Exterior Ideas: Builder Royce Flournoy's Fresh, Remodeled Home Featured In HGTV Magazine's September 2012 Issue (PHOTOS)

The exterior of a home is the first thing every home buyer sees, so it's understandable that someone wouldn't look twice at one that was disheveled, nearly 100 years old and obscured by shrubbery. But when builder and remodeler Royce Flournoy first saw his 1939 Texas cottage, he didn't see a pit, he saw potential. Flournoy completely boosted the home's curb appeal, which is featured in HGTV's September issue, on stands now.

When he first bought his home, Flournoy fell in love with its archiectual elements but the red window covers, brown grass and the barely-standing wooden fence in the backyard were more than an eyesore. He decided to preserve the structure of the home including most of the wood siding and give it a modern touch by painting it a rich brown color with pale yellow-green shutters to match. He also restored the original limestone chimney by cleaning it with a good power-wash and built a matching wall to surround the property.

Our favorite part? How he removed the thick, view-blocking greenery in favor of more subtle landscaping. He placed a bed of limestone gravel and added small greens to create a path around the home. This design continues into the backyard that is filled with bold perennial plants in bright blue pots to add a vibrant feel.

Flournoy has proved that all a good house needs is a little TLC to become a beautiful abode.

Click through the slideshow to see the before and after photos and head over to HGTV to read the full story.

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