Hone your home to have a street-smart look.

Creating curb appeal is a wise investment that often requires brains and brawn, but not necessarily a big budget, says Jeffrey Fick of Fick Bros. in Baltimore. Named the National Association of the Remodeling Industry (NARI) 2014 Contractor of the Year award winner for residential exteriors, Fick Bros. is a century-old company spanning four generations.

"With the new year, people are making personal resolutions to look better. Why wouldn't you do the same for your home?" he says. "Spring is right around the corner, and freshening up the front of the home is in the air."

Fick encourages homeowners to try and look at their home from the street with new eyes. "It doesn't matter if your home's worth is $50,000 or $500,000, how it looks from the street certainly affects the property's value," he says. "You don't have to wait to sell it to spruce it up."

Front Door

The entryway to your home creates a first impression. The front door pulls double duty. It welcomes guests, yet protects a household from intruders. Fick says a fresh coat of paint on the front door works wonders for the front facade.

Your home design can take a turn for the better when you get a grip on the door's hardware, too. A decorative exterior handset will open the door to a home's design, and swapping out an old doorknob for a new one can make for a grand entrance. The doorknob is, in turn, both functional and ornamental.

But, if the welcome has been worn out on your home's front door, it might be time for an upgrade. Today's doors are becoming more warp-resistant, energy-efficient and secure. Fick says to take cues from the existing door's size and style for an appropriate replacement. Fiberglass doors with a foam core are one of the most popular choices when replacing an old front door, with costs starting under $1,000.

Ring in Spring

When at the front door, a visitor's first point of contact is the doorbell or knocker, so give the uninspired buzzer the ding-dong ditch. One of the most overlooked components to a front door's decor, a decorative doorbell ringer or doorknocker can be an inexpensive upgrade to the front of a home, starting under $100. A doorbell or doorknocker is also a small but mighty motif foreshadowing a personal sense of style found inside the home.

Illuminating Style

Shed new light on the front of a home by creating a warm, inviting atmosphere with new light fixtures. Fick says swapping out old lighting is an easy fix, but it's important to choose fixtures that coordinate with the door's hardware and complement a home's architectural style. Light fixtures used outside should also be rated by the Underwriters Laboratories (UL Wet) to be safe when exposed to the elements.

Into the Gutters

While gutters and downspouts serve important functions, these elements are also architectural details that run the perimeter of the house. Whether constructed from aluminum or high-end metals such as copper and zinc, Fick says dented gutters falling off a house and full of tree debris never leave a good impression. Regardless of the material used, all installed gutters must be slightly pitched toward downspout holes, and water should be directed at least 2 feet away from the building's foundation.

Driving Design

Drive up a home's street appeal by focusing on the largest front entry -- the garage door. An attached garage door can constitute more than one-third of the front of a house, making it one of a home's most prominent curbside features.

A fresh coat of paint on the garage door -- coordinated with the front door design -- can pull the look of an entire home together.

If it's time for a new garage door, today's homeowner doesn't have to settle for builder's grade, standard raised-panel and windowless garage doors. Manufacturers are rolling out new garage door options that are more insulated and energy-efficient, with eye-catching styles accented by decorative hinges and pulls.

Hardscaping

Homeowners can pour creativity into their driveways and walkways. The first impression of a house can start at the driveway and sidewalk as visitors make their way to the front door.

Concrete, stone and pavers crack over time. Fick says repairing or replacing damaged areas is a matter of safety and shouldn't be considered a superficial fix. "Secure any loose bricks or pavers back into the walkway, and fix any deteriorating concrete as soon as you can," he says. "Not only are these imperfections an eyesore, they can be considered a tripping hazard, and there's nothing pretty about that."

As a homeowner, don't curb your enthusiasm for the outdoor aesthetic. The appearance of the front entrance sends a message about the homeowner. "You can make a big impact without spending big bucks: plant flowers and put down a fresh bag of mulch in beds around the front door," he says. "How a house looks from the street is a reflection of the homeowner who lives inside."

On Easy Street

-- National Association of the Remodeling Industry (NARI), NARI.org. To find a professional, click "Consumer," then drop down to "Find a Pro."

