curb appeal - help!!!

13 years ago

HELP!!! My wife and I are soon to close on a new (5-year old) home, which we chose because A.) it had everything we were looking for in terms of size and layout and B.) it has something of a unique look compared to the cookie-cutter McMansions in the newer subdevelopments.

That said, it is definitely a "Garage Mahal", with the garage front and center, lacking quite a bit in curb appeal.

Strangely, we were simultaneously drawn to and repulsed by the overall look of the home. It's like the builder just made up the design as he went along... It ALMOST reminds me of a colonial with the hip roof and square windows, but I'm a bit thrown by the tall, recessed entry and the one window (at top left) that juts out further than the rest. In addition, my wife hates the color.

Anyway, any improvements to the faÃ§ade will probably be limited in terms of scope (i.e. changes to the existing roof-line would likely be cost prohibitive), so I'm seeking design ideas for paint colors, trim, or maybe a new porch or portico... anything that will up the curb appeal and make the home more welcoming.

Hints: We are drawn to contemporary or "transitional" architecture. Every house in the neighborhood is painted some variation of tan/brown... something a bit different might be good. We understand the landscaping needs work, and are open to suggestions (there are already some gorgeous pink/red rose bushes in the front).

Feel free to take a look and let me know if you have any opinions. I've included a snap of us at the entrance, just for the purposes of showing the scale of the entry.

Photos:

http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-ash1/hs345.ash1/29420_393728416283_506531283_4219057_7197393_n.jpg

http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-ash1/hs345.ash1/29420_393728446283_506531283_4219058_5736065_n.jpg

http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc3/hs356.snc3/29420_393728396283_506531283_4219056_895490_n.jpg

Here is a link that might be useful:

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Comments (8)

vampiressrn
13 years ago
CONGRATULATIONS!!!

Your home looks beautiful and there is lots of potential, so know there will be some great suggestions. A home just got painted in my cookie cutter neighborhood and the colors are really nice...on the dark side, but very attractive. Body of the home is in a color similar to Behr Blackberry Wine and the trim is in Behr Haunting Melody. Don't think these colors are for everyone...but they look nice on that house. I personally like a sage body and cream trim.
kathleenca
13 years ago
Congratulations on your new home! I don't think the existing color is bad at all - especially if everthing around you is brown. You could think about living in it for a year & getting to know the house better to determine what you want to do.

One suggestion would be to upgrade the large garage door with one with windows to provide light inside the garage.
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boxerpups
13 years ago
That is a beautiful house. Congratulations!!!

A few things I would do, if it were my house.

1) Change the garage doors to something like this...

2) put in a fake window unless I could afford a real
window above the garage doors. Something like this.
{{!gwi}}

How do you put in a fake window. Buy a window from HD
or Lowes and paint the backside of the window a dark
black. This way it looks like you can not see in.
Mount the window with trim to the outside of the house
above the garage area. It will open the area up.

3) Paint the entry way, not the doorway but the rounded
entry way a light color to create the illusion that
it is bigger.

4) New light fixtures even at the crown of the garage
door and also above entry way.

or this... choose what you love.

5) Add drive way pavers or brick on the edge or some
kind of stone to match the house.

{{!gwi}}
6) Keep the color. Or in the same color family of
gray blue. It works and it is why you fell in love with
the place.

7) Enlarge the right flower bed while
making the walkway look larger. Pull the plants
back from the walk way.

8) Love your house you will make it even more beautiful!!!
dogridge
13 years ago
Nice new home. I'm definitely getting a French vibe from this house. I have put together a design based on that. I know it isn't really transitional, but it has a sleek, simple modern feel. In addition the maintenance would be minimal.

SOme of the key components-
square panel of lawn bordered by gravel or concrete walkways with boxwood spheres on each corner

arbor over garage doors

oversized lanterns (theses are from home depot)

remove glass screen door from front- I think these are distracting- IMHO

front beds bordered by low boxwood hedge and filled with landscape roses or hydrangeas (depending on how much sun it gets and what zone you are in)

I like the color combinations in the homes shown- a lighter body and slightly darker trim. I also think you should consider wood graining the garage doors. The utube link shows one product that can help with that.

Staining the driveway a darker grey and using a grey #89 gravel on the walkways would downplay the size of the driveway. Consider using bluestone on the front porch.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tk3EEfzyF1o

Hope you like it. please post pics once you make changes to your home!
dogridge
13 years ago
PS- photos 1-4 courtesy of Cote de Texas (blog)
terezosa / terriks
13 years ago
I definitely like the idea of an arbor over the garage. That space needs something, and an arbor would look lovely.
calirose
13 years ago
As lovely as the landscaping is, I would remove the tree that is in front of the house and put it on the right side of the yard in front of the expanded drive/parking.

That tree if not removed will soon cover the entrance to your lovely home and all that will remain in view is your garage doors.
chicagoans
13 years ago
I was thinking just what calirose said: once the landscaping grows the front door will be blocked and the main view will be of the driveway and garage. I'd move that tree and take a good look at how the other elements can be moved or used to frame the view of your front door and draw the eye there.

I like the other suggestions too of ways to soften that big expanse of garage and driveway (doors with windows, make the concrete drive narrower and edge with pavers, etc.)

Congrats on your new home - it's lovely.