What about potted shrubs, plants etc. in the corners to soften it up?

Is there enough space by the metal railing to plant a pretty shrub or 2? Maybe put a bench in front of them.

I don't think that lattice under the stair and landing area would be a problem w/ leaves and would look really nice.

1. lattice under the back steps, shouldn't have problem w/ leaves.

2. Paint the concrete a lighter color than the house color.

3. Paint the railing white, imo, rather than red, so that the doors continue to stand out.

4. Buy/make a covered bin for the recycling. You can't toss, perhaps, but it would look better. In fact, is there room to move it to below the porch railing?

5. Remove the brooms and put up a little welcome sign.

6. Invest in a pretty overhead light, if you don't have one and/or a nice light for the wall beside the door.

7. Planters, planters, planters. Impatiens are easy to grow and often (not always) do well in either sun or shade.

PS Ain't any HOME butt ugly. Yours is beautiful, I'm sure. This is just a sore spot that you're going to get fixed. How fun is that?

dlm, are we married to the same man?!

Can you train a climbing rose on that metal rail to the basement? Not sure how much sun it gets there.

Well -- I would simply place a single lattice-type panel (framed of course!) -- held upright (maybe by a piano hinge?) -- and out from the fence -- at the spot where the tree trunks are sitting in your photo. That single panel would at least shield some of the area -- and would be easy to walk behind. OR simply invest in a long patio planter and add a tall lattice back -- and add plants. The planter could even have wheels for easy moving during projects.

As for the garbage and recycling -- would your DH consider building a small wood bin that would "cradle" the bins and shield them slightly? He could add a lid (metal lined to keep out pests) If he builds a rack for them -- he could make it wheeled -- which would make it faster to get them to the street.

As for the basement door -- yes -- paint the stair-rail -- but I would prime it very well and paint it a darker color that would help it to disappear. Although the red stairwell would be fun -- and match the door! And I would add a small light or two that would let someone see the stairs in the dark.

As for the under-the-back-stairs -- yep -- I vote for a latticed area with a hinged door -- for cleaning. Get the tight-weave lattice which will hold back the leaves. OR -- would a couple of larger pots of taller plants work as a shield?

Just some thoughts! Hope these help! I have the same problem here -- our garage is filled with stuff everyday -- and it is the main way for us to enter and leave the house! Sheesh! :(

OK, so everyone thinks the lattice under the stairs would work and not be a pain with leaves thats certainly easy enough.

Druidclark I actually wanted to move the recycling beneath the stairs as long as there could be a trap door so I could still drop stuff in! Needless to say DH kinda rolled his eyes at that one. So the concrete paint you think a lighter brown/tan is the way to go? Yes the broom needs a new home the laundry room is just inside that door so Ill get a hook. We do have a vintage hanging light over the back door - you can see a bit of it below.

Ttodd there is a small strip of dirt between the metal railing and the drive currently have some daylilies there and could/probably will add some other bright annuals Its nice to have plants that disappear because when we plow that area in the winter, shrubs would take a real beating. Im spray painting 2 cool IKEA planters today, actually just came in to give my hand a break! One will go at the corner of the house, the other . not sure yet.

awm you know the drill then if its not practical, its not on his priority list!

Jan as usual you have the vision! A swinging screen how perfect! Wonder what I can do to convince Keith how perfect that would be.. ;-) Im also thinking dark for the metal railing now. I just cleaned it with denatured alcohol and there are a couple of small rust spots that will bleed through white paint even with primer. Dark paint at least wont need yearly painting. So probably the same color as the siding or the Cottage Red, Im thinking.
. What I didnt show is the small garden area to the left of the basement entrance t has a white climbing rose and boxwoods still filling it in. And there is a light over the basement stairs.

I agree with using a framed lattice gate as a partition in the garage area. It wouldn't have to meet with the corner of the garage but could be located this side of the garbage can. To stabilize the 'free' side of the gate, drill a hole in the concrete and install a pin (as seen on double doors & barn doors) on the edge of the frame.