-- Fick Bros. Roofing and Exterior Remodeling Company, FickBros.com, 410-889-5525

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A secondary kitchen in the home can really cater to entertaining needs. Featuring warming ovens, additional countertops for food preparation and extra refrigeration, a catering kitchen keeps a meal's mess out of the main kitchen, where most parties eventually end up taking place.

"The kitchen has always been the heart of the home," says Zach Elkin, director of brand marketing for Thermador, a nearly century-old kitchen appliance corporation based in Irvine, California. "As more people continue to gather in the kitchen space, homeowners are finding it necessary to expand and to create the ultimate culinary stage where they can cook impressive feasts."

A catering kitchen in the home is not to be confused with a commercial space for catering companies. While some homeowners bring in caterers for parties thrown at their homes, a catering kitchen can also be seen as the evolution of the kitchen pantry, expanded into a work area that not only stores food but also holds serving dishes, additional glassware and appliances.

"The area surrounding the kitchen is prime real estate in a home," says Geri Higgins, CEO and president of the decade-old, award-winning design firm Portfolio Kitchen & Home in Kansas City, Missouri. "We are designing these secondary or catering kitchens by combining the pantry, mudroom and laundry spaces into one large utilitarian room that really cooks."

Before catering to the impulse to build a secondary kitchen, you must first have a plan in place. Otherwise, there is the potential for the space to become a catchall, especially if it will be used as a multipurpose room, including laundry and storage. "This needs to be one of the most purposefully designed rooms in the house," Higgins says. "There needs to be a place for everything, so everything is put back in its place. This room also requires a door that can be closed, because people in the kitchen during a party just need to experience the magic, not see what happens behind the curtain."

A catering kitchen is usually designed to be the bridge between the garage access door and the opening to a home's main kitchen. "This is a great in-process room and isn't just meant for the wealthy who host catered affairs in their homes," Higgins says. "It can also be the room in which you do all the food prep for a party -- from chopping vegetables to decorating cookies."

Because they are physically linked, Higgins says the catering kitchen should also emulate the main kitchen, but with a cleaner design. "The catering kitchen is really the workhorse of the main kitchen," she says. "Flooring and paint colors can be the same as they are in the main kitchen, but surfaces need to be easy to clean up and wipe down."

That means placing chef mats on the floor, having slab door cabinets -- without rails and moldings -- and as much clean, uncluttered countertop space as possible.

Culinary creativity can start in the catering kitchen. While the main kitchen can tout beautiful form, the catering kitchen is all about the function.

-- Island life rules. If space allows, a catering kitchen shouldn't be unchartered territory for an island. A kitchen island requires, minimally, a 3-foot clearance on all sides. Optimally, the dimensions of an island should be about four feet long by two feet wide with a no-fuss, no-mess surface, such as engineered quartz stone countertops, which are durable and low maintenance. While recessed can lights may be the standard in a catering kitchen, task lighting above an island, such as the use of simple pendants, is also a bright idea.

-- Bring the heat. During large gatherings, there's never enough oven space, so a set of wall ovens in the catering kitchen is important. Higgins says some people have warming drawers in their catering kitchens, while a microwave is a must. If there's space, you can have a cooktop in your catering kitchen, but the flat surface of the induction variety is preferred over one that has gas or electric grates on top.

-- Water, please. An additional dishwasher pressed into service during and after a party can make cleanup quicker and easier. A deep, non-divided sink made of metal, stone or porcelain is essential to wash large serving pieces. Higgins says in a catering kitchen, some clients prefer professional faucet fixtures with sprayers, while a heavy-duty garbage disposal is a necessity.

-- Chill out. Refrigeration is key during party prep. Higgins says to make sure the refrigerator in the catering kitchen can accommodate large trays of party food. If space allows, refrigerator drawers for bottled beverages, an ancillary ice maker and a wine refrigerator can make replenishing refreshments easier.

-- Additional appliances. More hectic households are building breakfast bars into their catering kitchen designs with a complete coffee station, which can also be pressed into service at the end of an evening. The catering kitchen is also the perfect place to house countertop appliances, such as the large stand mixer, blender and toaster.

-- Simple storage. Since many people will use this space, it's important to have shelving and cupboards designated and designed for the items housed there. Roll-outs are especially good to use in cabinets, while trays and containers can organize items on shelves.

