Pretty up your porch

4 Paint your door
Add character to a dreary builder's basic steel door, or give new life to a faded wooden door. A couple coats of glossy paint will do it. Black is sophisticated and high-end, red is a classic Look-At-Me traffic stopper. Or go outside the box with a brave trend colour – after all, when you get tired of it, all you need to do is repaint!

5 Upgrade your lighting
Nothing looks more tired than a tarnished old porch light. Replace your light and save energy by popping in a long-lasting, low-wattage compact fluorescent bulb.

6 Clean the floor
Whether your porch is wood or cement, it can get stained by leaf litter, ink from wet flyers, or recycling bin leaks (see #1). Sweep, mop, and then scrub away stubborn spots.

Repaint your wood porch if needed.

7 Add a seat
Not hanging out on your porch? You're missing out. Adding a bench, chairs, café table or porch swing creates a welcoming ambience, not just for your home, but your street as well. (How’s that for raising property values?!)

Porch seating also provides you with a nice, semi-intimate spot to chat with neighbours or canvassers without worrying about letting anyone inside your messy (just kidding!) interior.

For the best results, look for
• All-weather, resin wicker (natural wicker lasts longer if it can be protected from rain and brought indoors in winter)
• Eco-friendly and weather-resistant plantation teak
• Inexpensive and lightweight aluminum
• Heavier, ornate wrought iron

Finish the look with colourful indoor-outdoor cushions and seat pads, which can be swapped out seasonally for spring, summer and fall mini-makeovers.