Don't know your zone, but if you have room you could plant some Sky Pencil Holly by the metal railing. It's slow growing and narrow.

DH will love to hear this, but I don't think it's necessary to grind down the framing lines on the foundation. I've seen such framing done on purpose for the unique look it gives when painted. I would paint a section first and see if you like the look.

Also, I can't tell what, if any, finish is on the wooden stairs, but have you ever considered painting the risers and skirtboard?

annz the stairs are painted, same brown as the siding but looks odd in the picture because of the sun splash. For our front entry the risers are white but for the back I didn't bother - easer to maintain for the everyday entrance. I'll work on taller perennials or annuals by the metal railing. And if we (meaning DH!) can get away with no grinding, that would be nice!

Thanks! Vision? (snort LOL!) According to DH -- I simply can find projects for anybody! LOL! Just teasing!

Just wondering -- you may want to light the starting edge of the stairs down to the basement -- just for safety! I wonder if those solar lights that attach to deck stairs would work there? Maybe attach them there with double-sided carpet tape?

And DH wanted to know if rainwater or stormwater run-off is a problem with your downspout right there by the start of the stairs down to the basement? Just being nosy ....

Jan at Rosemary Cottage

I bought a couple of inexpensive outdoor copper washboiler type containers (new, not antique) that I put my recycling in and keep the plastic ones in the garage. I can toss the recycling out and on recycle day I just transfer the stuff to the plastic containers for the curb. I would think plastic wicker boxes or something else light enough to lift easily would work and pretty up that spot - or I'd put them where the brooms are. These are a little $$ but you could likely find something similar.

Jan you can be as nosy as you want - I just won't answer you if you go too far! Honestly we have no lighting issues - there's a carriage type light and if we need more we have utility floods that you can't see way up at the peak of the gable. There's a drain at the bottom of the basement stairs so any rainwater from that downspout that goes down the stairs goes into the drain tile, just like the rain or snow that falls directly on the stairs. And no, we have no water issues in the basement - it's been bone dry for 20 years this June!

olychick I love the idea of the decorative recycle bins - copper - how gorgeous! But since DH is the one who brings them to the curb, I KNOW he won't transfer contents - not in MY lifetime!

I think your garage would look amazing with a lattice above the doors. I've seen pics but not sure if I can find one now. I'm thinking of sort of a pergola look. Corbels or beams attached to the garage on either side of the doors and then lattice running across. You could grow and easy vine across it and it would be so dramatic, no one would notice the stuff beside the garage.

I wouldn't do lattice to cover the understeps area. I'd cover it right up with plywood and do shakes over it to match the rest of the siding.

Agree with others about painting the railing white instead of red. A few massive planters would make all the difference. Our Homesense sells them for very little.

Beautiful home as is, but a few tweaks will make it spectacular.

Here's sort of what I was thinking of.

Here's another one that might suit your space better.

Are those ladders leaning against the fence? They could be hung on the side of the garage. This is what the back of our shed looks like.

{{gwi:32171}}

Love your home! I had a back porch like that once and used lattice to cover up the bottom part. What I did to avoid the leaf problem was cover the back of the lattice with screen. Worked perfect and looked nice all the time. I used the vinyl lattice.
~Betsy

Ah! Makes perfect sense -- both the utility lights and the drain at the bottom of the stairs .....

Jan (nosy old cat! LOL!) at Rosemary Cottage

natal that's actually not a ladder, it's a trailer hitch platform that was there at that moment in time and the other leaning item is just a board I think. The accouterments will vary based on the project du jour. We have the same type of rack system you do but at any given moment there will likely be something in use and visible. That makes the screen idea very appealing to me. That area in your picture looks just like ours, with the gravel between the fence and shed/garage - for a second I wondered how you got that shot!

daisy chain I LOVE the pergola idea - the second one especially. We've toyed with the idea of tearing our garage down and building a new one with a steep roofline to match the house that would create attic space above, carriage doors - you know, really cute it up. But it doesn't seem likely and sure isn't a priority so maybe the pergola would work. I'm going to show DH that second picture

Deb, if you don't have too much wind that would blow this baby away an air conditioner fence could work to camouflage your recycle bins at least from ground level and you could still toss things from the porch into them.

