following

following...

Here are a few articles to get you started:

https://www.mariakillam.com/what-colour-siding-works-best-with-stone-before-after/ https://www.mariakillam.com/historic-tudor-elegant-exterior-makeover-before-and-after/

I do not think your house is ugly. You could use a few colorful flower beds and could plan for next year.

You have a lovely home. Just need a little sunshine. Let there be light.

Thank you guys... I'll read the articles. I wish for sunshine, but I don't think we will be seeing much of it for the next 9 months haha.

...

For the foundation landscaping, need different pictures. Stand 2 car lengths away from the house, but in line with front door. Hold the camera in the vertical format (as the house is tall). Take a series of slightly overlapping pictures that pan from far left to far right -- 180* -- capturing the neighbors' houses as background in the first and last pic. Don't substitute a computer generated panorama as it shrinks the information too much.

Beautiful setting. Lots of great potential. I would start with front porch. The roof is oddly shaped but to counter that, I would replace posts with much more substantial columns. The scale would automatically be improved and it would signal entry. Paint them white. I would put large white chairs on front porch with long bench or table between chairs under window. Put colorful pots and seasonal flowers on the bench. I would also improve lighting on porch. I can’t see from photos what exists but replace with larger fixtures with more punch. Maybe copper. Expand beds around porch with long curving lines. Create bed further out in front yard slightly to left of porch window. In the fall, have landscapers transplant the larger specimen evergreens to give them room to grow. Use them (looks like at least 3) and add one or two large moss boulders for scale and texture to that bed. Add low blue rug junipers or similar evergreens and perhaps some dark burgundy type shrubs for your zone. In spring, add seasonal flowering plants. Put row of boxwood or small foundation plants along garage foundation. Have tree people trim up tree in right front yard. A natural split rail fence could be added outside edge of sidewalk to driveway with thornless roses. That would take things up a big notch without too much cost. Best to move larger evergreens or trees in fall so they can get established before worst of winter. Not all might make it, but it is worth a try. Enjoy!

Some pictures for inspiration.

Thank you @Flo, I like the ideas and inspiration pictures. Specially the last one, would love to paint the exterior dark color like that if possible.

Your home would look beautiful with that deep blue. Then bright white trim and double posts for porch would be so pretty with your home and draw the eye away from the dormers. It would be stunning. We could explore that color if you wish.

I really like this idea!! I'll show it to my husband.

None of the existing shrubbery, while they may be lovely individual specimens, is properly positioned. As part of overall landscaping, they should be moved or removed.

Wow! ...Flo Mangan great job!

All I saw was witches hats lol

That blue really elevates the outside of your home; great choice. It's not an ugly home but it's kind of an unattractive color right now, so just painting it is going to be a huge improvement.

There are some nice trees next to the house but they are planted too close and lined up like little soldiers with the walkway next to them. Moving the trees, widening the beds and curving the walkway (also widened) would make a big difference, too. Hopefully some of the landscaping talent here will photoshop some ideas for you.

I would probably add white louvered shutters to your home, paint the railings since its camouflaging with the brick I also would add wood panels to create thicker columns around the wooden poles, change the landscaping add pavement. whereabouts is your home? I also think the dormers are too pointy kind of reminds me of gnomes.

oh if painting the siding might be too much paint the trims and railing, posts black and add black louvered shutters

With all due respect, the porch posts need to be beefed up and if you can’t do that, then next best thing to give them more presence is to paint them white. That will draw the eye away, along with better landscaping, from the dormers with odd peaks. I might even paint the siding of those the same color as the roof to further diminish their appearance. Keeping focus low will enhance the appearance of your home.

Thank you all for the ideas... I get the roof is odd shaped and I'm definitely not fond of the dormers. I would eliminate them if it was in my budget. However phrases like witches hats, gnomes or whatever are not appreciated. Even if I don't like the dormers this is my house. I'm asking for help not for people mocking my property. Thank you to ones that are helpful and respectful too.

@Flo Mangan I agree that porch posts need to be beefed up. The rail now it's similar to a gingerbread bread house which definitely doesn't go well with the rest of the house exterior. I've been thinking about doing something to the porch since I moved, but I haven't gotten there yet.

Sure we all have to prioritize and make choices. The eye takes in the light waves of white first. That’s so important for your home. It needs that contrast and since it sets back from road a considerable distance even more important. Good luck.

This is how I would love my house to look, but I have no idea if it would be worth it to make this changes.

Porche · More Info

I wasn’t being disrespectful, I’m just saying to me that’s what it looks like but you don’t see me laughing either. All I’m saying is your dormers have high peak to it.

@Claire Larece it's alright. I'm not mad or anything. I just said it to prevent the thread becoming a series of comments of the sort without any help. I actually think it would be a good alternative adding wood panels to the poles as you suggested, given the case it becomes too expensive to have entirely new columns.

Got it. Love your inspiration I can see that happening you have enough lawn to create what you like.

I think if you painted the house pale yellow and did the landscaping along the lines I suggested but did a white picket fence out front you could come close. Redoing the porch roof and adding that roof detail would be pretty expensive. So keep the dream and bit off small pieces toward your long term goal. It is a big home so dollars tend to fly out the doors and windows. We purchased a 1900 Victorian 3 story home when we got married. We developed a 10 year restoration plan. It was a labor of love but we raised our 4 kids there and the first couple years had very little cash to put into the house. So we put a LOT of sweat equity in. Made so many great memories there. So I believe you can make it yours too! One project and one problem at a time. It is not easy, but very rewarding!!

Thank you Flo... I think, we'll take it one step at the time. I hope someday my house can look as I envision it. I like the inside a lot now and It wasn't that great either. :)

Love that inspiration photo. Great goal.

Here is your new “vision!”

This would take some structural changes to the peaks of right side and the dormers. You might be able to modify the front porch and entry as one project and put a raised seam metal roof on that section. Front landscaping as project. Install new roofing on main structure after any elevation changes are complete.

Thank you @Flo Mangan. It helps a lot. Now that I have a better idea of what I want I'll start getting quotes. I'll keep you all posted.

P4p

Following

Hello Houzzers! I've been absent for a while. Here is an update. I've been working with a contractor to redesign the exterior of my house. I got a proposal yesterday, but I'm not completely satisfied with it. What do you guys think? Would you have any suggestions on how to improve it?. Thanks in advance!!

I don't like what your contractor is proposing. That porch shed type roof is very heavy looking and it looks low. It doesn't enhance your home IMO. You are going to be spending a great deal of money if you go through these changes. Make sure you are getting a better result. Sometimes the small simple changes are much more effective than changing roof lines all over the place.

I think you need to work with someone that can design the exterior changes (architect) and then have the contractor give you the cost for those changes. Most contractors aren't designers too.

Thank you @Denita. I don't think it enhances the look neither. My contractor didn't design this, he works with a designer who did this for him.

Well, I'm not impressed with his designer. There are people on this board that can work with you remotely too. Check out architectrunningguy (ARG) and also ppf is good with design. There are others here that really are talented.

@Denita Thank you!