Front porch redo on 1970s townhouse
Am looking for any good advice and ideas to spruce up the front of my home including paint colors, but what I most especially need now is a new front porch. The one I have now was poorly installed, it was done level with the ground and sidewalk leading to it, which resulted in an awkward step of a good 10 inches to get from the slab up into my front door. Also the slab was rebarred into the house foundation, and as the house has subsided over the years the slab now slopes downward toward the front door, causing dried mud and leaves to accumulate there.
Would like to do a new porch where the entire slab is 7 inches from the ground, you would step up from the sidewalk onto a wide threshold and then just another couple of inches into the door. I'd like to use some brick either as on the edge of a new slab to mark the step, or have the entire porch be made of brick. Am wondering if I would need to match the brick to the light pink of the house or if I can use a darker red. I'd also like to extend the brick all along the sidewalk to the right to make a new raised bed between it and the house. I'd like to bring in another 4-5 inches of soil there, that is how much topsoil has eroded from around my foundation since it was originally built 45 years ago.
A pergola or some kind of roof overhang would be great too! It's difficult to visualize all of these ideas together though. Any ideas are very welcome!
Comments (13)
qrazyguy
6 years agolast modified: 6 years agoThis wall faces a courtyard and right across there are more townhomes so I can't go too far back, also my neighbor has a tree there which blocks the view from straight on. The angled shots are the only ones where I can get the whole roof in the picture, for straight on shots this is about the best I can capture.
Thanks!Related Discussions
Help me choose colors for house exterior redo
Comments (2)I like the shutters on the top windows but not the bottom picture windows. I would take off the paneled-style detail under those windows and then perhaps install wider, shorter shutters that are the same height as the windows and flowerboxes under the windows. The siding looks like it's a mustard yellowish color and isn't complimenting your pretty brick. Have you thought about a cream or off-white color for the siding and dark umber or black shutters? You could paint your front door red - I've always loved houses with white siding, black shutters and red doors!...See MoreIs there anything redeeming about 1970s style?
Comments (57)I read and understand that I've no idea about seventies. Probably because our seventies were your fifties and sixties.. So I associate seventies with mid century modern. That's why I like it actually-reminds me of childhood. eighties-yes, I already remember some shift..but probably toward eighties? I never saw colored fixtures until I came here..so to me this is like, wow, cool. Our current house was built either 68 or 70. It's a ranch. A Spanish ranch. I really love it. Even though I struggled with having standard ceilings in most of the house..that's because our standard ceilings were minimum a foot higher than standard ceilings here..and we lived with even higher ceilings, older houses, built pre-war etc. So that part was really new to me. Luckily previous homeowners put some skylights in. And we also put one in our addition. Totally changes your perception of height. And I also painted the ceilings the color of the walls, each room..or rather the proportion of the color that would look like it's the color of the wall. Makes it less ..white lid effect. Less oppressing. Also added layered lighting everywhere, including central lights-although many advise against it since it accentuates ceiling is low? Well I didn't find it being true, at all. You have focal point, instead of just staring at the ceiling..it breaks it..takes your attention off the height. Some things are strange or I dislike regardless the decade..say we were choosing bathroom fixtures etc and saw a stainless steel toilet, for 800 or so I think? in one of the stores It's an exact copy of what they used to have in prisons. I couldn't believe my eyes. I still laugh when I think of that toilet..really? But probably someone who doesn't have other cultural associations finds it cool? If it's being manufactured? And costs 800 bucks, at that? As for depressing colors..it's very personal, really. And cultural too I guess, to some degree. Every color has a potential to be happy or sad..some have bigger potential to alternate between both, like yellow. It's like, in some countries black is associated with mourning. And in others, white is. I heard a story somewhere about a cruise ship from here that went to Far East..maybe China, but I'm not sure? Most of the passengers happily wore white-very summer-y color..and then they boarded..and then locals looked at them in a very very strange way..they didn't understand why so many people are dressed like they're going to a funeral, but have such wide smiles..:)...See MoreStumped by 1970s Colonial. Help!
Comments (15)I think there is not as much to fix as you do. The existing planting brings negative vibes ... especially across the porch where it helps make sure of the squinting appearance the facade gives. (I like a beefy header as I think it helps with the overall appearance of strength of the house.) There is not so much a reason to obscure the porch as there is to make it inviting, as a gathering place. As pointed out, a visible walkway (that allows plenty of space for foundation plants) would help. Excuse the drawing as I had to do it with a mouse (yuck!!!!) It's just for the general idea of how a few small "trees" would help get rid of the long straight lines and add some 3-dimensionality. And how opening up the porch area would make it look more inviting....See More1970s stone and vinyl exterior-need a redo
Comments (18)A simple fix to your Craftman style house is to first remove the awnings (they camouflage the house - look into indoor blinds or solar shades). Enlarge the window frames and remove siding from the columns and recover in white (wood or other building material). Install a new front door (paint a pop colour you like) and paint the window surrounds in black with white trim, and all trim on the house in white. From the picture I can't tell what colour the siding is but a light grey or a greige would be nice with the stone and white trim with black accent windows. I also suggest you powerwash the stone. Work on the landscaping to give your house more curb appeal....See Moreqrazyguy
6 years agoqrazyguy
6 years ago
PROBeverlyFLADeziner
6 years agolast modified: 6 years agoDoll up that front porch area. Here are some Hollywood Regency homes for inspiration.
qrazyguy thanked BeverlyFLADezinerqrazyguy
6 years agoqrazyguy
6 years ago
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