In the summer we have so many more people walking past our house for an evening stroll or walking their dogs, and they often make lovely comments about the garden. This year, after a trip to the States to visit my daughter, I was inspired to smarten up the front of my house to match the garden.

Americans certainly know how to do outdoor and there is so much you can do to spruce up your entrance and make it look more welcoming. Here are my tips to help you give your home kerb appeal.

Tidy up the paving
The front path is the first thing your visitors will notice. Repair and tidy yours up using specialist cleaning materials. If you are lucky enough to have a beautiful Victorian tiled path, restore it to its former glory or, as a friend of mine did, replace it with eye-catching black and white tiles. Original Style has a wide selection of outdoor tiles.

Add a porch
Why not give your home extra character by adding a porch if you don’t already have one? The English Porch Company sells ready-made porch kits in a range of designs to suit every style of home.

American porches are bigger and most have a cosy and welcoming seating area. The outdoor chair of the moment is the Canadian Adirondack chair; it’s available in a variety of colours and would make a comfortable and stylish addition to your outdoor space.

Repaint your front door
Repainting your front door is an easy way to smarten up your entrance. It’s amazing what a difference a fresh coat of paint can make and it can add real value to your house. Go for a bold colour to make more impact; I’ve seen one painted in Farrow and Ball’s Pelt, a stunning deep aubergine colour, which has had lots of comments on the internet.

A friend of mine has gone for Bancha Green, which co-ordinates beautifully with her red brick Victorian terraced house.

Invest in new planters
Frame your doorway with matching plants and containers. My mother-in-law told me to always go for oversized planters, as they make much more of a statement. I love hand-woven rattan planters for a natural look; match with ball-shaped bay trees.

Check out Herefordshire-based Tom’s Yard for beautiful Cretan terracotta olive tree pots – they sell olive trees too. For a more contemporary vibe go for grey cubes from Crocus paired with bamboo.

Style it up
Don’t forget to add some design savvy detail. Update your door furniture to match your newly painted front door. Check out the Sweet range by Brissant. The website ‘Redesign my House Number’ has a range of contemporary house number signs. Invest in a new door mat in natural coir; mine has a quirky pineapple print design.

Now you are ready to welcome your summer visitors!