Copy the Curb Appeal: Houston, Texas

“The old mousy brown color of our home blended right into the hedges," say homeowners Kim and Cooper Etheridge. "Painting the brick bright white puts the spotlight on the house—and a can’t-miss-it-green door doesn’t hurt!”

Crisp white-and-gray-striped awnings give the classic cottage a modern edge. “Some awnings can skew too cutesy,” says Kim. “But this sleek style feels fresh.”

In the yard, the creeping fig covering the brick chimney is the only remaining part of the original landscaping. “Rows of tall shrubs and trees blocked the front, though the fig ivy’s charming,” says Kim. Now there’s a row of pruned Royal Purple smoke trees and boxwood to the left. Orange daisies in the porch planter by the ottoman cheerfully greet visitors.

• Built: 1938
• Bought: 2010
• Size: 2,000 sq. ft.

Snowbound

Flannel Gray

“Because the house is all white, we went for a funky color on the door,” says Kim. Welcome, Granny Smith apple green! For polish, they painted the vintage screen door—transplanted from their former house—the same shade. (Traditional Series 2132 wood door)