But homeowners don't have to undergo a total remodel or spend a golden egg to enjoy the benefits of a catering kitchen, says Higgins. "If you have a walk-in pantry or laundry near the kitchen, you can start by making that space a more beautiful one in which to work," she says. "A catering kitchen shouldn't be a disconnect with the main kitchen, and should empower the entertaining experience in a home."

Catering to Kitchen Needs:

-- Portfolio Kitchen & Home, portfolio-home.com, 816-363-5300

-- Thermador, Thermador.com/dealer-locator

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Some homes hold secrets and conceal more space than meets the eye. A door hidden in plain view that leads to a secret room isn't just the stuff of movie sets and spy novels, says Steve Humble, president and founder of the decade-old Creative Home Engineering firm, based in Gilbert, Arizona.

"I am a mechanical engineer by trade, and when I started this business, a majority of the openings to secret rooms we designed were fun by nature, leading to the kids' playroom or a home theater," Humble says of his business that has become an industry leader in the construction of secret rooms. "But, today, a majority of the secret rooms we design address home security, whether it's a safe room for people or valuables."

Secret openings can be concealed within a fireplace, a wall bookcase unit, cupboard or cabinet. The first of Humble's trade secrets to an ensconced enclosure in a home is to utilize the "dead" space in a home. Whether it's a passageway underneath a staircase or a doorway that leads to space originally designated as part of a furnace room, closet or crawl space, Humble says the key to having a secret room is that visitors don't even know one exists within the home.

While a homeowner can retrofit a secret room into an existing house renovation, Humble says it's easier to conceal contents in new home construction. Often designated on architectural plans as a home's mechanical room or closet, builders won't even know about a secret room installation.

"When we take a job, we build the opening to certain specifications, so it can be installed at the very end of construction -- after all the workers have left -- so the space remains a secret," Humble says. "Some woodworkers think they can add a hinge to a piece of carpentry, but a quality secret door is a very precise machine that must maintain extremely tight tolerances."

A secret entrance must pull double duty. It must not look like a gateway to a secret space, but when opened, it shouldn't warp, rub, sag or drag. If improperly installed, the secret will be out on the concealed space. An opening can become obvious, especially when heavy books are added to a bookshelf's secret door, or if humidity and temperature fluctuations aren't taken into account.

Humble says a portion of his firm's business is repairing and replacing sub-standard secret doors built by woodworkers with the best of intentions. "Creative Home Engineering secret doors contain hidden cavities with custom hinges and steel structural supports to keep the door strong and rigid," he says. "Our secret passageway doors come pre-hung in their own frames, which simply slide into a specified opening."

While some might consider having a secret passageway in the home as a sign of status, Humble says the average homeowner can "step through the looking glass," with a full-length wall-hanging mirror that is really an opening to a secret room. Creative Home Engineering sells a specially engineered mirrored doorway for $2,500, and it can be easily installed as the entrance to a secret room.

Humble says customized secret spaces average about $7,500, with a typical concealed bookcase opening costing between $10,000 and $12,000. Of course, as more security measures are taken, the costs also escalate.

A vault or panic room door can feature a heavy-duty locking system that provides a strong resistance to forced entry, as well as the ability to interface with an existing home security system.

"When it comes to protecting your most important assets -- including your family -- concealment is the first line of defense against intruders," Humble says. "Doors can be plated for ballistic protection and can feature a locking system that has retracting 1-inch diameter stainless steel shear pins. The secret room might even contain a surveillance system inside, so inhabitants can monitor what is happening throughout the rest of the house."

Secret switches to open the door to the hidden room can run the gamut from biometric access control devices -- - like fingerprint and iris recognition scanners -- to more whimsical keys. "Secret doors can be opened with a remote, but secret switches add to the personalization of the space," Humble says. "I've done a secret switch where specific notes need to be played on a piano to open the door. A car collector's secret switch involved turning the steering wheel of a die-cast model corvette."

As serious as some of these concealed rooms are, there's no hiding the intrigue that also goes along with having a secret passageway. "A concealed room can also be a great place to house fun secrets, like wrapping and storing holiday gifts," Humble says. "But no matter how a concealed room is used, the secret is safe with me."

Hide and Seek

-- Creative Home Engineering, HiddenPassageway.com, 480-470-5718

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