I'd use this type of lattice to cover the area under your porch, attach to the railing to the basement and possibly make a fence/block for the side of the garage.
This squared style I think works with your homes style and would be easily cut to look finished when attached to the railing to the basement. Not sure what your lighting situation is there, but Morning Glories or other vines would look pretty there and add some color.
When talking fencing to block the side of the garage I'm thinking if you bring it far enough forward it will block the view from the street but still allow open access for Kevin to all his stuff. You'd have to drill into the concrete to attach the fence posts, but it's certainly doable.

This is turning out to require more convincing than I thought.

May have to break out the thong dance. Stay tuned.

Cue music: Bow chick a bow wow...

chick a bow wow............

I love this thread. I am getting ideas, too. I already printed the second pergola.

For the metal railing I don't like the white or color of the house. I would use a metal colored paint. Like copper, antique pewter or an oil rubbed bronze. How about a cute sign somewhere? I love the signs that have "Established 1899" if you know what I mean. I was thinking a skinny one placed between the two garage doors.

Happy dancing.

kk funny you should mention metal paint for the railing. I just sprayed 2 planters with Dark bronze Rustoleum and realized that would look great on the railing, too. Can't spray the railings but if that color isn't ready mixed in a can I'll have it matched. FYI - it is really close to the house color.

Would some visuals help?

I know we can't see that part of your picture, but a hanging flower or herb basket might be nice right off of your kitchen.

Just playing around, I made you a locking-wheel rolling lattice screen with a planter box at the bottom. He could wheel it around easily when he works plus you would have the versatility of placement.

The bike-rack railing: Since you have to keep it, could you disguising it with a panel of lattice and hang a couple of planter boxes from it? Since you have snow issues, I thought it would be easier to maintain than plantings below. Anyway, just thowing around that idea.

just spray that paint into dixie cup and get painting.

Cue music: Bow chick a bow wow...

Sorry, I have no idea why this posted twice!

I just wanted to say that I don't think the back of your house looks bad at all. Not nearly in line with how you described it. :-) I'd love to see the front.

Some great ideas posted here for you!

ohhhhhh paintchips - that is so cute! Thank you! I like the look of the lattice in front of the metal railing. And the planter by the back door looks so nice but our drive is super narrow and DH's truck mirrors barely miss the rail by the back door as it is! Love the way you made a locking wheel screen - wish DH could work as fast ;-)

newhomebuilder you've seen the front - you just don't remember which house goes with which screen name - I get everyone's homes confused, see a picture and then think - oh that's right, I remember now.

This is the front last summer. I WILL get the railings for those front steps this summer or DH is sleeping in the treehouse!

And winter

Beautiful home!

About those leaves staining the driveway. Have you tried using a pressure washer? It does a pretty good cleaning stains.

Paint chips that's just what I was talking about only you added the planters making them all extra cute! Oh and the lattice is different than I suggested, but you added trim around the railing to make that work. Very pretty. You did good girl. I'm watching our grandson or I'd have played around with paint. So thanks for the visuals!
Deb, we screwed planters with trays to the top of our back deck railing. That could work for your porch. Here's a view from the back yard.
{{gwi:1691657}}
And from the deck.
{{gwi:1691658}}

dlm2000 - I don't believe I do remember your home, but I love it! I probably do remember the inside, though.

Just spray that paint into a dixie cup and get painting...
Brilliant, Kitchenkelly! (I think that's the perfect color, too~)

Deb...your home is lovely!

tannatonk somehow I missed your post - that's a great idea backing the lattice with screen.

kk & Lori - There's only a bit left in the spray can, not enough for the whole railing. I'll get the paint today, though. BTW - have you ever done that - the spray into a cup thing? I can only imagine the mess.

