I have a plan for adding some curb appeal to my house, and DH doesn't believe me that it will actually work -- is there anyone out there who could give me some photographic evidence to show him?

HEre's my house (I have posted before, you may recognize it):

My plan is to paint the brick white and add a front portico. Here's a photo of a house from my neighborhood where they have managed to minimize the things I don't like about my own house (the "divided in half" look, the overhang, the blank space around the front door) -- obviously they have some things going for them that I don't have (roofline, circular drive, etc) -- but I think that just going all white and adding a portico like theirs would make a HUGE difference for us:

So, please, you talented photoshoppers, can you help me convince DH?

Please consider just adding the portico, and NOT painting the brick. You could always go back later and do it, but removing paint from bricks is damaging and expensive, if you're even successful at it.

I think adding the portico and trimming the beautiful foundation plantings would add so much to the character of YOUR house, without making it into a wanna-be of your neighbor's.

A little pop of color (red?), as they have added with annuals, would complement your lovely brick, which has a timeless, classical appeal all its own.

Jan

I did this before seeing the other suggestions but I may not have time to add more tomorrow. I had trouble getting the right white paint (as we all do in real life) Chicory..feel free to jump in. ;c)

If it's that colonial style, I think it'll work great on your house, but I'd go with a wider front porch/portico than the inspiration house. Maybe go a little southern with a faux balcony treatment!

I would love to do some photoshopping for you, but I don't have the time at the mo. (sorry!) I promised Sarah a living room! : )

You could really do modern, too, if you wanted, but it would take a bit more work, as would craftsman, but can be done!

You have a wonderfully versatile home.

Your house isn't a dutch colonial - painting it all white as you suggest would, to me, make it just look like a trying too hard wanna be. It isn't a modern or craftsman style house, either. Embrace it for what it is and embrace the brick. Add that roof over the front door. I think the roof, along with changing the landscaping, will make a HUGE difference.

Also -
The shutters on the top floor are not hung right - they are all wonky some more than others. I also would consider doing a shutter that is a bit wider than the current ones that appear a bit too narrow

Good luck

Mine is not so pretty, but I just wanted to show you the wider, flat topped roof on the porch. I changed the lamps to a larger colonial candle lamp (these are copper, but any finish would work on a black and white house).

I had a vision of azaleas along the front, but I couldn't find a good azalea, so you get boxwoods! : ) Sorry for the blur - it took a lot of layering to get the white right.

Also, the portico should have a gable, and the gable should be tall enough to break up the horizontal line of the second story.

Whatever plantings you choose, try for a variety that do not suggest a horizontal line.

Then, paint that front door a lovely red!

Window boxes, a different color door, and some different lights would add a lot, IMO.

here's my two cents:

love the portico idea. inspiration house also has nice detail work - dentil moulding on the overhang that would be a nice touch. i would pay attention to those small details, that will add a finished touch to the house, like mouldings etc.

i love the idea of window boxes. the ones i see with your style house have a design on them, like an elongated x. i've seen them at frontgate, i think. geraniums with trailing ivy or something would be so pretty.

i think the garage door would be nice minimized, so maybe keep it white if you paint the brick white...but don't accent it.

i love painted brick, but i know a lot of people think it's a travesty. i like how it unifies the house to have the brick painted. if you paint it yourself, you should look it up because you need weep holes in the paint i think.

there's a color called "charelston black" that would be so nice on your front door or shutters. it is a dark green black. i have it on my front door and a lot of traditional houses, like your inspiration house, use that color. it looks great with boxwoods, etc.

you could paint the trim a sandy taupe color, to accentuate it and then have the whole house white with green black front door and shutters.

can't ps for you, sorry! but i see a lot of talented people have already done a nice job for you. can't wait to see what you do!

Mclarke, the gable will only fit if it goes above the first story line, and it looks a little odd, honestly, for a number of reasons (the windows on this house are higher than the other... more ranch height and that's one reason the exact same treatment as the other house doesn't quite go). : )

Here's a step further. As I said above that the house would do well with a Southern Colonial look.

It's very charming and plays well with the extra wide front of the house.

I'm sure any number of landscaping treatments would look awesome, but I wanted to cover up the too-small sidewalk (for the now bigger porch), and I didn't have time for a Squirrel-er-roo job.

If you're in the north, you can plant deer fern in planters and they look like boston ferns in winter. They're evergreen and lovely. They can handle total shade, and do fine on a front porch.

The copper, I think, is nice because it keeps the eye on the lower level where the windows are bigger and sort of makes the front door feel more centered.

