May 3rd, 2025 11:35 PM by Sheree Byrd
Whether you’re selling your home or trying to win an unspoken competition among neighbors for the cutest house on the block, curb appeal is the best way to catch eyes and compliments.
“Just like the right accessory can turn heads at any gathering, giving your home's curb appeal a fresh update is essential to making an outstanding impression,” says Mike Kenney, a broker and owner with Better Homes and Gardens Real Estate Kenney & Company in Colorado Springs.
There are many ways to upgrade your home, but if you’re looking to stand out, consider today's top trends (and potentially get your money back when you sell). “Investing in curb appeal provides a remarkable return on investment, often surpassing 100%,” Kenney says. “Basic landscaping and yard upkeep can yield up to 200% ROI, while upgrades like outdoor kitchens and new patios typically return around 90-100%.”
Here, real estate experts and home decor specialists chime in with their favorite curb appeal trends for 2025.
Common among 2025 curb appeal trends is the concept of biophilia, which refers to our natural desire to connect with nature. Many of the color choices, lighting picks, and gardening trends all have this in mind. “As understanding of biophilia spreads, trends are shifting to emphasize colors, textures, and forms that allude to nature,” says Yardzen design director Kevin Lenhart.
Lenhart sees exterior color trends tending toward warm, earthy tones, including pale tans, forest greens, navy blues, and charcoal. “Natural accents from stone and wood are increasingly popular for strategic accents,” he adds.
Lenhart describes this trend as humanizing design. “We’re seeing a bit of a retreat from the austerity and minimalism of some varieties of the modern aesthetic. People are shifting away from cool grays toward warmer colors, and allowing more detail and variety into their designs,” he says. “I see this as a more human take on design—we’re allowing our personalities in all their complexity to manifest in our designs. We’re also aspiring toward a warmer emotional state through a warmer color palette.”
Regardless of what you call it, the overall effect is certainly trending and making homes more attractive. “Cumulatively, this adds up to more inviting scenes, which boost curb appeal,” Lenhart adds.
In keeping with biophilia, natural paint colors are making their mark on home exteriors this year. "Neutral shades with subtle earth-inspired tones—think warm grays, soft greens, and classic taupes—are making waves this year,” Kenney says. “Complement these neutral shades with eye-catching front door colors like navy blue, vibrant teal, or even earthy terra-cotta to make your entrance memorable.”
Sabrina Phillips, a contractor and owner of Designing Women of Orange County, says shades like warm taupe, soft olive, and clay are also popping up everywhere. “At the same time, bold, moody colors like deep navy and charcoal are perfect for doors and shutters,” Phillips says.
If you’re repainting the entire home, Phillips suggests using a bold color as the focal point of your home by painting the front door or shutters. “Then keep the rest of the house more neutral,” she says. “Natural wood accents also work beautifully to soften bolder colors and tie everything together.”
Not a fan of earth tones? “In a world of homes with pretty standard exterior colors, one way to make them stand out is with fresh front door colors,” says Mike Kelly Jr., a broker and owner with Better Homes and Gardens Real Estate Foothills in Hickory, North Carolina. “This year, pastels like pale blues or yellows seem to be pretty popular.”
Whatever you do, don’t paint your brick, Kelly says. “In the last few years, it has become super trendy to paint the brick on homes, and when done right, it can upgrade a home's look,” he says. “Often, some pressure washing and fresh paint on the trim will allow your home to achieve that timeless look intended when the home was built.”
Of course, as with all trends, you risk having your tastes change with the times. “This is a tough one because this really depends on where you live. I would just say to pay attention to surrounding homes, but don't necessarily conform to the norm,” Kelly says. “Sometimes, a neighborhood will have homes in pastel colors, so painting a home with deep, dark colors will definitely stand out, but sometimes not in a good way. I feel like the white home black trim look, while hot in recent years, is destined to become something that will date a home in a few years, so just make sure you don't make color choices that might be hard to change when tastes change in the future.”
Emily Kantz, color marketing manager with Sherwin-Williams, says their most popular exterior paint color these days is a black hue called Tricorn Black SW 6258.
“We’ve seen a new emerging trend in exterior paint colors in the last couple of years: black and dark exteriors,” she says. “Dark paint colors have always been popular for exteriors, especially for doors and trims, but from the amount of gallons sold lately, we can tell homeowners are now using it on their entire homes.”
Don’t want to commit to the whole house? “A great way for homeowners to update their home’s facade is to take on smaller projects that are easy to DIY, like repainting their trims, windows, and front doors,” she adds. “Blacks like Tricorn Black are a beautiful shade to add to these sorts of projects, especially on an all-white house to create a modern yet trendy black-and-white contrasting look.”
A bigger front door can also help make your front entrance more grand. “Front doors are getting larger and more pronounced. As a result, we are installing a lot larger than standard-size front steps and porches,” says Thomas Miller, owner at Concrete Works NJ. “Additionally, we're seeing front steps the full width of front porches, which creates a more grand entrance look. Decorative concrete has been more popular in these areas, too, because you can choose colors that complement the front door color.”
