Please help me update my rental home’s exterior!
We live in a rental home and after 9 years we’ve finally gotten the go-ahead to make some changes to the exterior. Unfortunately, we can’t paint the brick; just the trim, door, and shutters.
I’m leaning towards a sage-ish gray with white trim. A few that I liked include Comfort Gray, Escape Gray, Svelte Sage, Softened Green, and Acacia Haze. (All SW) But I’m new to all this and it is not my wheelhouse at all. So what would YOU recommend to give the front of this rental home a face lift?
Comments (17)
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Comments (166)BB, I was just thinking of posting an update, so perfect timing. Yes the blasted post is gone baby gone! Here is the bathroom layout that ended up working the best after mocking up several different configuration. I actually will be able to fit up to a 48" vanity. The vanity and toilet bump back into the bedroom wall. Shower opposite with angled wall toward the entry to it. I am loving it! Ecko has already made herself at home on my couch mock up! This view is taken standing at front door. Here is the new bathroom layout. That line in front of vanity and toilet is that header beam above. I'm thinking about a flat ceiling with soft lighting over that area. But on bedroom side, that wall will go straight up to the angled ceiling. TV is going there. Not quite centered to bed, but good enough. Still a lot to do, but we are thrilled with everything. Everyone who sees it wants to move in! Thank you my GW fam! Pretty soon, I will be asking for finishes help!...See MoreHelp Needed Renovating and Decorating my first Rental! Please!
Comments (16)whatever has been said..your landlord sounds like a real nice guy..:) unless of course you have agreement that your improvements hugely lower your rent? what I'd do though..if I was as handy and as eager as you.. -the mosaic in the kitchen where the backsplash is-hard to see whether a real backsplash or wallpaper? if wallpaper-get rid of it and repaint. if real mosaics-just repaint. ETA-ok reread your post..real mosaics. I love peel and stick options that do exist, but I'm not sure I'd go for them here..it's not so much mosaic as its placement..countertop backsplash plus mosaics plus wrap around..too much. And it won't be easy to find something that will work. But. Check your options. Etsy has pages upon pages of tile decals, for example. https://www.etsy.com/search?q=tile%20decals&ref=auto1&as_prefix=tile%20decals -you seem to have no space next to the stove..I know IKEA carries these narrow tables you know? or something of the kind..that you can put in between the stove and the fridge, have some landing surface, spot to place a pot you know -is the floor in the kitchen real tile or linoleum/vinyl? you can try and cover it with something if it irritates you of course(to me it's actually the worst offender. along with the blinds that I'd take out and put on curtains. but you're going to do that anyway). it can be tile decals, it can be floor cloth, it can be big inexpensive rug.. the rest of the kitchen, just deep clean and let be. new paint will make a huge difference -your door is fine..hard to see the living to make helpful furniture placement suggestion, but generally I find that sofa plus two chairs is the most versatile in most cases -the bathroom is cute and blue in cabinets picks up the flooring. Wallpaper is best to go though since it clashes with flooring. Clean the grout..and ask your landlord to change faucets etc if they're problematic. If they're not but you hate them-well maybe you can split the price. New paint, shower curtain that you love-and you're good. What's your style preference? I'm crazy about shower curtains so can look them up and suggest for you, and would be my pleasure:) you do need some "landing strip" as they call it..and I can't see whether youn can fit small dining table in the corner of the kitchen? .. if you want more suggestions about colors, furnishings, furniture layout and such, I recommend cross posting in Home Decorating forum. They(ok, us. lol) will ask you a bit more about dimensions, layout, preferences in style, budget, needs, etc. Congratulations on your first renting place, it's exciting..and good luck!...See MoreHelp me update the interior of my tudor revival.