Here's a real quick demo of different portico styles on your house.

great job! yes, i saw southern colonial too....and i know i've posted this somewhere else recently, but in the south we have our porch ceilings painted a light blue or green blue-- almost off-white. there's a story to this that is too long to get into here (wards away bad spirits), but the point is that it is so pretty and would look good on this house on the portico ceiling. i like the portico you chose and agree that the second story windows dictate the kind of portico that works best.

big iron urns with ferns would be pretty on either side of the front door.

and oh, i love that brick painted-- and ditto the peeling off painted brick look. i wanted to do that to my house, but my brick grout isn't done right so it wouldn't look right on my house. i can't tell with her house how the brick is laid, but it sure looks pretty painted.:-)

i love carriage house lamps by the front door on this style house, too-- though the ones you used are really pretty as well.

Would you please show us that portico on the house with un-painted brick, and a black door, to match the shutters? I would also like to see red geraniums in the planter. Heck, if we're going traditional, might as well.

It's a "Garrison Colonial" because of the characteristic second story overhang with the first story slightly recessed.

There are msny many images of Garrison Colonials on Google. I tend to like painted brick, especially white; seems to impart a more timeless quality - but that's just my opinion.

I do really appreciate all of the suggestions -- I hadn't given any thought to style of portico. I will probably consult with an architect to get the style and scale right.

Thanks again -- I'll be back to let you know what DH says.

Also, I think the bluish color of the door is beautiful. A red or cranberry would work as well but make it more "pedestrian" imo.

I haven't had any time to "shop" anything either but Chic is doing such a nice job and my head is starting to ache. The recent kid virus has made it's way to my body.

The first one in the group of 4 is my favorite. Love the copper window boxes, I would have never thought of that! Awesome job!

The window boxes are the 'wave' style (not rectangular) in the Walpole link above. I have added some trimwork to the brick and under/capping the soffit area. (Hard to see.)

Still would like to see the roof, as my memory is not clear on how they run.

I've been SOOOOO sick, Lindy, and still am, I'm working at a slug's pace on poor Sarah's house. I had to take a break from skewing furniture because I kept coughing too much, but I can't resist exteriors. I'm getting better, though... darn kids and their germs!

Metromom, I'm so glad you like it! Those ranch windows and sprawling 50/60's facades can be challenging to "class-up". The Southern thing makes your house look intentionally broad and breezy. I like it!

Decorpas, haint blue! I had a S&R rowhouse with a Southern Colonial front porch (typical duplex really), and it had a Haint blue ceiling. Before we moved, we painted it tan - the traditional crowd would have appreciated it, but a lot of young upstarts from other areas were moving in and had no idea why the porch ceilings were aqua-ish. : )

I do love a Haint blue ceiling, but I have an even (hate to say it) deeper love of stained wood.

Metromom, if you husband doesn't like the copper and terracotta or the door color, I'll be happy to change it to black accessories (let me know about the door color... easily changed).

i really like the new roofline added to the portico and the broader steps are really welcoming. the blue door and shutters look nice, too. larger shutters make a difference!

I like all that blue!

I've paneled the front entrance, along with the side rails. First shot was supposed to be raised paneling, but looks like I lost those boards. So, it's a more contemporary looking paneling. Third shot, guess this is a Mission door of sorts, but it's just used for its sleek contemporary lines and to look more modern : )

chicory~It's a good thing you can't see me, I almost choked when you said squirrel might be Lady Aberlin! Or Paul McCartney...I want to be Barbara Cooper.

Lady Aberlin was King Friday's niece.

You mean, like, Valerie Bertinelli, right?

...OK, but I'm Gretchen Kraus.

Sorry metromom~you can play too, if you want. You can be Mrs. Beasley.

Chicory, I have to look everyone up -- except Sir Paul of course :)

I used to remind one of my hs friends of Cindy Williams on Lavern & Shirley, lol.

Maybe I'm on drugs. Let me think back a bit here ....

Goldie :)

Maybe if you were as high as the rest of us, you'd be splashing out with the Isis and Wonder Woman comments. : D

Interestingly, we found the original blueprints and in the initial plan, there was supposed to be a portico -- they scrapped it later.

Still with some sleek contemporary lines on the paneling and door style.

Metromom~Did you have to climb up a tree to get that shot? :8)

Love your snowflakes in the window!

I think they all look great.

Airbrush is the downfall of a photoshopper in a hurry!! : D

I was liking the blue door before, but really like the red! Garage door looks great, squirrelheaven.

Laurie

In answer to some questions, the siding is aluminum so changing the white isn't very practical right now (although when I win the lottery...) The brick veneer is only on the front of the house (basically what you see in the photo) - so there is a lot of siding and very little brick - so budget-wise, I need to match the brick to the siding rather than vice-versa.

