Need Help with our Front Elevation

11 years ago

Hi everybody,

Here's the current front elevation of our house (the 2nd image below is our inspiration house that combines many of the different materials found in our plan):

1 - I would like your opinion on the materials that we have on there now. It definitely looks a little busy without the blending and contrasting of various colors, but does this work with you (or does it definitely not work)? An option we're considering is to use vertical board & batten and limiting the shakes to the gables... something like this (quick photoshop):

We're also looking at possibly limiting the stone to a few feet of height (about 1/3rd of the height of the first floor) then covering the rest of the house with a yet to be determined combination of horizontal siding / vertical board and batten / shakes.

2 - We had a discussion with our builder and he thinks the best option for the large front porch is a cement slab. We had planned on using some type of composite decking and possibly closing the gap under the porch with the same material placed vertically. We're still unsure of the final grade of the house (therefore how many steps up we'll have to take to get to the front door), but we don't want to lose the country feel of the porch by using a big slab of cement. Our builder doesn't thinks our idea will look good. Does anybody have pictures of big porches that use vertical blocking to close the opening?

Thanks for the help!

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Comments (9)

bevangel_i_h8_h0uzz
11 years ago
You asked for opinions so...

It doesn't "work" for me. Not at all. It's far too busy and there seems to be rational plan to how the different cladding materials are used on different parts of the structure. They're just slapped on willy-nilly.

But then, I also don't like your inspiration picture. To me, having stone go part way up the second floor level but not all the way to the roof makes it look like somebody goofed and didn't order enough stone and then, rather than get more, decided to just "do something different" the rest of the way up. Ugh.

And, if your builder doesn't flash very properly between the bottom of the Hardi sections and the stone/brick below it, you're likely to get water intrusion.

In my opinion - and I know beauty is in the eye of the beholder but you did ask for opinions - you've chosen a bad "inspiration" and made it worse.

James Hardie's website has a nice little booklet called "The value of design" that I urge you to read.

Here is a link that might be useful: The Value of Design
palimpsest
11 years ago
I agree that the materials are much too complex. It doesn't make sense to have stone on the second story that is not structurally tied in with the stone on the first. A house with supporting masonry walls can't be constructed with masonry on dormers sitting on a roof, so this detail calls it out as a fake, and it's never really a good idea to use materials in an obviously fake way.

I also think the rooflines are much too complex, but that is very popular right now.

But in terms of the materials, I would use masonry on the first story and one type of siding (whether it be shingles, clapboard or board and batten on the upper and leave it at that. I think there is a tendency in modern construction to pile on the details, and that is going to look old fast. Around here this type of thing is colloquially known as "Trying to shove ten pounds of s--- into a five pound bag."

