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tinkersouthernbelle

Ideas to help exterior of my ranch home?

I love a french style home. Country french, cottage, etc
We are about to replace the roof on our house and in choosing our roof color I was thinking about making some other changes.

I feel my house is too monochromatic. Light brick, light brown roof, off white trim. roof looks more brown in person than in photos.

I like my neighbors multi toned dark grey roof. (you can see it in the first photo, right next to my house) Is this too dark?

Could I add shutters, stain/paint my front door, stain/paint garage doors? Change front porch lighting? I love the gray/blue/green shutters I've seen on some "frenchy" homes. I'm not sure if this would look right on my house? Its about 15 yrs old.

Oh, and we are doing an upstairs expansion which is adding a double dormer on the back and one on the side (don't have a photo of this side of house).
Here are some photos of my homes exterior:


Dormer going between two peaks on left side. Right above left end of porch.

Here are the only inspiration photos I could find:

Comments (6)

  • Suzi AKA DesertDance So CA Zone 9b
    10 years ago

    I think you should thank your lucky stars to have this house. Keep the roof, and adding shutters would be nice.

    Would love to see the inside!

    Suzi

  • renovator8
    10 years ago

    IMO your house isn't a Ranch Style. If you want it to be more "French Inspired" you have a good start with hipped roofs and broken eave line but the classical pediment and columns of the entrance portico presents a problem.

  • stir_fryi SE Mich
    10 years ago

    I just have to add that I love your house too! And your large lot looks wonderful.

  • Nancy in Mich
    10 years ago

    How are your painting skills? I lived for a few years in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, and there people would use paint to add details in trompe l'oeil on the outsides of their homes. So a newer home such as yours might appear to have some peeling plaster with the bricks showing through to give it an older look, or you could make your garage doors resemble those that you posted above, with painted-on windows, panels, and hardware. Add some functioning shutters (not the plastic ones you mount to the wall, but ones wide enough to cover the windows they are on), some trellises, and other appropriate real items, and you can get the look without tearing your house apart! See the murals on the Saint-Georges Theatre in the link below. The before and after pictures are not to be believed.

    Have you considered a standing-seam metal roof for your replacement? It looks like that is the roof in the garage photo you posted. I wonder if any of the metal roof companies do them in a copper-patina look?

    Here is a link that might be useful: Wikipedia article

  • tinkersouthernbelle
    Original Author
    10 years ago

    Thanks everyone!
    Yes I know its not really a "ranch" but I didn't know what to call it : )
    nancy....don't really have painting skills : )
    The St George is impressive.

    I had not considered a different roof material...not sure if HOA (or budget) would allow for that. I love the metal roofs esp copper patina.

    Wondering if anyone can help with some photoshop ideas? I can post a better shot of the front if that would help. I've also seen the roof "decoration" pieces that seem to add character. I'm just worried about it being out of place.

    Keep the ideas coming!! I have about 4 more weeks before I have to decide about the roof!!!

  • bpath
    10 years ago

    The house across the street from me is rather French, grey-painted brick with a mansard roof (lucky me, I have a pretty view every day!) They removed the blue-green shutters last time they painted because the windows have enough style on their own, the trim has a slight, subtle curve at the top, not too much of an arch, just an arc; your windows would look terrific with shutters, just be sure to size them appropriately. For the dormers, consider an "eyebrow" or arc-ed style, also maybe replace the porch pediment with the same kind of shape. Try photoshopping them in and see how it looks. The blue-green color would be great; add some climbing plants like euonymous, maybe a low wall creating a kind of "courtyard" from the driveway to the front door. If you partly enclose the entry out to the pillars, you'd create a recessed entry that you could accent with a graceful but not ornate iron gate or archway.

    Your back terrace is lovely!