Well, I was going to stop while I was ahead, but I already did these... Anyhoo, here are a few with just the trim painted, the door changed and the same garden as in the pictures above.

Squirrel, I really like the last one from the second set.

Do you mean this one with the built-in Deacon's bench?

Adding a lacecap hydrangea by the door and I like bringing the white out to the road with a fence. The open geometric seems to work better. Slate on the porch, brick base (same could be done with paint). (Can't really tell what is now.) Dentil mouldings highlighted in gray.

If this house doesn't have curb appeal, I don't know what does. What a little gem!

{{!gwi}}

The white posts really do make all the difference! Then, I wouldn't change the trim colors as the white post makes all the difference. Just paint a colorful door and add landscape. Replacing the post will probably be less expensive and more in scale than covering the brick post.

This is such a wonderful, fun cottage, isn't it?

Cameron

What an adorable cottage! I agree with removing the brick columns and replacing them with the white. We just replaced 8 just like the ones Squirrelheaven showed in her fantastic mock-ups. Bought them at Lowes and they weren't all that expensive individually. I also really like how Squirrelheaven beefed up the window trim and added a top header, it really helps reinforce the traditional lines of your cottage and the new columns. Then as Cameron said, bring some color in through your door and shutters if you like, add landscaping, the fence is great too if in the budget .. the place will just shine when you're done!

Everything that has been done has been great!

I had another thought, and unfortunately I don't have Squirrel's or others' talent to create the visual, so I will just try to describe.

I am wondering if you could extend the front porch to the left, all the way in front of the chimney. Box out or change the brick post that is there now to white, and then add another white post on the left side that lines up with the outer left of the chimney. Add a simple railing between the two posts and then going back on the left end to meet the chimney. I think it would create the feeling of a brick porch all the way across, rather than having the bulky chimney base so visible.

Instead of doing a flat roof, I would love to see it peaked, perhaps coming up about 1/2 to 2/3 of the height of the peak on the right. It would be centered over the new wider porch. This new peaked roof would end up coming in front of some of the bulky chimney as it rises, again making the chimney less overwhelming on the house.

High up on the chimney, it would be fun to add one of the wrought iron chimney decor pieces, like a curlique or the initial of the homeowner.

I love the black shutters on the right side, and the idea of a painted door rather than the wood - I think the wood gets kind of lost with all the brick.

Okay, now that Squirrel added the headers, I like the shutters! I just noticed that when zipdee mentioned it. Much more balanced with the extra weight at the top of the window.

At this rate, this forum could replace HGTV! (Now, if someone would just go do all this work for the OP) LOL

Cameron

Les, I was actually thinking of doing that too -- just to see it! Don't know that it's in the budget, though. It would seem to lend itself nicely to a porch too -- beautiful! as it is. We may have even scared Sara off at this point, lol. Maybe she's wandering the streets, wondering where her house is.

WGYW -- glad you like the shutters now! Who could not looove shutters and pussycats???

I do like the wooden doors, and the old English cottage feel it gives.

The headers look great!

OK, I have no idea how to do it, but do you think the big window would look any kind of attractive if replaced by a bay?

Was it already answered? Can the meter be relocated?

Goptta say, I don't care much for the round window in the door. It looks too much like a porthole... or an eye.

I love the shutters with the cutouts. Shutters with cutouts just scream "COTTAGE!!" to me, which is a great look for this adorable house.

She loves the shutters with the cutouts! Shutter upgrade :) Put the white posts with built-in Deacon's bench on Cat's Cottage, in periwinkle. (Can't paint the vinyl siding yellow, but the dentil mouldings are in soft yellow/cream.)

You may not have enough sun for most clematis vines (mine gets very little and still blooms :) but there are some other vines out there that will do shade or little sun.

That last one in periwinkle does it for me, squirrel! :)

Cattknap's periwinkle and yellow :) And a wacky screen door, to boot! Maybe hang an antique brass bell from the light for a doorbell :)

And Traditional with a porch :) (if seating would work like this).

Squirrel, nice porch!

Could you do the same one, but end the porch and post just to the left of the chimney, so that the end window is not a part of the porch?

Could you then do it with a peaked roof as on the right side of the house, just sitting a bit lower, to break up the chimney visual bulk a bit?

Thanks in advance if you can.

In lieu of shutters on the front window...a RESTRAINED rectangular flat-topped trellis on each side of the window (lining up with the window top) might look interesting.

Now I see where you're going here :) Brilliant idea! I think the left of the peak looks a bit short, or too much the same size as the door area, but not sure how to adjust without throwing the peak off center or accentuating the fp more. Any ideas?

I like the gable over the door, but not the shortened porch.

How does it look to have the door gable with the longer porch?

Squirell, I think you need to be teaching this skill somewhere... for LOTS of money.

I would come and enroll in your class.

Cutting off the fireplace with a porch roof visually brings all the brickwork back together like it was in the beginning. Doesn't look right.

Ooooooo...I love the gable over the door & I would probably prefer it with the long porch. Hmmm...wonder how it would look to have half round siding on the gable?

Looks like Squirrel put a doodad on the front of the chimney... looks great, I think. Can we bring it down a little so it's not hidden by the leaves of the tree?

If you decide on the gable over the porch, be sure to flash the heck out of that valley youve created on the roof or youre going to wind up with a waterfall down that wall. Continuing the main roof slope (at a much lower pitch)between the two gables out to the front will help too. Joining two roof gables together to create a valley can lead to roof/water problems down the road if you dont have a conscientious roofer.

Sorry catnap. :( You girls are so good at this I get confused about who did what. LOL Amyway you both do great work. I'm going to turn you lose on my living roomif I ever get my camera back so I can take pics.

I love the new porch and white post too.

