Need help with curb appeal for my new home

5 years ago

I newly purchased this home and very much dislike the exterior. Its the ugly home in the neighborhood. Its flat, boring, I dislike the color of the brick and the retaining wall looks cheap. I'm feeling uninspired, and I could use some help with ideas on how to add curb appeal.

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phuninthesun

5 years ago

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Comments (14)

Tanya T
5 years ago
I would get rid of that front build up all together if possible. Then build a nice staircase to the house and use the land to plant some bushes, flowers, dwarf trees... I would also check if you can rebuild the roof, to raise it a little
BittyHaus926
5 years ago
I don’t think your house is ugly. Here is what I would do:

1. Pull out the staked landscape lights
2. Pressure wash the wall
3. Remove the two lights on the poles (and the poles)
4. New, larger and lower front door light
5. New light above garage door — the one you have is probably motion sensing/security, but maybe you could find a more attractive option
6. Landscaping, especially under the bay window

Then, take a new picture and compare it to the old.

At some point, you may also look at the garage door — either replacing or painting it a color that lets it recede rather than draw the eye.

Hope this helps and also that some pros weigh in with additional thoughts. :-)
pshaw110 thanked BittyHaus926
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Here are a few things you can think about. Maybe add some railing on the right side. It would break up the space and define the area. As a result, the post will be much less noticeable and in fact will be better integrated into the design. Then you could plant some attractive compact shrubs next to the railing rather than under the window. The hanging plant is a good start but if it looks a little awkward to you, add an "S" hook to lower it, also add a companion plant. I like at least two plants in a space that size. Think about a more substantial piece of outdoor furniture (larger bench?) next to the door. The items you have there are attractive in a whimsical way, and I love them. Can you arrange them in a more triangular pattern or move them to a different location? If you donÂt want to replace the door yet, painting it in coordinating colors will help a lot. I wonder if you could find a carpenter who can replace the window inset with something else, like an oval window set in some wood. I have no clue whether this would be practical, and it may cost as much as a new door. If it were me, IÂd go with new colors. An inexpensive way to de-emphasize the window on the left would be to place some climbing plants in containers and a trellis under the window. The climbing plants would fill the blank space and take the eye away from the window. In general, donÂt be hasty. The longer you live with what you have, the more ideas will be generated. Above all, have fun! Please let me know what you think.
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Thank you ladies : ) but these last images of the house are Jay's vision for his place. Awm, I especially appreciate your acknowledging my input and ideas, as the photoshopping is simply a design and communication tool. I always wonder if anyone notices, or appreciates more than the shopping! The creativity and challenges are where my heart is, aside from loving to help people solve their problems or achieve their vision. And, of course, I want to be good at that, too! I'm glad you always learn something. So do I! One always needs to learn more, and it makes the process all the more fun. So, thank you, again, for your compliments and encouragement on projects : ) It is very much appreciated.
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I like the idea of brightly colored shutters and a matching door. Fortunately, early fall is a GOOD time to plant many things, even shrubs. And bulbs for spring color, of course. Plant about $50 in bulbs - go for a mix of blooming times in daffodils or tulips. Plan your shrubs so you have varieties that will stay fairly small, in scale with the house, and some evergreen and some flowering deciduous ones. Moving a 6' evergreen shrub is not an easy task if you want it to survive. Don't waste the effort, buy small new ones. Consider a small flowering tree (dogwood, crepe myrtle, magnolia) at the far right along the property line and visible from the right-most window. Plant next spring. Perennials? Whatever grows and spreads in your area with little care. Hosta? Iris? Peonies? Check the neighborhood ans see what's thriving. ============ Long term ... expand the front porch area toward the street, add the roof over it and railings.
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Good morning Marissa, Your property has a lot of potential. There are several projects that can add to the beauty and functionality of the property. I would advise spreading the projects over 2-3 years, depending on your available funds. Have you considered budgets for the possible improvements? If you are able to do so, post measurements of your property, including boundaries, structures, doors, stoops, existing patios, large trees, and basement windows. If you do this, I and others will be able to help create possible design layouts.
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pricklypearcactus
5 years ago
last modified: 5 years ago
I think BittyHaus926's suggestions are great. They're very cost effective and could really improve the appearance.

I think the biggest challenge you have is the retaining wall. What you can do really depends on your budget. Can you afford a landscape designer? I think a professional could design something really amazing!