Thanks, NHB - after a while of posting the same pics over and over You just assume everyone has seen them!

Becky you deck looks very pretty. I don't need plants on our itty bitty back porch though - it's already tight. And I use that railing to hang things or to shake things like sandy wet beach towels so I'd destroy flowers there!

natal we do pressure wash and it does come clean, but not for long. It's a driveway..... I worry about my kitchen floor being clean - that's enough!

I'm gonna need a better dance for that pergola idea.

Yep, I think lighter on the base, but I find I'm contrary to lots of opinions. My reasoning is that stonework would be lighter than your siding color and darker might make it look too dark. Staying in the same family should be safe. You have a very lovely house, btw.

Justgotabeme- Rereading now I see your idea. Gosh, and I thought I had a brilliant idea. Should have known! Love your railing. Hope you don't mind, but I saved your picture to show my husband.

DLM, your husband didn't leave room for flower boxes when he bought his vehicle? Shame on him! :OP

You have a lovely home, front and back! :) I think everyone here has given you some great ideas. I like the lattice and the planter on wheels with lattice back. It seems like it would take very little for you to get the back shaped up like you want it. Have you thought of staining the concrete? I know it is just a driveway,,,, but that is a big expanse of concrete, and i have seen some beautiful stains that look like stone................ just an idea.

Thanks Deb. I do agree that shaking sandy beach towels and flowers on railings don't go well together. At all. I used to shake my throw rugs out there, but this stopped that chore. Well I still have to do it, but now have to walk further since the front porch is screened in too I have to go out the garage. I didn't think ahead at all, but do love both porch and deck.
Paint Chips. That's really funny that you hadn't even read my post first. I guess great minds do think a like!
And by the way. You did have a brilliant idea. Ha!

Partial update, progress is being made although not done.
You're welcome ;-)

We bought the vinyl lattice for under the stairs although haven't put it up yet

I painted the railing and the foundation but may do the foundation again - not sure I'm on board with the color. although it isn't completely dry here and it is darkening a bit. What do you think? And no, the part that you see unpainted is staying unpainted. Because that portion of the stairwell is in direct contact with soil, it is always a bit damp and DH says the paint won't grab right - sigh.

And from further back. We're looking a bit like the Clampetts at the moment. (reality check - we ALWAYS look a bit like the Clampetts)

Love the railing color! Complements the red door beautifully!

Looks great! I THINK THE FOUNDATION IS FINE. Opps! Didn't mean to yell. Hit the Caps lock by accident.

Does anyone else see this as the subject on the main page: 'Quality of Safavieh Rugs from Overstock', yet when I click on it this thread opens up??

Anyway, regarding the color on the foundation, I'm not sure I'm on board either. Think I'd try a shade lighter or either darker.
There is paint for concrete in damp areas and one brand I've used is Drylock. You can use the latex version and it can even be tinted.
I once used it on a koi pond, with 1/2 the area under water. It was still looking great 5 yrs later when I painted it black.

annz, yes there's something going on with the posts again - not sure how my post got switched with the rug one. Thanks for the tip on the Drylock - will look into it...... but I have 5 (yes 5) gallons of the other (it's only sold in 5 gal containers) :-/ It's a multiple lifetime supply!

Thanks natal - I'm loving the railing, too!

nhb - shush! thanks for the ok on the foundation - still not sure.......

Deb...the railing looks FAB with the door!

Love the railing. I am with ya on the foundation. I think it is too light. I think a foundation should be darker. How about a dark, dark grey or the color of the roof.

Love the roof over the window. I hate when overhangs are too small.

Love the railing. Not loving or hating the foundation.

So you would be Granny Clampett or Ellie Mae? Yep, we have a Clampett chain for our dog that gets out of his underground fence. A tad Clampett at this house, too - men!!

Love the railing color. Love the color of your house & would continue that for the foundation. Beautiful house.

Smiles:)