And no, I didn't have to climb any trees! That's what you see from standing directly across the street.

My current fave is Squirrel's red door and traditional-style portico (what do you call that anyway? The roof of the portico is an inverted trapezoid, but I wouldn't know how else to describe it).

Can anyone help me with a list of what I need to do to achieve the look of Squirrel's most recent photo? I just want to make sure I'm not missing any details. Here's what I see:
1. Wider front steps
2. Portico
3. Larger lights on house and garage
4. New garage door
5. Is that a new front door, or did you just paint mine?
6. What is that detailing under the overhang?
7. Gorgeous landscaping

Did I miss anything?

Can you tell I'm really new to all of this (13 years of condo living - I've never really dealt with exteriors before). We just moved in a few months ago.

I believe she also increased the size of the shutters, which I would do IRL if you can.

My guess is the detail under the overhang is to give a look of faux rafters. You can see the real ones in your neighbors upper roof area.

Let's see:

** Painted brick.

** Wider paneled shutters. These are in a rich black-green.

** I did put a new door in, I'll have to dig up the link so you can actually see it :) It has some sleek lines like your house. Although we really should try a traditional door with raised paneling details too. I was picking up on your house's lines rather than trying to make it look like the 'old' colonial of your inspiration pic.

** Wood paneling around the door area (whole back of porch).

** Larger lanterns.

** Carriage house garage door. This one is actually steel, but probably costs a fortune. Maybe you can detail your current one if it's fairly new -- although someone here did that and it was hundreds of dollars to have the glass panels put in. Don't know how it really looks in real life. Hack job on an old door or great???

** Now I know what you mean about the detail under the overhand. There's a strip of wood detailing along the brick under the overhang. I did cap the bottom of the overhand and the front of the first row of siding with some detailing also. Then there's some old-fashioned little doo-dad things along it (details not worked out : )
Don't know how possible it is beyond the strip on the brick, but I like softening the transition between the upper and lower parts of the house with some details.

** The upper portion was painted a fresh, pretty white. Otherwise, you'd have to match the whites to the older siding, which might be a bit gray or dingy. If the siding won't be replaced at any time, I might talk to someone about painting it. Apparently the paints for aluminum siding have come a long way, although I've never seen it done. Sounds horrible, actually : ) but they may be doing a great job with it these days, who knows. Spray maybe? Maybe a nightmare.

So is dh not sure he actually likes it or is it just the $$,$$$ factor?

I notice it's upper level is actually long and narrow like yours, just with a different roofline. Is that a painted brick on the lower half too? Was it a redo? Doesn't really look it though, with all the side area.

I really like the glowing columns, that would be very cool if you could get them to glow like that.

OTOH, I think I like the one with the portico and the red door, with the brick veneer the best. You know why? You can do it in stages, and when you're done, you can paint the brick veneer and the siding (to match the whites), at a later date. In the meantime, you can buy groceries, yum.

I personally think that with the window boxes and the new lights and garage door, your house would look better than the neighbor's. And be less of a maintenance headache IMO.

I agree with priariegirlz5 that I think starting with the portico and wider shutters and leaving the brick for now would be a good start. I actually like how it adds interest with the portico with the white back siding breaks it up.

If you don't like the brick color, maybe try in a small area some concrete stain and see if you can change the color to something you like better.

For the corbels underneath the overhang check out azek for a material to make the corbels for low maintenance. I believe several companies has made their own and are selling them too. However those can get pricy when you add up the numbers. Around where I live a lumber yard can cut me whatever I want in terms of corbels so you might want to check into that as I've always found it less costly than the ones found on the internet.

AND Corbels! That's the word. I can never remember that.

Squirrel, I love the gray stucco. V. nice!!

I do think working with all the whites might be difficult, as it would have to match/center around your siding.

Here's a little less done, also. Just a wood strip at the top of the brick, with the 'corbel' detailing. I do think maybe a moulded strip along the narrow bottom edge of the siding might transition things better too (without capping and wrapping from underneath).

And, hopefully you could paint the garage door. Just faux hardware details there, without replacing it if it's still good. The architectural doors are generally quite expensive.

I am also wondering about doing the porch over the existing siding. Just make sure it won't be a problem down the road where they'd want to take your porch roof off or something.

Here's a closeup of the door area first. The last pic has the garage door painted, if possible.

I should post a pic of the flat panelling and other style door, too.

Little by little by (minute by minute, lol, Chic! I think I need a piano or something : ) Maybe we could finally just haul that thing outta Val's living room, lol.)

