HVAC units, trash cans and outdoor pipes may all be necessary, but they’re not always the most attractive things to look at, and curb appeal is extremely important, especially if you're considering selling your house. If you don’t want that ugly propane tank, sprinkler valve, or row of trash cans to be the first thing people notice about your house, there are some easy ways to hide them. Here are just a few tips of hiding those ugly but necessary things.
ARTIFICIAL STUMPS AND ROCKS — For smaller items like pool pumps, sprinkler pipes, and electrical boxes, you can use an inexpensive fake rock to cover them up. If you match the color and texture of your fake rock with what’s already visible, it will blend seamlessly. You can also buy hollow fake stumps to hide something a little taller.
PRIVACY SCREENS - Hiding larger items like an HVAC unit, propane tank, or trash and recycling bins requires something larger than a fake rock. Exterior privacy screens are a simple way to get the job done — all it takes is a little thought on the style and material to make sure it blends in with your house’s exterior. You can even find privacy screens with built-in planters, so it looks less like an awkward barrier and more like a part of your curb appeal plan.
TRELLISES — Consider the power of a trellis and a climbing plant, which creates a privacy screen with a more natural look. You can buy a trellis in different shapes, too, so you can train your climbing plants to cover up just about anything — like a tube trellis to cover a downspout or an ugly section of exposed pipe. You can also make your own trellis, so you can cover up just about anything with a climbing plant.
PAINT — A couple of coats of paint can transform just about anything from eyesore to purposeful decoration. If you can’t easily cover up a large propane tank, HVAC unit, or other piece of equipment drawing the eye outside your house, consider painting it. A bold pop of color that complements the rest of your home’s curb appeal might be sufficient, but you can also let your creative sparks fly a bit, transforming a propane tank into a piece of folk art.
POTTED PLANTS — If you’ve got small stuff marring the exterior of your house — like a natural gas service line or an exterior meter — it's easy to install a couple of potted plants around it. With minimal effort, you can place several plants strategically around whatever it is you want to hide. Depending on your location and the existing landscaping around your house, the best plants to use will probably be evergreen shrubs, because they grow pretty tall and full. The downside to evergreens is that they can take a while to grow in, so instead you could opt for a faster-growing plant, like hydrangea.
