The days when all new estates were composed of identical little boxes or soulless high rise blocks have thankfully gone. But new houses can still lack character. Here are a few simple tricks you can employ to personalise your home.

Choosing a bold colour, such as red, for the front door is very welcoming.

Even the ugliest of extensions or garages can have that chocolate box look when adorned with a fragrant honeysuckle or winter jasmine. Your local garden centre will advise on which plants are suitable for your circumstances. And though any house can look great in spring and summer with window boxes, hanging baskets and pots, in autumn, a house covered with flaming red Virginia creeper takes some beating.

Reclaimed architectural elements such as old bricks, statues and bird baths add to that  settled look. Add moss to new architectural features to give them more character and make them look older. Simply take some live moss, a little bit of sugar and either beer or yogurt and mix it up in the blender. Spread or pour the mixture over whatever you want the moss to grow on. Spritz it with water from a spray bottle once a day for a week and make sure it stays in a shaded location.

Lighting fixtures are an integral part of your home's exterior but don't wait for Christmas to light up. At the least a cheery little wall lamp by the front door is welcoming particularly if it shines out from between the leaves of an old-fashioned rambling rose.

None of these tricks will necessarily increase the value of your house but they will certainly make it a more attractive place to look at and live in and if you are thinking of selling up, they may just help to clinch the deal.