Our old neighbors have painted the alum. siding twice. They have great taste and redo or add on to their house about every 5 years. I believe that the paint has held up perfectly every time.

My MIL 30 years ago sponged over the brick in their house to change the colors. I've heard the story and I think she just used diluted latex paint. This could take some of the pink out.

I think with the portico, new lights and the brick it looks like a well maintained older two story. Very classy!

You can also print to file -- I use MS's Document Image Writer (came with some other software). It's just another printer to select. I know I've printed to Word, though, but can't seem to get it to work right now! Maybe someone else can explain how to do that.

These threads are deleted in a very short amount of time. Although I delete nothing : )

It'll be gawgeous! MM, and you can take it in phases. We've eliminated the $2K door ensemble :) Now this is something, done well, that will help move your house on the market and at a better price. And your enjoyment -- priceless.

I think I'd do ivy on the brick, painted or not : )

Thanks, Leahcate. That's a very kind thing to say.

Thanks Leahcate. I wish I was as good as Squirrel and Chic and Moonshadow. I do like to play a little with the photos but haven't gotten enough practice to look professional like theirs. I can't speak for them but what I love about doing PS work is seeing a finished product. It's fun to see if the drawing ended up anywhere near the real thing. Also fun to help a fellow poster visualize. I could not have done my house without the help of everyone here! So thank you right back!

Lindy

It's nice to see it with my existing door and garage door -- they're both in good condition so I'll spend the $$$ on something else for now and can do those down the road.

I like both versions, painted and unpainted brick -- having seen the photos, I can now tell the portico is what really makes the huge difference. But I'm still leaning toward painting it, just as a matter of personal preference.

Will probably take some time to actually get it done (winter won't be over here for quite a while) - but I will *definitely* post photos of how it turns out.

Also reshaped the porch roof a bit and tried a variety of door painting styles. We usually do sidelights in white around here but for some reason I started with the broad color on the door.

The details are endless.

OH MY GOODNESS...GO FOR IT...IT LOOKS GREAT...UNBELIEVABLE!!!!! It doesn't even look like the same house. You can't lose. Can't wait to see the finished product. You should do this for a living.

MetroMom -- tell me you're not just turning this house around. That would hurt : (

and seriously - do you hire out? can i pay one of you to draw up real plans with scale/proportions/detail or do i need someone local for that?

(Finally figured you probably just wanted to check to make sure you weren't doing something drastically 'wrong' with your house : ) They are our biggest investment blocks.

I smell a rat.

"you can't lose" sounds TO ME like a comment someone would make about the decision to put money into a house they're selling, for whatever purpose, but in this case to attract buyers.

Unless they're friends...Apologies to metromom if that's not the case, not that it really matters. The changes to the facade would be very appealing in any case.

Best wishes.

Here is a quote from metromom in one of the posts above "Can you tell I'm really new to all of this (13 years of condo living - I've never really dealt with exteriors before). We just moved in a few months ago."

The reason I have a realtor is that we just bought the house, and the reason I emailed her is that I wanted to be able to convince DH that even if something happened and he got transferred, we'd be ok. Her response was so enthusiastic and complimentary to you that I thought I'd post it here. I meant it to be flattering!!!!

Curious, do you have a preference for one of the panel styles or door options?

Will be interested to hear the estimate, too! Good luck : ) and you're welcome!

I have a white colonial, black shutters and red door and after 15 years I'm still not tired of it. However, I AM tired of the flimsy porch our contractor put up and would love to be able to work magic like squirrelheaven did.

Squirrelheaven: Can you tell me what software you used and whether it's difficult to navigate? I just told my husband tonight I wish there was a program that could use an exising picture of our house and I could "try on" different porches.

Here's a picture of my house if anyone wants to make suggestions for a front porch. I'm so confused!!!!

http://photos.gardenweb.com/home/galleries/2008/02/house_pic.html?cat=my_favorite_room

THanks for any suggestions or ideas.

Not so uncommon. This is what I was warning MetroMom about -- be careful when you go forward with this expensive project. Also, we've only looked at a front elevation. Proportions to your house from the side also have to be considered.

Hi Lynn :) I use a photo-editing program like Adobe's Photoshop Elements. The one I use and like is a Microsoft product that's been discontinued, however. It's just a skill to learn, like anything else : ) It does take quite a bit of time and homework to get the hang of though.

You'll need to start a new thread for ideas, as the forum likes to keep the threads separate.

You think a new porch will be very expensive? Ughhhhhhhhhhh I was hoping under 10k.

You may want to read his post before you proceed. I know you mentioned something about a concern re: possible transfer in future.

http://ths.gardenweb.com/forums/load/remodel/msg021538463187.html?9

Hope this helps!