Improving Curb Appeal

8 years ago

last modified: 8 years ago

Curious as to any advice on improving curb appeal for this house. Things we are considering is painting the trim and shutters (currently dark green and making it a soft white), having the landscape redone, and possibly adding window boxes. Funds are limited so we need to pick and choose what we do. Also, this house is in MN (if that helps with the landscape part).

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rrah

8 years ago

I wouldn't put window boxes on that style of house. I'd start with the landscaping--add some colorful shrubs and flowers and maybe a small flowering tree on the right side between the windows. You could also create some new beds on both sides of the sidewalk with flowers and small shrubs. Next I would rent or borrow a powerwasher and clean the sidewalk and steps. It's the first thing I noticed. BTW--was there ever a second small brick column on the right side? It looks "off" with it only on one side. You might think about knocking the one on the left down unless you can match it on the right. I'd save the painting for last especially if you don't plan on also painting the gutters. I'm really not seeing a soft white here. I'd perhaps consider a different color of green or even dark blue or black.

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Comments (16)

cpartist
8 years ago
Post some pictures of the house and grounds and we can give better advice.
nutritionmama
Original Author
8 years ago
yes! I am trying to but can't successfully upload my pic. Obviously you need a pic lol!
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Shutters should appear to be operable, so they would need to be as wide as the window... so if closed, they would cover the window. So no shutters on your house. I agree with taking out the boxwood that have been butchered. If you take the bed all the way to the sidewalk, you need a pocket bed on the left side. Yes to learn more about pruning the Crepe Myrtle. Ever heard of Crepe Murder? It's a thing. LOL Honestly you don't even have to prune them. We had several over 30ft tall at our last house, but you don't want one too tall right next to the house. Having lived in the South all my life, I don't have a problem with the grass since we get rain. No idea where you live, but the grass looks healthy. Unless you want to spend every weekend gardening, or hire a gardener, I would not go to the extreme of removing the grass. If there room for a wooden bench on the front porch?
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Nice house. What's throwing off the visual balance is the large group of shrubs on one side, with nothing on the other side. That needs to be corrected. A good start would be to cut & remove the two shrubs nearest the entry, leaving the third shrub to anchor the corner. Then you have room to move the two flowerpots to the base of your steps, freeing up space on the top. How does that look now? You might not feel the need to add shutters or trim or take any other action.
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what do you think about doing a vertical board and batten instead of that current siding? (also, notice the porch overhang. I love this across your front) This was the before shot: another shot of board and batten on the upper portion. Iron Gray. and also doing the brick? Right now that cool gray siding color doesn't work whatsoever w/the warm yellow tones of the brick. And, I just don't think that style siding even works. What color is the roof? So here's your front, And something else you can do for the flat, long division between the siding and brick. love this porch overhang instead of that portico. have you heard of Romabio? it's a lime product that will naturally age on your brick, yet still let it breathe Comes in the Limewash, or an actual Masonry finish you can tint any color. Here's the back of this home and the colors used And I like this patio cover. maybe you could do something like it over that cement in the back, or something like this one and erect a fence across this front yard. I think your portico should be redone. it just doesn't work. If it was done more like this, w/the walkway, flowerbeds and the painted brick, it would look better landscaping will be huge, naturally. some other similar colonial brick/siding homes Limewash on the brick, and instead of that siding, they used a composite shake. I like the doorway like this, and the flowerbeds. Bit more modern. black windows, white brick/white siding https://www.jimenezphoto.com/half-brick-half-siding-homes/
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@sadkd I know. It always amazes me when I see a yard exposed to a street or of a certain age and there is no landscaping at all. Hang in there. It will happen. At least you're dealing with a blank slate that you don't have to clear out. When I bought my house 20 years ago, that backyard was basically a pine forest with an ivy carpet surrounded by a four foot chain link fence. Six weeks after moving in, there was an ice storm that took out 14 of the pine trees and as they fell, the fence. One of the enormous pine trees hit my roof, breaking the ridge and smashing about 7 rafters. Branches came through the lovely popcorn ceiling inside. While others in the neighborhood were lamenting the storm I was dancing at the thought of fewer trees, new fence, smooth replacement ceilings and a new roof replacing the ugly one that the former owners had put on the prior year to make the house more saleable. Long story to say, at least you don't have to have an ice storm to clear your yard. I paid a landscape architect to draw up a plan for the yard, including the addition of the dry creek to control a water problem. Little by little I did something big every year and now it's lush and mature. Those vines are two $9.99 one gallon plants from Lowes planted about 18 years ago. A good plan (which will change but at least you have something to work toward), patience (smaller plants are cheaper and they grow for free), some elbow grease and as much knowledge as you can gain will get you where you want to go without a big budget. Some of the big stuff you'll have to pay for, like the dry creek, but a lot of it you can do yourself once you've educated yourself on proper planting techniques. See if there is an area garden group on NextDoor (that's where you'd ask) or FaceBook. People love to share ideas, advice and plants. As @Seattle suggests, drought tolerant ground covers and plants are what you need. You can likely find people in your area who are happy to divide what they have (assuming you do the digging, I got beautiful, unique day lilies that way) but sometimes they'll just share. If you want privacy from the road, you can grow drought tolerant shrubbery inside the fence and over time, it will poke its branches out of the fence and you won't see the fence. My neighbor did that and it worked great. All the best to you on this adventure.
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nutritionmama
Original Author
8 years ago
House front yard
nutritionmama
Original Author
8 years ago
hold on, I think it's uploaded finally. thanks for your patience!
Debbie Downer
8 years ago
last modified: 8 years ago
I like the nature colors of the house - browns, greens, stone colors - and how well they fit with the surroundings - the colors of the trees - as well as being more true to the house's prairie/ranch/midcentury roots. White would throw all that off and not really fit the style of the house. Its the rather barren yard that could use more appeal with some well placed shrubs and flowering trees as rrah suggested - something with the door/ entry way could be more inviting but what..... the home dec forum is good with that sort of thing .
nutritionmama
Original Author
8 years ago
So the dark green trim and shutters doesn't date the house? I was thinking a lighter color would refresh the look and modernize it. We are competing with tear down after tear down in our area that all look fresh and bright.

