then repainted and also updated the landscaping.” Mark trims the dappled Japanese willow to the right of the door a few times a year so it maintains its tidy round shape.

The entry features antique sconces the Malcolms found on eBay. This version has the same old-fashioned appeal. Antique exterior sconce, from $235, materialsunlimited.com

Delicate detailing and a slightly weathered finish give a new mailbox an aged look that fits the 1834 house. Scroll design cast-aluminum vertical mailbox in Swedish silver, $154, houseofantiquehardware.com

A pair of cast-iron urns, each bursting with purple petunias, mark the front steps. Coral bells planted alongside bright orange marigolds in front of the fence complement the front door.