If you're looking for exterior home ideas that are modern, budget-friendly, and totally doable, you're in the right place. When we bought our split-entry home, I knew the outside didn’t match the sleek interior we were creating. The red faux shutters and tired vertical siding were stuck in another era. But with a few smart, affordable upgrades—and a little DIY determination—we gave our home's exterior a fresh, modern look for under $700. In this post, I’m walking you through every step of our split-entry exterior makeover so you can get inspired and tackle your own curb appeal upgrade with confidence.
tools and supplies used for this project
- Ladder
- Screwdriver and drill
- Clear silicon
- Pressure washer
- Sprayer
- TSP Cleaner
- SW Paint in the color Iron Ore
- Paint roller and brush
- New plants and sod
- Deck Stripper/Cleaner
- Stain (Banyon Brown by Sherwin-Williams)
- Tools and supplies for a house number sign
- Retique It paint kit
steps to a modern exterior home on a budget
step 1: remove faux vinyl shutters
I know the debate of team shutters or no shutters is a hot topic. For me, the red faux vinyl shutters had to go—they felt outdated and cluttered. Surprisingly, the removal process was easy with just a screwdriver and a ladder. As soon as they came down, the house already felt cleaner and more modern.
After removing them, I filled the holes with clear silicon to blend seamlessly into the vinyl siding. Now, you’d never know they were there!
If you like shutters you could opt for wooden shutters and stain them a nice color to complement the rest of your home.
step 2: power washing exterior of home
Before painting, a deep clean was necessary. Using a pressure washer and TSP cleaner in a sprayer, I tackled the dirt and mildew that had built up over the years. This step took about six hours, but the results were worth it—the house looked brand new. The clean surface on both the vinyl siding and vertical wood shiplap made a huge difference and prepped everything perfectly for painting.
step 3: paint Exterior home siding
For the wood shiplap panels, I wanted a contemporary look and chose Iron Ore by Sherwin-Williams. This deep charcoal hue brought a sleek, modern feel to the exterior. I first sanded any chipping paint away and filled any imprefections before sanding. I used a paint brush for the grooves and a roller for a smooth finish. The contrast with the white trim transformed the house—it now looks polished and refreshed. (Check out the video I shared on Instagram to see the process!)
Tip: If you are painting over vinyl and you are going with a dark color, you need to ensure there is no black used in the mixing of the color. The staff at Sherwin Williams were very helpful with this. They wanted to ensure I was not painting vinyl when I asked for Iron Ore. I told them I might be as I wasn't sure if I was painting the vinyl shutters at this stage so they mixed the color for me with out black in it!
Why is this? Because when the sun hits black it will warp the vinyl over time. Very important. In summary, you can still paint vinyl black or dark colors you just need to ensure the color is mixed with alternative colors to achieve the same color without black in it!
Hopefully this is sparking some exterior home ideas for you on your own home!
step 4: Boost Curb appeal with landscaping
Once the painting was done, I knew the landscaping needed a bit of work. The plants on one side of the house were not getting the sun they needed to thrive and there was a large shrub directly in front of the front door that was uninviting. So we removed shrub that had always felt out of place and relocated some plants to create a more symmetrical and cohesive layout. We laid fresh sod where the bush was and I am really happy with how this turned out. Adding symmetry to the front yard made the entire house feel more balanced and intentional.
step 5: stain fence and front step to boost curb appeal
Our front step and the fence separating the driveway from the backyard were weathered and in need of attention. I used a deck stripper/cleaner and a pressure washer to bring them back to life. After letting the wood dry for 48 hours, I stained them with Banyon Brown by Sherwin-Williams in a semi-transparent, using a paint sprayer and deck brush for a quick, even application. The cool tone of the stain was the perfect complement to the modern aesthetic, and it dramatically revived both the step and the fence.
step 6: diy house number sign
One of my favorite parts of this makeover was crafting a custom house number sign. Using leftover wood, I stained it and attached sleek floating house numbers for a modern look. It was such an easy and cost-effective project, but it added a personal touch that truly stands out. (I’ve linked the full DIY tutorial here: DIY House Number Sign You Can Easily Make In A Day along with a video showing how I made it!
step 7: upgrade your light fixtures to boost curb appeal
Lighting plays a big role in curb appeal. We swapped out the old fixture above the front door for a sleek, budget-friendly option from Amazon (linked here). I also added solar lights from Costco along the front steps for an extra touch of elegance and practicality.
step 8: front door makeover with retique it (faux wood technique)
One of the standout features from this exterior refresh is our faux wood front door—and believe it or not, it’s actually fibreglass! This simple DIY gave the door the warmth and texture of real wood without the cost of replacing it. It made a huge difference in the overall curb appeal. If you're curious how we did it, I walk through the entire process in this post PAINT THAT LOOKS LIKE WOOD - FAUX WOOD PAINTING TECHNIQUE.
Breakdown Of Costs So Far:
- Paint: $82 CAD
- TSP Cleaner: $15 CAD
- Stain & Deck Brush: $125 CAD
- Light Fixture: $42 CAD
- Solar Lights: $40 CAD
- New Plants: $75 CAD
- Sod: $40 CAD
- Total: $469 CAD
Conclusion
I’m thrilled with how everything turned out, and even more thrilled that we’ve kept the total cost under $500 so far. Our once-dated split level home now boasts a sleek, modern look with major curb appeal. It feels more "us" than ever, and knowing that I did most of the work myself makes it even more rewarding.
If you’re thinking about giving your split level home exterior makeover, I highly recommend starting with simple changes—removing old shutters, cleaning up the landscaping—and then building up to larger projects like painting and staining. With a little effort and creativity, you can make a big impact without a big budget!
What do you think? Would you try a similar makeover? Let me know in the comments below!
Check out my blog post on UPDATE MY KITCHEN WITHOUT REPLACING CABINETS ON A BUDGET
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