I happen to love this big ole chimney :) Lots of old-fashioned charm and interest going on. Here ya go!

That's a head-turner...I like it!

! Indeed. Suzy, I tried some shingles but they look more cottage, and a bit too much on the house. The texture also brings a lot of focus to that area of the house.

Wonby, the shutters are also a bit narrower than the ones that you found a bit overwhelming.

Well, Sara just joined on the 10th! and I sure hope she doesn't forget to come back again :)

I do hope that fp doesn't take up most of the porch area, lol. Love the bench there :) And still madly in love with the little cottage look, too :)

Yes, I agree w/you squirrelheaven. I played around w/it a bit & came to the same conclusion as you did...too busy.

I really like the last one you did. That's curb appeal! :)

That looks cute, too, Squirrel, but that isn't quite what I meant.

I meant to have the porch just over to the left edge of the chimney, but have the roof peaked over the center of that entire porch area, not just over the door. So, with the shortened porch, the peak of the roof would be in line with the right side of the chimney and the post below.

If our 'lost OP' Sarah isn't up for that much work, I have also been wondering if on the original pix you could put a white latticework piece, like a trellis, standing in front of the bulkier lower part of the chimney to help lighten that area and make it blend in more with the wall to the left.

Squirrel, that last one is superb and I love that chimney. It really does make the house.

If you decide on the gable over the porch, be sure to flash the heck out of that valley youve created on the roof or youre going to wind up with a waterfall down that wall.

They're just playing around with designs. Any new roof configuration would definitely require more serious thought.

OMG! What transformations!!! You are all a bunch of very talented people.. all the pictures are great..! love the last one ..I think thats my favorite Ree

Sarah,

We're sure having fun with your house! I would show a picture of squirrelheaven's picture (the one posted Fri. Oct. 12 at 8:17) to a carpenter and a nursery and say, "I want that!" I think it's a piece of perfection. That little detail of the header over the porch is great! I do prefer keeping the porch roof slant as it is. I think it looks better than the gabled one. And i also prefer the original porch size to the elongated one. I can't design for anything, but i did spend years looking at art and architecture as an art history student, and I recognize gold when I see it. You must have a great eye, because you picked a real gem with amazing potential.

I never saw photoshop before --it's incredible!! And squirrel, you have a real talent for this. Wish you could do this for my house!

Ah, so :) How's the slope on this?

I guess you might be able to run a pipe down the inside of (detachable box-over post) the half-porch post along the right porch wall to drain that roof valley.

Might as well try on a few other decisions that someone might wonder about during selections!

Beautiful little thing :)

Squirrelheaven..geez! Just keeps getting better! Is this your profession or are you naturally this talented? Ree

This one is Les's porch! This house seems to be able to do it all, doesn't it :) Many a brilliant GW lady here at work ;)

Thanks all for your kind words and encouragement :)) It is greatly appreciated!

Now where is she, lol!! (((Sarraaaa))) ....... Smile!

Thanks, Squirrel! Looks great.

The only things I would change in your last one are take the black chair out of the left side of the yard, change the shutters to black, and perhaps do the gable for the porch in a siding that would match what is on the house for continuity.

I had originally drawn the gable a bit higher, maybe the equivalent of two rows of siding higher at the peak, but I think that is just a minor detail, and may not really look any different than the one you have created.

Thanks for bringing my inner vision to life!

That's all folks!

And I almost! forgot the shutter police :)

{{!gwi}}

LOL The shutter police - and I am usually one of them...

Thanks for making those little changes (which probably weren't so little to actually do, I bet). The house looks great!

This is like a doll house with so much potential.

So many great looks! How patient is our Squirrel.

I hope OP/Sara comes back to see the wonderful suggestions and visible possibilities that have been generated here.

I feel like contacting Tamara to have her send Sara an email! lol.

Givin' this one a shot :) Lacecap hydrangea and climbing hydrangea (if they come less than 40' :)

Didn't Sara say she couldn't look in on the weekends because she has slow dial up??

She's going to DIE when she see these!! Squirrel, I think I like it best without the shutters. Looks great with the full gable porch.

Maybe that's it, dial-up, lol. Looking back at her posts, it does look like she'll be back, as she posed some more questions.

With the window header, I think it looks great either way :)

I'm usually a shutter fan, but I think it looks great without, too.

This will make sara smile!

Sara, Sara, Sara, not nice to kiss and run.

I love the last picture but still think the door needs to be a lighter color...just too dark.

I agree with natal. Sara is really missing out on some great work by everyone (especially squirrelheaven.)

Hope she comes back.

Squirrelheaven, I would love to see what you can do to improve the curb appeal of my old home. You're really gifted!

Thank you so much :) Post a pic if you dare!

Arched brick walkway - tile front porch a coordinating tile or paint it a terra cotta/ brick color. Black shutters in front, black wrought iron filgree square decorative wall hanging in front of small wooden window above big one. Painetd Red or black door. Black chair or rocker on porch, flowering bushes in landscaping and a flowering pot on walkway.
I only wish I could do a pic like squirrel.

Tammy:)

Where did you all get the software to change the look of this house? That is a great program and I would love to be able to do that and try different things.

I like the idea of landscaping around this house. What a difference it made. My house is in need of some work around the front also.

I bought some stuff from a wrought iron website for the outside of my home. A welcome sign, house numbers and some small trellises for my garden flowers. Also I bought wrought iron hooks - kinda like s hooks that I could hang plants from for my side porch. The wrought iron does not take away from the plants because it is so dark it just blends in yet when someone really looks they can see how beautiful the hangers are instead of just white hangers or yarn hangers or something. It adds to the beauty of my home subtley and that is just what I was looking for. There was a site that had everything I needed.

Now my place looks nice but I need some flowers, plants etc for the front.