Sorry, but I think you will be much happier over the long term if you simplify.
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Just some random thoughts for you. In your first pic, there is way too much roof and it is overwhelming the house. The 2nd pic looks so much better with the lower roof. Is there anyway to compromise and put the 2 car garage to the front and the one car garage on the side? I can relate as we chose to do just that. Mainly because having the garage in the front shortens the driveway which is great for winter and it makes the front door used by guests as they know where to go. Most houses with side garage doors do end up with guests entering the garage...many houses around here don't even bother putting a sidewalk to the front door. The exception is where there is a circular drive that people can park in and then they use the front door. But the risk with that is that people leave cars there and it ends up looking like a car ad. We made a prominent gable and stoned it and then bumped out the entry porch even more to make sure the front door was outstanding and then blended the garage in with the rest of the style of the house with the dark doors receding. The 3rd garage we were able to build under the house and hid it with a garage door that looks like french doors. (we've since painted the french porte garage door out to match the rest of the trim....)
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I am amazed by the suggestions I am getting from all of you. I've been stalking for a long time before finally posting, so really I shouldn't be since I have seen what great advice has been given here. homesweethome- The symmetry is something that was bothering us quite a bit. I said "asymmetrical angles" earlier in a post. I guess I was meaning that we didn't want too much symmetry. Also, we like the look of having, for lack of better description, triangles, squares, and rectangles. And even the angles of the gables that might not be the same degree on every one. We plan on using a stone facade. I like the larger and rounder style stone. nicke360- You seemed to see things that have been bothering me with the floorpan and just fixed them. I was feeling like the mudroom area was a waste of space. In a much earlier design, it was a better fit. I wanted an enclosed old school style coat closet. So I can just shut the door if I need to. I was also thinking of having a utility closet in the entry area from the garage and a separate, possibly vented, sports equipment closet. But I think what you have given me is a great jumping off point! And I LOVE LOVE LOVE the laundry room connecting to the master closet. I would like a desk area in the kitchen/living for the family computer to go, and a place the kids can work on homework or I can work on bills. Any suggestions on that? The thing inside I am having the biggest problem visualizing is the finished attic space. We want to use floor trusses, and I think that will not make it an actual two-story. Am I correct? I know there will be sloping ceilings and knee walls. I am very ok with that. I like the look and we are not tall people. I don't know how much space up there is actually useable. Thank you for your ideas. Very refreshing. How do I tell what walls will be like regular walls, and which will be knee walls? I will give you a little background. (knew i forgot something) We live in central Utah. We have 2 boys and 1 daughter. Elementary age. The daughter will be getting the attic bedroom. We have jokingly been calling it her "princess suite" -My husband thinks she might not move right up there though. Luckily we have the guest bedroom she can use for a while if she's not wanting to be alone on a floor. The extra living space up there has no real identity yet. Except for the craft room. That's one of my splurges. The boys want to share the large basement bedroom. And when that gets old for them, there is the extra one down there. The laundry space in the basement is just me looking ahead and getting the plumbing roughed in, even though we won't use it right away. The bathroom will be tailored to the boys, hence the urinal. I plan on having quite a bit of tile in that part of the bathroom for easy clean up. Storage: I need lots of storage. I tend to keep "stuff" and need a designated place to put it. I am trying to curb my hoarding ways, but I know my limitations as well. That is why I want useful areas on each level to have space so I can be organized. I also mentioned the sports equipment storage. We are a baseball family already and my husband is the coach, so we have more than the normal share of equipment that needs to be easily accessible on a regular basis. I guess the garage could probably handle that. I thank you all again for a fresh perspective. A new set of eyes has helped me to see some changes that could be made for the better.
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The problem is there is no central theme for the house. Since the most successful themes can be seen in the major house styles that’s a good approach but it’s always possible to invent your own if you have a bit of experience and skill. That doesn’t mean randomly combining architectural elements, that only creates confusion. Start with multiple 3D massing models without eave and rake overhangs. It’s easy to do with SketchUp since it’s easy to push and pull walls. When something looks promising add some detailing on a print by hand. Let it be loose and even sloppy. Save everything for later review. Reinforce what you like with a heavier pen. When you think you have something put it on another copy of the model and then print and sketch some more. When it very promising add color or materials but only a few.
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Comments (11)
I would make the window size/placement match the 2 windows to the right. I think that is the only reasonable solution, given the stage of construction. Simply narrowing the window would look dumb for the reasons you describe, and I think it is too late in the game to be redesigning such a prominent roof structure to accommodate this one window.
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kirkhall
11 years ago
It looks like it is sinking underwater. Or, that it had sunk underwater. Why is that stone so high? And, why cut it off where it is?

I'm with Pal and Bevangel--simplify.
gaonmymind
11 years ago
Wow Bevangel! What a great resource. I am pouring through it now. My build is already up, but I am so happy it doesn't violate any of these principles.

To the OP don't get discouraged, but I agree with the others. I think you need to look up styles of homes and really go in a direction that meets a historically accurate theme. Also read the material in the link Bev sent. I am halfway through it.
chispa
11 years ago
Sorry, I don't like the inspiration or elevations. Agree with comments made by previous posters. Why does the stone on the columns only go up 90% of the way? Too many materials. Too many transitions.
MGDawg
Original Author
11 years ago
Thanks for the comments. Pretty unanimous so far - I think we'll revisit our look.

Any comments on the finishing of the porch?
Annie Deighnaugh
11 years ago
I'm with the others...not a fan of the inspiration, and definitely do not like the excess mix of materials on the exterior. I too would worry about the integrity of the exterior envelope especially with unsupported stone on the 2nd floor....even thin stone needs support.

Note how the stone and siding was used here, one shingle, one batten:

[Traditional Exterior design[(https://www.houzz.com/photos/traditional-exterior-home-ideas-phbr1-bp~t_736~s_2107) by Other Metros Interior Designer Suzanne Denning Suzanne Marie's Interiors

[Traditional Exterior design[(https://www.houzz.com/photos/traditional-exterior-home-ideas-phbr1-bp~t_736~s_2107) by Minneapolis General Contractor Stonewood, LLC
zone4newby
11 years ago
M thoughts on the porch: I think that using decking vertically to block off the porch would end up as another visual element, and as your plan stands now, would be too much. I think a concrete slab porch can be a really clean look, and wouldn't make the house less "country". Is there a reason you don't want to use lattice to block off the porch, if you go with decking? Since it's the expected material, I think it would have less visual impact than using decking, and would also have a more traditional feel.
sombreuil_mongrel
11 years ago
The designer drew horizontal bands attempting a "prairie style" feel.
But the des. messed up with the snaggle-tooth shakes.
They need to be even-coursed shingles,
preferably in a different color and shade distinct from the masonry.
Casey

Need Help with our Front Elevation

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bevangel_i_h8_h0uzz

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