Curb Appeal for 1930s Brick Bungalow
mabeaver
5 years ago
last modified: 5 years ago
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Sarah
5 years agoRelated Discussions
Brick 2-flat curb appeal help
Comments (15)Congratulations! Looks like a great building and a smart investment. I love the brick detail. I wouldn't call the facade plain by any means, but it is subtle by modern standards and would be best appreciated at a walking, not driving, pace. Before you dive in, try to find out when your building was constructed and who the architect was. Then look for buildings of the same era and/or by the same architect for ideas. You shouldn't have any trouble finding similar apartment buildings within a short distance. If you see something you like, don't be shy about asking the owner about it and for the name of the contractor who did the work. People love to talk about their renovations. Be sure to find out if there are any preservation requirements that would apply to buildings in your neighborhood. In some places, they can be very restrictive, but historic commissions can also be a great source of information. Also, use local preservation and historical societies for resources and ideas. Finally, find out if there are any tax breaks for renovating historic buildings -- this would vary by state, and even by city. In Massachusetts, where I live, there are incentives for restoring historic commercial properties, but not residential ones. Illinois may have a similar program. Since you have a rental unit, your building might be considered commercial. Now for a few specific suggestions for your building: 1) To me, the style of the door looks all wrong. I'm not sure what door style would be appropriate, but it shouldn't be hard to find out. A canopy or overhang over the door might not be historically correct, but it would certainly be practical. 2) Are the glass block windows original? (They could be - glass block has been used for a long time.) If there's trim around the glass block window over the door, I'd paint it white to match the trim on the other windows. 3) Most importantly, landscape the front yard. Plain grass isn't adding much to your curb appeal. Try to choose plants or shrubs of varying height and seasonal interest. A small tree near the front of the yard (so it doesn't block the basement windows) would be lovely. (Make sure the roots won't damage your sidewalk, though.) 4) consider fencing in the front yard with a decorative wrought iron fence, or with a cast aluminum fence that looks like wrought iron, which would be far more affordable and easier to maintain. It would look great, and it would protect your landscaping investment, not to mention keeping off the dogwalkers. 5) Flower boxes made of wrought iron (or cast aluminum) under the first-floor windows would look good, IMO,. You'd have to be willing to maintain them, of course. 6) I disagree with everyone who said that pavers would be inappropriate. Brick paving has been used for centuries and is essentially timeless (although the patterns would vary). If you do replace the sidewalk with pavers, be sure it's done properly so they won't heave and cause a tripping hazard. You might also consider leaving the concrete sidewalk (assuming it's in good shape) and edging it with brick. This wouldn't be historic, but it would add interest and be much less expensive than ripping out the entire sidewalk and replacing it with pavers....See MoreCurb Appeal Picture advice; Bungalow
Comments (27)I agree -- I think the windows need muntins. But the original poster said she wanted a "modern" look... not sure how to do that, though.... *end quote* I agree that muntin-less :) windows are more "modern"...but that isn't a "modern" house, architecturally. Trying to force that cute cottage into something it's not will never look good. The shutters aren't sized properly for the windows, but goodness it would look plain without them. Maybe if there was some really substantial trim around the windows that included a really chunky top piece (cornice? can't remember the word for that piece) and, of course, muntins on the windows...it might be ok without shutters. A little OT, but I am always surprised at how many GWers dislike exterior shutters! Done properly (sized correctly, operable w/hinges and shutter dogs) I think they look gorgeous on a house. I am in the south, though, maybe it is a regional thing....See MoreWhat style is this 1930s Southern California brick house?
Comments (12)KLawrence: Agreed! The selling realtor had assumed it was brick over timber, but nope! Solid masonry and slab foundation on grade. Very solid. It's a curiosity and not much in keeping with the Craftsman and bungalow styles that dominate the neighborhood. The lot was divided by the original owner and we have two of these little brick boxes side by side. Worthy: Thanks, especially for the tip about the lintel paint color. I'm planning to have the bricks cleaned, repointed, and sealed soon and have some repairs and conservation done to the chimney. It's nice to hear it looks good. Hoovb: Thank you, interesting suggestions about the landscaping. I'm in the midst of a separate project to replace most of the landscaping with edibles, which is why you can see a pomegranate and four citrus there. The palm/cycad does indeed provide some useful privacy, but as you can see in the second photo maintains a nice view on the oblique. The updates I'm planning are to add shade (for both comfort and efficiency, as the house has an open south and west exposure that gets much too hot) and to even the walkway and stairs. You can see in the second photo that each of the three steps of the entry are a different height. I'm considering a new stoop in a similar style to the existing or perhaps a raised deck of some kind. I'm considering a pergola or shade of some kind either over each window or along the roofline across the entire facade. Lots of options (too many!) and I hope to enhance the nature of the house rather than compete with it. These kinds of changes will have a huge effect, so I tread cautiously....See MoreCurb appeal makeover for craftsman bungalow
Comments (14)Denita, I was just coming back to link some window articles from that website. Really good resource. In addition to great articles on windows, he writes about oft-overlooked aspects of older houses like porch skirts (and now I can't unsee that my house is the only one on the block with its original porch skirt). I'm so glad I'm not the only one proselytizing the virtues of keeping the original windows - sometimes I feel like a crazy Luddite because seemingly everyone else has been caught up by the "energy efficiency" promise of modern windows. But if you think about it, what are you really accomplishing? The new windows typically cost more than what you'll save in energy spending over their limited lifetime, they're made out of petrochemcials and lots of energy is used to manufacture and transport them. I talked to my local wood window guy and asked about doing double panes for the new windows we need for our house (to replace the vinyl ones), and he actually recommended against it - the double pane seal has a shelf life and WILL fail after a couple decades and are way more expensive for them to build than the plain old fashioned single pane windows (which will last a century with regular maintenance), so they won't pay for themselves. Better to do storm panes....See MoreK Laurence
5 years agolast modified: 5 years agoYardvaark
5 years agolast modified: 5 years agoDaisyinGA
4 years agoBrown Dog
4 years agoClaudianne Young
4 years agodecoenthusiaste
4 years ago
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