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Help my ugly house!

11 years ago

We just purchased our first home! The only problem is the exterior. I want to get rid of the shutters and add more trim around the windows. I would really appreciate any suggestions on paint colors and how to add more interest to the front since you do not see the front door when standing in front of the house.

Thanks!

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Comments (6)

Annie Deighnaugh
11 years ago
Its a cute home. Congratulations!

You are on the right track...get rid of the shutters, beef up the trim around the windows, around the roof line and beef up that column....add trim if possible around the front porch. Put a light fixture over the porch area.

Most of the rest is landscaping issues...Does the sidewalk go to the street? Think about getting rid of the concrete and the straight line....curve the walkway instead, esp if you can get a better view of the front door by doing so. Maybe look into stamped concrete for the walkway. Add plantings...maybe turn the area on the left in front of the window into a patio area with chairs and plantings to add charm.

As far as color, you can go in any direction you like, esp with a white roof. Go to the Ben Moore website and look at their exterior paint combos for some ideas.
dainaadele
11 years ago
Cute house. I should be doing other things, instead I felt like playing with photoshop....
New shutters and a cheery color would already make it nicer, but here is my simple structural idea...
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Also you need to add some trim across the front of the porch (currently is only a row of siding) and across the top of the window on the right of the picture. If you do remove the shutters (I don't necessarily agree with that, but they currently are too skinny for sure on the right windows) probably beef up the trim around the windows - making sure all 3 window trims match. Otherwise the window will just look puny. One of the things that give it a "cheap" look is the lack of, or inadequate (such as the skinny posts) finishing touches like good trim. Go to a siding website manufacturer website to look at all the options for trim. You can upload a good photo of the house too, and try out different colors and combinations. I dislike brown roofs for the most part also - especially when matched with yellow! Most are a shade of brown that is hard to work with. The photo AB posted looks great though, if your roof is close to that color then you do have several options for a siding color. Last resort - even asphalt shingle roofs can be painted (Behr makes a paint specifically for this), but just like painted siding, it won't last forever and will require touch ups and eventually full repainting to keep looking good. My painted aluminum siding needed work after about 10 years.
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Do you know the name of the shrub that's between the windows? What is behind the brick raised bed with the hedge? I like the suggestion to remove those bushes. What you do next depends on what is on the other side, next to the house. If you have a porch the same elevation as the front entry then I would buy some easy care annuals each spring, such as pansies, petunias, french marigolds. Creeping thyme will help control weeds. If the other side is more lawn or wanna-be lawn, then I'd put something in there that will get about a foot taller than the planter bed. Maybe an ornamental grass. To replace the shrubs I'd put something that will trail over the edge such as creeping thyme, moneywort, trailing petunias. As for the space between the windows I think you've made a good start with the shrub or small tree you have. It needs friends, something that is a bit shorter, one on each side. Maybe nandina, or camelia, depending on your climate zone. Neither needs much care and rare pruning. There are some roses, particularly floribundas that need very little care. When I lived in Bakersfield, California and in the Sierra foothills I cut them back to about a foot high each winter and that was it. I didn't fertilize, spray, nothing. They grew and bloomed just fine. The yellow and peach colored ones were the toughest and most reliable. Floribundas are generally smallish, about 3'-4' tall and have many small rose blooms.
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Your trees and greenery are beautiful! I imagine that's one of the wonderful things about living in Florida. In my opinion the front of your house could use some help breaking up the flat front. I don't always love pergolas over garage doors, but I think you could put pergolas over each garage door and grow some beautiful vines over them to add some of that natural beauty to the house. A balcony would probably be even better, but more expensive I'm sure. I also think a new paint color would help. The current color is a little blah. I'd be curious how a light muted sage green would look. You might also consider changing the railing around your front stoop to something more open. Maybe just vertical slats like the stairs (but probably closer together for code). Also, consider wrapping the columns holding up your stoop and the roof overhang so that visually they look a little stronger.
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dainaadele
11 years ago

I got to get back to work.... it is just your house has such good bones.
Fori
11 years ago
I agree--not a lost cause at all. Get more photos, some general measurements, and a kevlar suit, and take it to the landscape design forum. They might be able to help you with the yard--seems to me your house isn't too bad. It's just lonely!

Also try the home decorating forum. I do like Daina's yellow version. Big shutters! And yellow!

Here is a link that might be useful: http://forums2.gardenweb.com/forums/design/
jamie81
11 years ago
Very cute! Not an ugly house at all! I agree with Annie, landscaping will make a huge difference. You already have a gorgeous tree. Adding some color with shrubs and enlarging the gardens will give it a little more personality.

Not a fan of bright colors on houses, but I guess it depends on where you live. Your house just needs a little contrast, so it stands out a bit. Wider trim and new shutters will look great.
powermuffin
11 years ago
Your house will be quite cute with just a bit of work. I agree with you about beefing up the trim and removing the shutters. I would put a nice window box below the window. In the winter, you can put evergreen boughs in it.

Right now the house has the blaas because the paint choice and roof color don't compliment one another. Even if all you do is paint that little strip of trim up by the roof line a contrasting color, the house would be cheerer. Dark blue, deep red or a rich gray-green would do wonders. Then you can think about painting the main part of the house after you settle in.

The landscape could be easily fixed with a deep garden area in front of the window and the addition of perennials and small evergreens as dainaadele has shown.

The suggestion of a curved walkway in an interesting material is also a good idea.
Diane

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