Help with front elevation ideas - our designer got sick.

10 years ago

Hello everyone,

Long time lurker, first time poster. My wife and I need some help with design ideas for the front of our house being built. Unfortunately our designer got sick during the design process and was not able to spend a lot time on the front elevation. We didn't think it was going to be too big of a deal, but after seeing it up in framing we're a little worried about the look.

Right now the plan calls for stucco siding (light beige), with hardieboard cedar shakes (natural cedar color), and 3 feet of stone trim along the base. Cedar beams for the porch, and we're thinking bold cedar beams for the gables. Cedar shudders on most of the windows as well.

We're not sure these combinations will work together and unfortunately the house is very flat and simple on the front. One idea was a false bay window on the left to help break it up a bit. Not sure what else can be done to spruce up the look. Any ideas would be greatly appreciated including any redesign recommendations. Right now we're in framing and the roof has been put on so we can still make changes. Thanks in advance for any suggestions.

This post was edited by MarkZrealty on Fri, Mar 14, 14 at 19:55

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Comments (6)

User
10 years ago
Eliminate the high waisted stone on the bottom. It's not a natural look. Instead, do one of the gable fronts entirely in stone, wrapping it around to the side to look like it was naturally built that way. Use the cedar shakes on the other bump out. And the stucco on the main house. And that's the max. Eliminate the brackets at the eaves. It's not appropriate.

Unfortunately, it's not just a cladding issue affecting the off look of the house. Can you do anything about the window positions, or is that already set? It looks like you are missing a window to the right on the entry bumpout. Or, it might look good to just have a larger version of the triple window that is shown on the left bumpout, centered. The windows on the central portion don't look related or balanced. I'd eliminate the double on the left and make the one on the right larger to be more in proportion.

You'd really benefit from engaging a design professional to go over the plans before you get any further along. With the issues that the facade has, I'd wonder about the issues that they layout has, as well as the more technical construction related "invisible" problems.
MarkZrealty
Original Author
10 years ago
Live wire, you are correct, we are missing the window on the right side in the picture. I should have drawn that in. It is installed on the house directly over the bottom window.

In the center of the house (where the word stucco is) we centered the double window and removed the single.

The left side double windows down we're thinking about a false bay at this point to help it out. The 3 small windows on the 2nd floor are closet windows.

Would you still keep the cedar beams?
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jdez
10 years ago
Instead of stucco, use hardi lap siding. And use some color like the Mountain Sage or a blue with light colored trim. I am not an expert by any means. Just telling you what I like and what I like is usually very different from the norm.
Kerscher87
10 years ago
i like the stone bit, one idea would be to determine some hierarchy between the rooms using the external materials, e.g. you could use stone on the bit on the right where the main door is and use stucco on the rest. There is something wrong with the windows on that bit as well, especially the one on top of the main door, can you remove that? also try to have windows of the same size especially in the middle bit, cos they look a bit messy. I think the use of the cheddar shakes is too much, i would remove it everywhere.
User
10 years ago
good luck with your project

This post was edited by Renovator8 on Sun, Mar 23, 14 at 11:56
sombreuil_mongrel
10 years ago
What is that thing on the small bump-out; a pent roof? if that's what it is, at least get rid of the nonsense overhangs on either extremity. But why would there be a pent roof there anyhow? Maybe a small pergola instead?
Move the front door porch over 6"; or make it a little smaller so the left-hand porch fascia dies into the front wall, not hanging out (again) into air.
Casey

Help with front elevation ideas - our designer got sick.

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MarkZrealty
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Help with front elevation ideas - our designer got sick.

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MarkZrealtyOriginal Author

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