My general suggestion for your front yard is to replace the single retaining wall with tiered / terraced flower beds to more gradually go from the street level to the front door level. Then use plants between the tiers to create an interesting landscape. Attaching a couple of images to get you an idea, but I think a landscape designer could make something to really fit your yard.

If it's not in your budget to re-do the wall, you could really soften it with some plantings. What if you planted weeping plants along the edge to droop over the wall and provide some color and life to it?
pshaw110 thanked pricklypearcactus
Sarah Obie
5 years ago
I dont think your house is ugly. I do think the retaining wall is your biggest issue because its color clashes with the house and it looks very dirty. Please dont powerwash masonry- it can crumble. They make a masonry cleaner which involves a lot of elbow grease and time. You will need to scrub it. Afterward I would focus on your landscaping. I recently moved into a foreclosure with disastrous landscaping. I would focus on the areas around the foundation and ubder the bay wibdow and also play up around uour lamp post. We ended up installing spireas, walkers low nepeta, yarrow, bayberries, and a dwarf blue spruce. Lots of color and deer resistant! Emjoy your new home!
pshaw110 thanked Sarah Obie
Denita
5 years ago
Wow! Love the solution posted by phun above. You have a beautiful home, it just needs the touches phun posted to be its best self :)
pshaw110
Original Author
5 years ago
Thank you for your feedback; these are all great ideas! Cascading ivy along the wall is a great way to hide it!.. and soften it up. I see that just adding hedges and flowers makes big impact. I'm definitely going to switch out the lights on the house/garage and remove the light poles. I was thinking about adding an awning over the front door to make it feel more like a front porch. Thank you.
User
5 years ago
I’d leave the light pole closest to the driveway, and paint it black. I think they’re charming, and it would light up the driveway and stairs, if needed.
pshaw110 thanked User
Kaillean (zone 8, Vancouver)
5 years ago
I like the terracing ideas suggested. The wall as is is quite forbidding. I’d also paint all the white a gray, black or other dark tone for a more modern look.
pshaw110 thanked Kaillean (zone 8, Vancouver)
kathleen MK
5 years ago
Not sure how much you want to spend on this but if you are re teracing the yard and stairs, consider curving or angling them toward the driveway. it would add convenience and visual interest. I would cover the cinderblock wall with a stone veneer or a faux stone paint job and let vines grow all down it. You could even add cast stone tracery and grow ivy over the wall to fake castle walls or paint a mural :-)

For safety I would keep the lampoles (sprayed hammer black metal ) or replace with lights on the stair walls to illuminate the steps. I would also spray the stair rail black and maybe add black shutters a classic red brick, white trim and black shutters. Then a couple black urns with bright flowers could flank entry steps. (Those Rustoleum textured metal spray paints work magic on cheap plastic pots as well as metal light fixtures)
If you want a awning or a small gable over the front door add post to stair rails to support a metal roof.
You have a nice house with intersting design challenges just clean and add some colorful plants while you plan any big structural changes to the wall.
pshaw110 thanked kathleen MK
gtcircus
5 years ago
I would consider PARGING the brick which is a process also known as GERMAN SCHMEAR. Then make your garden and house look like the cute cottage it is. You have too much hardscape below the retaining wall. Remove it and get good soil in there. You can then insert stays to hold wires so that you can grow vines over the retaining wall. I picked Clematis or you can plant annuals like morning glory or moon . Your foundation plants are way too close to the house, remove them all and start over. The first plant should be out from under the eaves of the house. Frankly I would get rid of the grass and just have a gorgeous English garden.
pshaw110 thanked gtcircus
Jaime Sorenson-Yang
5 years ago
Just washing the retaining wall and/or growing something that will drape down over it would make a huge difference. Also cleaning up the weeds that are growing in what looks like the street (?) on the right hand side.

If you are able to remove the blacktop in front of the retaining wall, you could make a lovely garden with a paver path leading to the stairs. Some taller evergreen bushes in front of the wall would soften it (or plants draping down over it, if you go that route), and then some flowering shrubs or perennials of varying heights in front of that would make it pretty.

I would remove the lamp posts if you can, and replace with something shorter. Those posts look out of place, being so tall at the top of the stairs.
PRO
GenStone Products
5 years ago

Faux Stone is an affordable way to cover the existing block walls.
PRO
Dig Doug's Designs
5 years ago
some ideas:

Need help with curb appeal for my new home

phuninthesun

Comments (14)

Tanya T

BittyHaus926

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pricklypearcactus

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