California ranch gets an exterior upgrade!
Pipdog
10 years ago
I thought I'd share some photos of our freshened up exterior. Thanks to all for your suggestions on paint colors and tips on how to make our porch safer and more useable. We ended up putting a step up to the porch.
We kept the house white, but lightened up the shutters, painted the red brick white, and changed the door color. We also landscaped the yard, removing the lollipop-shaped bushes next to the entry, and tearing out the anemic-looking azaleas and scraggly roses. The goal was to make the landscaping more tropical/beachy, adding plants native to Southern California and palms, asparagus ferns, birds of paradise, tree ferns and succulents. We also expanded the porch with flagstone. The porch faces a lovely park, so we don't have across the street neighbors. It never made sense to us that our front porch was so small and hemmed in and blocked by shrubs. Expanding it has made our front yard much more useable.
Here's the before:
{{!gwi}}
After (Pip has found himself a new resting spot):
before front door:
{{!gwi}}
after (we added trim around the door but still need to install our barn light over door):
landscaping before:
same point of view now:
This post was edited by pipdog on Wed, May 1, 13 at 1:19
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Comments (33)
DLM2000-GW
10 years agoRelated Discussions
Exterior trim advice for 1960's ranch
Comments (9)Neat looking house. Would NOT paint the brick. Would paint the exposed metal chimney pipe a heat resistant black. Would repaint all the white trim white. Look up the "c are" instructions for that bush nearest the porch and, if appropriate to do so this time of year, trim it to below window height and a bit back away from the porch post. Would wrap that skinny front porch post to make it sturdier looking and paint it white. You might outline the sidewalk in pavers (tops level with the sidewalk top) to widen the sidewalk -- after creating a flat place between those pavers and the higher dirt/lawn. Then you could plant an outlining row of a low growing plants (such as liriope, if in Zone 7 or if it will grow where you live) to outline the sidewalk and prevent the dirt from washing over the sidewalk. Spider plants will grow faster and might work for the summer but the plants may not survive the winter and whether or not the roots will survive might require covering them in plastic. Then focus on creating a healthy lawn....See MoreHelp my 1960's Ranch get some street cred! (exterior remodel)
Comments (18)Really nice house and yard. Agree ... don't paint the brick; do wrap the porch post and do darken the garage door (if painted, it should be one of the darker colors in the brick. If it is in your budget to replace the garage door and front door w/wood MCM doors, do. You might also consider a short wood privacy fence in the same wood finish on each side of the house set in a straight line with the front exterior wall with a gate for access to the back yard on at least one side. You might want to paint the downspouts so they better blend with the most dominant color in the brick. Don't clutter the house attaching a lot of trim without actual useful purpose. Don't clutter the wide open spaces of the front yard. Instead, create a hedge beneath the windows on the left side and trim the tops in a straight horizontal line beneath the window sills. Outline the planting area for these with pavers with their tops at ground level to make mowing beside them easier. You could leave the row of shrubs alongside the driveway and add a sidewalk straight forward from your porch alongside the shrubs (on the side opposite the shrubs), thus creating an outlined planting area for the shrubs. Unless you truly like doing detailed yard work in the summer heat and winter cold -- or paying someone else to do it -- then primarily focus on creating the most healthy lawn possible rather than adding a lot of other planting areas to be tended....See More1970's California Ranch Exterior Design Help
Comments (9)Mick50 I like what you're suggesting with hat modern dark and natural wood look. Except that I have this fear of doing anything too on trend and then feeling like its out of date down the road. Though, guess how the kitchen is designed?! Hale Navy cabinets, hardwood floor and a butcher block island so we do have that look going on in the kitchen! I'm really struggling with finding what i like and just going for it with this desire to be timeless. Its paralyzing because i like what's on trend but then worry that it'll look dated(argh!) Having said all that, what you suggest is exactly what i asked for.... stylish and stunning. I think what i'm wanting is something more timeless. Think Father of the Bride House but updated and a tract housing ranch (where's the laughing crying emoji?!) so at this point i'm trying to figure out which colors (hide) the anderson white windows) and make it look as timeless and almost Hollywood Regency or stylish cottage as possible (is that a thing?)...See MorePainting my 1956 California Ranch home and looking for help!
Comments (32)I'll let it out if it's ok, that the tall tree isn't fresh -- looks ...tired. ;) Maybe out aways from house, brightest succulents would draw the eye on toward the house... Firesticks can have subtle colors ok with light yellow... is paint in bad condition? I ask cause seems other parts could be spent on....See More
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