“Front doors are becoming statement pieces, often with a pop of color or unique design,” says Alice Moszczynski, interior designer at Planner 5D. “Think clean lines with bold colors or materials like glass, steel, or wood with interesting textures. Enhancing your front door can be as simple as adding stylish hardware, like a chic knocker.”
Top it off with finishing features. “The front door remains a pivotal feature for curb appeal in 2025, with contemporary designs showcasing clean lines, matte finishes, and modern smart locks,” Kenney says. “Unique glass inserts and minimalist hardware are popular touches.”
Give your pathways some love by either cleaning them up or replacing them entirely. “Stamped concrete continues to gain popularity and momentum year after year,” Miller says. “I believe this is a result of advancements in stamped concrete, with more styles and installation work making it look more realistic. Customers love the flexibility of layout with concrete being able to counter different shapes like with curves and right angles that complement landscaping.”
Miller also sees customers asking for wider aprons to match their existing driveways, widening of current driveways, and new walkways from the front door of the home to the street level. Miller also says he’s seeing an increase in demand for rustic and country styles with these boardwalks and stone stamps.
Regularly staining and sealing wood decks and fences around your property is part of the general upkeep. But it’s also an easy way to make your home look great from the street level.
Vageesh Bakhshi, senior product manager at Cabot, says the company's 2025 color of the year— Burnt Hickory—is a natural brown hue with charcoal undertones that’s on trend right now. “In 2025, exterior color trends are all about warm, earthy tones, deep natural hues, and timeless neutrals that complement organic materials like wood, stone, and metal,” Bakhshi says.
Bakhshi suggests using it on wooden elements of your home, including decking, shutters, fences, pergolas, planters, and even outdoor furniture. “By identifying the wooden elements of the home’s exterior, homeowners can prioritize the areas that are most in need of attention and tackle projects that will create the biggest impact.”
“In 2025, sustainability continues to dominate, with homeowners turning toward xeriscaping and incorporating drought-tolerant plants, succulents, and native grasses,” Kenney says.
Want an easy way to get started? Kenney suggests installing decorative rock beds or mulch around plants to provide a visually appealing and low-maintenance garden upgrade.
Eco-friendly landscaping that requires less water is one way homeowners are saving money. In fact, Hippo’s Housepower Report found that 59% of homeowners surveyed said they will prioritize energy efficiency and sustainability in 2025, says Courtney Klosterman, a home insights expert with Hippo Home Insurance.
“As common as a green, grassy lawn may be, it uses a lot of water. Reduce your water usage—and time mowing your lawn—by ditching the grass altogether,” Klosterman adds. “You can go the xeriscape route and lay down sand or rocks in your front yard. Or you can let nature do its thing and use a more natural ground covering like moss, clover, or ornamental grass that doesn’t require much upkeep.”
Lighting is often thought of practically for safety and visibility, but it's also a powerful design tool. “Thoughtful lighting choices enhance architectural features, improve visibility, and create an inviting ambience that boosts a home's marketability,” Kenney says. “Opt for adjustable LED fixtures to easily highlight your home's best features, like columns, porches, or landscapes.”
“A tip I have for doing this right is to pay attention to the tone of the light that the fixture gives off. You want a more natural light tone with outdoor lighting, so stay away from the bright white fixtures that can give off a less civilized vibe,” Kelly says. “Make sure the fixtures you choose vibe off the same kind of light to create a more cohesive look in your twilight and evening landscape. If you choose to go with wired lights, see if the lighting contractor can make it work with smart home technology so that you can easily change settings in one central place.”
While most outdoor landscape lighting has been controlled with timers in the past, new advancements in smart technology sync lighting schedules with sunrise, sunset, and daylight saving time.
“In addition to all the functionality of an astronomical timer, smart lighting systems allow you to control your outdoor lights with voice commands like ‘Hey Google,’” says Calvin Mackin, lighting manager at R.P. Marzilli & Company. “You can use them for simple on/off control, scheduled automation, or even customized ‘scenes’ that let you illuminate different areas of your home separately—whether it’s the front yard, backyard, or special party lighting for an event.”
“We’ve been seeing a lot of interest in layered landscaping, where clients mix different textures, heights, and colors to create more depth and personality in their front yards,” Phillips says. “Instead of plain lawns, people are choosing layered garden beds that feel unique to their style.”
Be sure to top it off with landscape lighting. “With proper lighting to illuminate pathways, sidewalks, and points of interest, you create a sense of safety, cohesiveness, and even romance,” Phillips says.
And if you’re wondering what to plant, Phillips has suggestions. “Pollinator-friendly gardens, which attract bees and butterflies, are not only beautiful but great for the environment. I’m also seeing a lot of geometric garden beds, where plants are arranged in creative, eye-catching patterns that really make a statement,” she says. “Another fun trend is edible landscaping—mixing herbs, veggies, and flowers together, so your front yard looks stunning and serves a purpose at the same time.”