I agree completely about the landscaping. That needs some serious help. Not sure we will be putting money into changing the structure of the front of the house but yes, the brick plant box on one side does look odd. Definitely will look into power washing!
sheilajoyce_gw
8 years ago
Don't install flower boxes. Work with a landscaper.
function_first
8 years ago
What's your timeline for putting it in the market? Landscaping takes about 5 years to grow to maturity. Do you have a lot of time? Will it be under snow when the house goes I the market anyway? I would spend $15 on a quart of paint in the complimentary color to your home (opposite on the color wheel -- in this case probably in the burnt orange family). the entry doesn't stand out and so doesn't invite. A can of paint and some warm mums would change that in an hour. (Screenshot from the nest)
Linda
8 years ago
I do agree that the trim and shutters need to be changed. I think it does date the house. A cream would be perfect with your siding paint color. There looks to be some cream colors in your brick, i would pull one of those colors out to make everything cohesive. The landscape needs to be more in scale with the house. Buy a few larger landscaping shrubs (I dont know what is recommended for your area, but Im thinking a weeping cherry or flowering dwarf cherry for one of the corners and pull the front gardens down the walk way a little bit to soften the straight line look. The suggestion above about the burnt orange door is perfect. It would be a good pop of color with the siding and cream shutters and trim! Good luck and please post after you're done!
nutritionmama
Original Author
8 years ago
Love the idea of burnt orange for the door!

As for the timeline, I don't see us in this house in 5 years, we are looking at potentially moving in the spring so we are trying to start some improvements now. Yes, the landscaping will be under snow for the winter but ideally we would sell in the peak of the market here...May/June when the snow would (hopefully!) be long gone.
nutritionmama
Original Author
8 years ago
Is there an app where you can play around with a photo of your house and add landscape/change colors of paint etc?
Debbie Downer
8 years ago
last modified: 8 years ago
Welll I dunno. Not sure what you mean by "dates" the house - what goes around comes around, and whats old is new again. Around here, prairie style and midcentury are hot and people love color - if its done well. That's the key - if its done well. Somewhere I read that to please the most people (as when painting for resale) its not that you have to choose NEUTRAL colors. Its a matter of choosing the RIGHT colors. You know I think you can freshen your colors but still maintain the classic look - I do agree with one of the above posters who suggested keeping it a green, but a different green. Or a light brown or beige if you must - just not white!

On the other hand theres truth to the saying "its only paint." The new people can certainly follow their bliss once they take possession.
SaltiDawg
8 years ago

Color Visualizer

You can upload photos and try colors at Sherwin-Williams

I also like the idea of white or cream trim on your home... your home is VERY dark.
cpartist
8 years ago
last modified: 8 years ago
You have a wonderful MCM/prairie type home. Don't try and second guess what others may or may not do with it when you sell it because invariably you'll spend way too much money and guess wrong. Just freshen up minimally with the front door, the power washing of the front walk and some plantings.

Your house color is PERFECT for the style of house. Please do not change the colors! I say that as a professional artist with a love of house styles. I agree about painting the door a complementary color such as a deep burnt orange or a deep red. On the right side, I'd find a nice square planter that has a prairie type of look and put some flowers in it to offset the off balance of the brick stoop on the other side.

Then I'd put the money into landscaping to make the house look welcoming. All your plants are the same height. You need to vary the height a bit so that it has some dimension. I would put a larger bush, maybe a flowering type on either side of the front door. That will help give the front door some importance too. Then add some plantings in different heights.

Plant some bulbs right now for some spring color.

Make sure your backyard is welcoming and inside if you want to sell, make sure it's not cluttered and depersonalize the house.
powermuffin
8 years ago
cpartist is right on the money. Fix the landscaping. The house looks just fine in its current colors and with the autumnal-colored door, it will be perfect. If you really want a project, redo the walkway, which now looks sad. I would tear it out and install a new, wider one. This will make the home more welcoming.

Diane

Improving Curb Appeal

rrah

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