The Home Page | Exciting Exteriors

A Chic Chicken Coop and More!

This edition of The Home Page was originally emailed to subscribers on January 29, 2023. To receive Sarah Sinclair’s real estate newsletter in your inbox each Sunday, sign up at independent.com/newsletters.

I scoffed when I received an email this week featuring Spring Cleaning tips, thinking how far away spring is. We’ve just barely put away the Christmas decorations, right? But then it hit me: It’s the end of January already. Valentine’s Day is basically tomorrow. March will start next week? Spring will be here in the blink of an eye.

In that spirit, here are a couple of those tips — specifically suggested to spruce up your home’s curb appeal — as offered by Jackie Mosher, cofounder of Dzinly, a technology platform providing quick advice for homeowners from a team of design professionals.

Here are three of her ideas, paired with photos showing local examples.

1) Rethink your front door. Whether it needs quick coat of paint or a complete overhaul, your front door makes a first impression. This one is from a 1939 storybook Moody Sisters cottage currently for sale in Montecito, offered by the Dusty Baker Group of Sotheby’s.

2) Grow your garden. Jackie suggests flower boxes, but here in Santa Barbara, consider outfitting your entryway with striking succulents like these seen at 745 East Anapamu Street, captured on caravan this week by Jessie Sessions. Although you can’t snap your fingers and conjure this quintessential Spanish-style front door, you can easily upgrade your gardening game.

3) Reconsider your porch. Updating lighting or re-accessorizing the porch can welcome visitors with warmth and style. This downtown cottage was listed — and sold — last year by the DK Group. It’s in my neighborhood and a personal favorite because I walk by it almost daily. I loved it so much that I wrote about it here.

Also seen on caravan this week were two unique digs with details worth sharing:

Elizabeth Wagner captured this cozy sauna at a listing in Mission Canyon, and this chicken coop…

…is in the backyard of a sweet new listing offered by Erin Muslera at 7259 Padova Drive in Goleta, open from 1-3 p.m. today. If you visit, post the chicken coop and tag us on Instagram!

Create your own “caravan” of open houses this afternoon. There’s a whole page of open-house listings to choose from as you’re out and about on this fine spring-like January day.

In a departure from writing about houses, I got my hair “did” for our special Self-Care issue this week and shared the story here. Yep, it’s a tough job, but someone’s gotta do it. My hair needed love, and I got it! Check out the pampering experienced by all of our writers and so much more in this week’s issue. You’re sure to find something that’s right up your alley!

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