Comments (25)@apple_pie_order, The trim is stained, not painted. I'm pretty positive the beams are decorative. I might make the decision about painting them white or removing them based the price difference. If we remove them would it make the ceiling feel higher or have less weight? What about the beams in the larger room? That ceiling is a bit higher so I feel like painting them might be better to keep some of the character. @raee_gw zone 5b-6a Ohio, I like the idea of replacing the handrails for the stairs with wood. I've thought about the idea of painting the risers white. If we did that, what would you recommend for the color of the hand rails? I also see what you mean about the built-ins not being congruent with the wood paneling. I'm hesitant to remove them since we do, indeed, use them. I really like your idea of replacing the drawer and door fronts. I'm not sure what style you mean by the doors in the other rooms. Do you mean the ones with the rectangular shapes on them? Also, where can I find door and drawer fronts? I do think I like the texture of the paneling but I have no idea how it would look/feel if it were painted. Do you happen to have a picture of your painted pine? I like the stone on the fireplace so I think we'll keep those. Do you have any suggestions about a mantel? We would love to do french doors in to the three season porch. Would it matter that one of the doors wouldn't be able to open all the way? The door on the right would bump up against the wall if opened. @Elaine Ricci, I'm interested in the idea of painting the paneling a slate blue....See MoreNeed help with family room update - please help me shop and paint!
Comments (2)I think your first task is to find a rug to set the tone for the room. You could have carpet bound in the size you need if you want to stay mono-chromatic. A tone on tone rug in cream, tan and chocolate might add a neutral but interesting touch. It only needs to be a couple of feet wider than the sofa unless you add new end tables that you want to sit on it too. I would keep it 12" away from the hearth though. Once the rug is found, if it has a variety of tones in it, use the darkest shade for your chairs. Be sure and take your tape measure with you so you can determine the right height on them. I don't think they should be taller than the sofa. I don't think the two chairs have to match, and it would be nice if one of them had a pattern to the fabric. Here is a mono-chromatic room, but with a touch of pattern and texture....See More
HU-113831419
3 years agolast modified: 3 years agohoussaon
3 years agoLovely house! If I were doing this house, I would just remove the shutters. Paint the front door a glossy deep navy. The foundation plantings need to be cut back to below the windows.
HU-113831419 thanked houssaonHU-113831419
3 years ago
PROHU-113831419 thanked BeverlyFLADezinerHU-113831419
3 years agoIt’s like the Houzz magic fairy read our comments because my landlord sent power washers over yesterday! Here is how it looks now:
IDK why the pics are zoomed in and cut off but hopefully you get the idea. While it does look cleaner, the difference in color isn’t that drastic, at least not to my eye.
houssaon
3 years agoHow about a deep glossy red door? I would still like to see the shutters gone and the foundation hedge cut back by hand at least 6 to 8 inches. (It won't look good at first but it will grow in fine and show more of the window.)
HU-113831419 thanked houssaonHU-113831419
3 years agoeinportlandor
3 years agohoussaon
3 years agoHere is a mock-up with sage. (Benjamin Moore has about 15 colors they call "sage.")
Lucy
3 years agolast modified: 3 years agoI also vote no shutters.
Please don‘t take what I’m about to say the wrong way : ) ...
Yes your home is old, and all the other homes in your area may have shutters....however your home was never designed to have shutters. You can tell by the placement and design of the windows. While shutters can act as eyebrows for your windows, the original purpose was to “shutt”. If visually you can’t shut and open the shutters it will look off, and therefore, wrong. Bellow I illustrated what your shutters would need to look like if they propperly fit your windows:
See what I mean. Every shutter needs a window, but not every window needs a shutter.Your home won’t look “off” without them, they will look right. Your windows on your first level are wood, leaded, and original- let those shine!
Now, as far as trim and door color...I’m pegging you home between 1910-1920....possibly early 1930?? When choosing trim and door color, go historic. I went and did some quick research for you on archive.org. You can also find historic colors at any local paint store. If you design your homes exterior in the era it was intended, it will never look dated.
Yes, many of these colors seem bright (not everything was pastel back then as we usually think...)
Also remember that your colors will be outside, bleached from the sun. Always go darker and more colorful than you think. Choosing your color outside will help :)
1920https://archive.org/details/TheMuraloCompanyInc.C1920
1910https://archive.org/details/RuekelBestQualityMixedPaint
1930This one is for galvanized iron, but it could still easily be applied to your door and trim.
https://archive.org/details/GalvanumForGalvanizedIronTheOneOutstandingPaintNotedForItsAbility
Here are two examples of historic homes with proper color pallets, see how they come to life!
Notice while this home from 1929 has shutters, visually they can all close.Hope that helps, and good luck!
HU-113831419 thanked LucyHU-113831419
3 years ago
BeverlyFLADeziner