Dave & Jenny Marrs' Clever Design Trick Instantly Transforms A Home's Blah Exterior

A bland home exterior not only reduces your property's curb appeal, but it also lowers its potential resale value. You can prevent this from happening by enhancing the frontage of your house with design elements that add character to your walls and windows. One option to consider is the timeless fairytale window treatment that easily elevates any home design: window shutters. This is the go-to choice of builder couple Dave and Jenny Marrs for properties with a classic farmhouse exterior, but that's not to say that other home styles won't benefit from the alluring flair of shutters.

What's interesting about window shutters as a design upgrade is that they don't always have to be functional. In one episode of "Fixer to Fabulous," Jenny and Dave decided to add non-functioning plywood shutters after noticing that the plain paint job they did on their client's home exterior was looking "blah." Now, you might be wondering how to choose the color for the shutters. In another episode of the show, the couple played matchy-matchy by staining the newly installed shutters dark walnut to complement the shade of the main front door. Nevertheless, there are many ways to color or style outdoor shutters to make them pop without having to match or clash with other design elements. 

For Jenny and Dave Marrs, curb appeal is everything. Dave doesn't even turn a blind eye when he sees curb appeal mistakes on properties he is working on for private clients or on their show. Having worked on so many projects — mostly featuring the elegant modern farmhouse aesthetic — the couple already has a good understanding of how to style or color window shutters so they don't ruin the overall vibe of the facade. In one Instagram post showcasing the makeover of a bungalow-style colonial house, the pair painted the shutters a mid-toned taupe shade to provide a subtle contrast over the cream walls. The result is a refreshed but still welcoming look that pairs well with the property's expansive front lawn.

On the couple's blog, it's also evident how they favor neutrals for the window shutters they incorporate in their renovation projects. And while it's a good idea to match the front door and shutters, Jenny and Dave do not always follow this trick, and instead opt for contrast to achieve that dramatic effect that adds dimension, highlights certain architectural features, and creates visual interest. In addition, they also do not limit the shutters to windows only. In the sixth season of their show, they had one project that involved rebuilding a home after a severe storm. To give the entrance a touch of panache, they flanked faux shutters on the sides of two large French doors.