First impressions count — for people and their homes.
The good news is that unlike people, our home often gets a second and a even a third chance to make a good first impression.
It’s all about curb appeal, says John Gidding. The Ivy League-trained architect and host of “Curb Appeal: The Block” on HGTV makes a first impression on his viewing audience with his Gucci-model good looks, and in fact his resume includes a modeling stint. But he keeps our attention with professional insight gleaned from such high-profile design projects as Brooklyn Bridge Park and a pavilion at the 2008 Olympics in Beijing. “Because (Gidding) is an architect, he has a very distinct idea of what a space can hold,” says design TV producer Patrick Jager.
The Turkish-born Gidding is one of the TV personalities coming to town later this week to appear at the Denver Home Show, happening Friday through March 20 at the National Western Complex. He recently took a break from filming seasons 3 and 4 of “Curb Appeal: The Block” in San Francisco to talk about the sometimes overlooked chore of improving a home on the outside.
Q: What home-improvement themes come up time and again as you work on new episodes of the show?
A: We really focus on the entry process: Is the mailbox straight? Are the home numbers nicely installed, or are they those awful gold stickers? Is there some color in the landscape? You’ll find that this is something that almost any homeowner can do for not a lot of money and typically over a weekend.
I also find that color — how to pick color for a facade, how many colors to pick — is something that people really struggle with. If people have anxiety (about painting), they really shouldn’t. You should just go buy a sample and paint a splotch and see what it looks like. Stores have booklets of colors that are tried-and-true, and they often break them up by architectural style, which really helps.
Q: What current home trends are you most taken with?
A:There’s a trend now to incorporate the context of your neighborhood when picking your house color. Look at the other houses in the neighborhood, and use that as a starting point for the direction you want to take your house. …
I’m also really liking all the sleek house-number styles that you can find now at big-box home improvement stores, like some that are brushed nickel. That’s another great tip: Make sure all the hardware in your entryway matches.
Q: What one piece of simple advice can you offer the average homeowner?
A:One thing I always like to tell people is that front yards are meant to be inhabited. So feel free to put a piece of furniture out there, something to imply you spend time in your front yard, you like your neighborhood and you want to interact with your neighbors.
Elana Ashanti Jefferson: ejefferson@denverpost.com
Denver Home Show
This home improvement event features vendor exhibits, seminars, contests, garden displays and celebrity appearances.
When: Friday through March 20
Where: National Western Complex, 4655 Humboldt St.
Admission: $8-$11; free for kids 12 and younger
Details:
