Instant Curb Appeal by Adding Carriage Hardware

Carriage Hardware Window JENRON DESIGNS

 Instant Curb Appeal by Adding Carriage Hardware

Have you ever thought about getting Instant Curb Appeal, by Adding Carriage Hardware? This was a simple weekend project that you do without breaking the bank.

Carriage Hardware Elevation JENRON DESIGNSI have always admired stately homes that have tons of curb appeal. I have always been drawn to old southern farm homes, partially the historic ones you see in Savannah and Charleston. When we were building our home I started assessing what it was that drew me to these home elevations.  Of course, I love the old gas lamps, and the oversized haint blue sitting porches. I also noticed carriage hardware on shutters was something that I consistently gravitated to as well. Which is how I landed on getting some of that instant curb appeal by adding carriage hardware.

Carriage Hardware Windows JENRON DESIGNSI decided I would have to add these completely non functional pieces to my new home. Sadly, like many of my home dreams, I realized this was not a option that my builder offered. So, I did my research and discovered that this would be a very easy aftermarket add on. So it went on my “to-do” home improvement list. The hardware is available in both a metal and vinyl version, for homes, so you can pick which ever one works best for your home. I personally like the metal which is available from local hardware stores and will require drilling directly into your shutters.

Designer Tip: make sure you have your HOA approval if your community requires it, since this will alter the front elevation of your home and the overall streetscape of your community. It is important to make sure to work with those guidelines since this is a semi-permanent alteration that can not easily be undone without replacing your shutters, so begging for forgiveness after the fact in not the best idea. Carriage Hardware Kit JENRON DESIGNS*Please note that this post may contain affiliate links for your convenience. These involve no extra cost to you, but may result in me receiving a small commission – for which I am very grateful! You can view my full advertising disclosure here.

One consideration I had to keep in mind is to make sure they would match my existing carriage hardware on my garage doors. I wanted it to match and look as if it was all installed at the same time. I lucked out and I was able to order this fantastic, faux carriage style Vinyl Decorative Hinge Kit.Carriage Hardware Set JENRON DESIGNSUpon doing some research while trying to purchase faux carriage hardware, I also realized that you can get a variety of faux carriage hardware that can be glued on to the shutters with an outdoor epoxy. You can use Liquid Nails LN-2000 9 oz. Fuze It All Surface Construction Adhesive, Gray. Which would allow you to add the hardware without drilling any permanent holes into the shutter, brick or mortar. This is a good option for anyone that might change their mind or want to remove them at any point.  So you are not left with ugly holes in areas that would be difficult to patch.

Carriage Hardware Kit & Glue JENRON DESIGNSThis project was supper simple and only took about a half a day to install. As you can see you do not need any power tools or carpentry skills at all if you choose the glue on variety. In fact we did not even need a ladder to install the the upper windows, we just removed the screens and leaned out to affix the hardware on to the shutters. It was really that simple. The perfect weekend project where you get a designer upgrade but still have time to enjoy your weekend too.

Pro Tip- If your shutters bow or are uneven, you may want to use blue painter’s tape to hold the brackets flush until the glue dries. Which takes approx. 30-40 minutes to dry, and 3-4 hours to cure. 
Carriage Hardware on Brick JENRON DESIGNSThe one thing you need to make sure of is how to line up the hinges. Since we have rustic batten board, farmhouse shutters; all we had to do is center the hardware on the cross boards. If you do not have these kind of shutters I would recommend measuring 2-3″ below the top of the window frame. This is where the you would naturally find functioning shutter hardware. Carriage Hardware Hinge JENRON DESIGNSSince this hardware is considered, non functional it mounts easily to the shutter with the wrap around cuff. We actually ended up trimming ours down a bit to fit onto the shutter flush. This is because of where we chose to mount the hardware. Normally you only have the thickness of one board and it would touch the brick. Carriage Hardware JENRON DESIGNS

The final step is to mount the bottom scrolls. Remember these would normal twist to release the shutters to close if they were functional. Keeping that in mind, we measured 1″ over from the edge of the shutter. The brackets are labeled Left and Right so you get them placed on the correct sides.

BEFORE  &  AFTER

Shutter Before Carriage Hardware JENRON DESIGNSAs you can see from the Before and After photos below, it is a very subtle add on.  However, it still gives the house a lot more character with additional curb appeal. The more curb appeal your home has, the better the value of your home if you ever try to place it on the market. So small adds like this will pay off further down the road when you might be trying to sell your home. Carriage Hardware Upgrade JENRON DESIGNS

Side Note: I would also like to take this opportunity to point out the difference natural light makes on exterior home paint colors and brick.  I know this is very off topic but, I think this is the perfect opportunity to illustrate how lighting affects everything. As you can see the morning light makes everything more gray in the before picture.  While the afternoon light for the after picture makes that same siding and brick appear warmer, keep this tip in mind when picking out a paint color.  

PIN ME for later and be sure to follow us on Pinterest at Jen @ JENRON DESIGNS

Carriage Hardware Pin JENRON DESIGNS

*Please note that this post may contain affiliate links for your convenience. These involve no extra cost to you, but may result in me receiving a small commission – for which I am very grateful! You can view my full advertising disclosure here.

Ron’s Tool Box:

Here is my quick list of all the items that you need. All available at Amazon Prime, with 2 day delivery, to make this project a reality.

19 Comments

  1. Tonya

    This really looks great, I also love those older historic homes in Savannah they are so pretty. Such nice area.

  2. Crosswords & Coffee

    I am fascinated with the idea of adding curb appeal to a home. We are planning to sell and I am looking for quick and inexpensive ways to add a little character to the outside and make ours stand out from the pack. Thanks for this great idea.

  3. The Delightful Farmhouse

    First of all let me say home much I love those beautiful old southern Savannah homes. Second I really respect how you are combining old and new under the realm of of farmhouse. Your creativity inspires me so, thank you so much Jen!

  4. Only half an hour? That is super quick and you really don’t need much! Awesome.

  5. Kobato

    It looks great and adds a very subtle charm to your home.

  6. What a great and inexpensive way to add character to the exterior of the home!

  7. Suja aka Sindhuja Kumar

    Your creativity is awesome. You made the process look so simple. Thanks for sharing it with us.

  8. Farmhouse Fixer Upper

    Thanks for your suggestion this is a really quick project that looks great. You know how I love a easy DIY.

  9. JohnnyXeo

    Adding curb appeal is vital for selling a home. This is a very useful post for those that need to add curb appeal quickly.

  10. Diva? Oh Yeah

    Thanks, looking for home inspiration to create more curb appeal this spring to put our home on the market. Great idea.

  11. The Delightful Farmhouse

    I really love how much of a statement this adds to your craftsman shutters. We have been thinking about adding carriage hardware too. I love that this is a simple glue on not a drill in permanent thing in case we change our minds, because from the road you can not even tell.

  12. Neuweg

    Nice post. I learn something on different blogs everyday. It is always stimulating to read content from other writers and practice a little something from their stories. I’d prefer to use some with the content on my blog whether you don’t mind. Naturally I’ll give you a link on your web blog. Thanks for sharing.

  13. Amanda

    Hey there! This is such a great idea I love the charm it adds to your home.

  14. I love how you used the hinges!! I have several of these and didn’t know what to do with them. Such amazing ideas!! Very classy and I agree with Amanda, It definitely will add charm to your house! Thanks for sharing such a great post!

  15. Love these ideas. The before and after shots of the shutters are amazing. I have some shutters that may need some enhancement!! Thanks!

  16. I am a fan of old houses, and this carriage hardware could really give a home a period look. It’s amazing how something so simple adds to the overall appeal of a home.

  17. Lisa Atkinson

    Hello! I love your writing so so much! Can we keep in touch more? I need an expert on this house of mine to unravel my decorating problems. Maybe that’s you!

  18. Hello I am an interior designer and happy to answer your decorating questions, please feel free to register at my site and check out my Interior Designs tab for more projects I may have a post that applies.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *