Shingles, Siding and Trim. Please help with this 70's Ranch
rosewas
11 years ago
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Lori A. Sawaya
11 years agorosewas
11 years agoRelated Discussions
How to update the facade of our boring 70's ranch?
Comments (33)Wow... lots of ideas! The weathered cedar shingles are beautiful and I regret not keeping that look. But I couldn't find any siding manufacturers with vinyl shingles when we replaced the cedar shingles back in the mid 1990's. Today they make a variety of beautiful products. Love these Certainteed shakes in Sable Brown: I also hate the white trim around the gambrel on my house. I don't know what I was thinking when we had it installed. But I do like the brown siding. (Sorry kswl and chickadee2. But I appreciate your honest opinions!) All the homes in our area have either white, tan or yellow siding. I wanted something different. (Ha! I certainly achieved that!) Although we can't afford to cover the white trim and/or replace the siding now I'll get some estimates. At least it's something we can budget for. So back to the door. I need to cover the blue. I visited our local BM dealer and chatted with the decorator about door color. She listened patiently to my sob story about how DH doesn't want a black door and how I would love to have a red door. Well she found the perfect red: BM Country Redwood. ("Nobody has ever returned Country Redwood") It's similar to the Cottage Red that I love but a tad more orange. I painted the door last weekend and just love it! Makes the door the focal point of the house. Will post photos as soon as we get a sunny day to take a picture....See MoreHelp with BORING 70's ranch exterior in PNW
Comments (18)The areas between the windows would be excellent places to add tall flowering or evergreen shrubs to soften the squareness of the house. They could help put emphasis /focus on the house, rather than the yard or imperfections elsewhere. So I mean centered between the two windows on the left, and also centred either sides of the large window. Don't plant them too close to the foundation as you want them to have room to grow. I don't know what things grow well in your area (I'm only zone 4B) or what sort of sun exposure this side of the house gets. If you have southern or western exposure anything that enjoys the full sun would be great - tall ish roses, rose of sharon (hibiscus syriacus) are some that come to mind. If the exposure is northern or eastern perhaps rhododendron or tall hydrangeas of your choice. You may want to consult neighbours or the other forums for suggestions of what type of shrubs would grown best in your type of climate and humidity. You could also consider putting a trellis between the two small windows and planting clematis or another type of vine, or a climbing rose. There are loads of climbing roses to choose from that don't need any winter protection even in my zone 4B so you would likely have much more choice in your area. I don't really understand what the fence is for if you are not containing animals or children for a daycare. I imagine who ever put it up had a reason, please tell me what it is and we can discuss it further. Is there something you need to keep off the front yard that is threatening it without a fence? If there isn't - It is very distracting and draws the attention away from the house and anything pretty you put behind it. If it was a short picket fence or something it might be different, but chain link looks so institutional, not welcoming. Used to separate your property from your neighbour is one thing, especially in the back yard, but it's a very different effect in the front yard lining as you drive by. I read "dog kennels" or "institution", not "welcome to our home". If you insist that you need a fence for some logical reason, state it and exactly which sides need it then the options for replacement (type of fence, type of hedge, alternate dividing or screening material etc.) will be more clear, As to the color of the house I see no problem. It's like a classic black dress - it's a great clean canvas. It just needs some accessories in the way of plants. flowering shrubs, perhaps some balls of evergreen suitable for your climate to keep the eye focused on the house. Certainly a small tree as suggested above would also add some warmth and charm....See MoreHelp me chose siding/style to update generic 70s bungalow
Comments (1)I like option 2 best. Best wishes!...See More70s Ranch Exterior Remodel Ideas
Comments (40)Everybody has an opinion, which you asked for, but you have to do what is best for you in your neighborhood. If you are replacing the siding and thinking about doing all the work of painting brick, maybe you should just remove some of that brick altogether. If you leave some of it, have it be lower and even across...maybe 1/3 of the height of the walls instead of half. Keep the excess brick for edging or patio like someone else suggested. I liked the trim-work you added. Definitely do not paint the garage door the same as the front. Keep it in the lighter tone of your siding color choice. This way the front door is a focal point. Do not replace the garage door if it is not needed. There's no reason to add the expense ($1700 or more). I would use the existing shrubs as background to a much larger planted area. Allow budget for mulching that planting bed and, for what it's worth, consider using rubber bark mulch. It definitely is more expensive, but it is worth it in the long run if you're planning on living there. Rubber bark does not attract termites or roaches, it doesn't fade, it doesn't disintegrate, and it doesn't blow away so it doesn't need to be replaced every 2 years like bark mulch. It keeps tires out of the landfill! Anyway, updating is a great idea, but keep in mind why you are choosing to do so. If you are going to live there, spend what you want. If you are updating to sell, keep your budget as low as possible because you won't recoup much of it and expenses can only be subtracted from profits on the house. If you're losing money on the house then not even the realtor fees are deductible. Best of luck with your project!...See Moremclarke
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