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Design Dilemma Buying and Selling Homes

columns, colour, squares oh my

4 years ago

Considering putting offer in on this house. I’m not loving the columns, the brick colour or the funny square details on the bricks. Inside is fine. Could anything be done to give this more street appeal?

Featured Answer

Denita

4 years ago

The quoins (the name of those squares) on the building do seem out of place to me. https://www.britannica.com/technology/quoin

What is also out of place is the row of bushes surrounding the trees. I think the trees need to be removed as well. The walkway to the front door needs to be a wide gracious walkway, not stepping stones. This home could be wonderful with thoughtful landscaping and a few updates outside.

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Comments (13)

arcy_gw
4 years ago
It's a very stately home. Maybe if you gave us some inspiration photos? What do you like? Those columns are structural so other than cladding them not sure what you don't like about them. Brick facade costs,the idea is you never have to paint!! The wise thing would be to embrace the color. The squares around the front door--would need a closer picture of to see if they can be removed?
PRO
Patricia Colwell Consulting
4 years ago
As said the columns need to be there and IMO suit the style of the house.What I would do first is get rid of those 2 trees they do not work at all and please do not paint the brick, if those squares can’t be removed maybe have then stained to match the brick
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Not really quite the same situation as your front porch and entry walk, but an example of sawcutting and relaying of an existing concrete walk here in California where I wanted to make the walk more interesting without spending a whole lot of money on new materials, when the existing walk was still in perfectly good condition. In this situation, it was more about creating interest in a very tight space, while still providing easy access to the sideyard gate. Check out some of the other paving solutions in this same garden in the rest of the set where I used precast concrete step pads(also already on-site) in combination with an existing concrete patio, and also saw cut some edges off the existing patio to change the shape and added some concrete seat walls and a wood bench as built-ins to save room and not clutter up the very small garden with a whole lot of furniture. I agree that gravel would probably be a poor choice with young kids and high traffic. Stone inlay between the concrete or brick pavers can also be a useful device both pragmatic and visual; I was thinking more along the lines of 2 to 4 inch river stone set on edge and wedged tightly into the gaps, so that they wouldn't be loose. I've used this technique with a dry sand and mortar bed or wet mortar bed. In your part of the country perhaps a black mexican pebble wouldn't look right, but as your house is a ranch style and not traditional, maybe you'd be okay with that. I've set stone in gaps both ways, and it can stand up to heavy traffic if done correctly. Here is a link that might be useful: Sawcut concrete walk with gaps
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Oh, I hate those freaking catepillars (pardon my language). Have you ever tried having the tree sprayed to kill them? That's the only way I could have one of those trees around me. I'm so glad I have cypress growing around me instead of those oaks. I'm not surprised to hear the age of yours. There are many like them all over S.Louisiana and yes, unfortunately, a lot of them perished during Katrina.
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Thanks for the many replies. I'm back home now - for keeps! I've been on the road for three weeks in Illinois and as soon as I got home, I ran out to North Carolina (about a four-hour drive) to see this Magnolia! BTW, that house linked in this post (Phalen Funeral Home) is a beautiful home, but that is not a Sears Magnolia. The Sears Magnolia was based on a very popular style (Colonial Revival + Foursquare), but the actual Sears Magnolia is quite unique. Thanks again for the replies. :-) Here is a link that might be useful: Boy, am I glad to be back home!
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OH, OH, OH - what a SUPER FIND, in your own yard! Lucky duck. It's a perfect subject for mosaics. Mortar the two together, and you could even sit it on a larger concrete pad. For the top, under your gazing ball you can mortar another smaller stepping stone, or a round plant saucer turned over. Since you've seen everyone's albums, on my front column - listed in "My Queendom", under the giant glass ball on top is a large plant saucer overturned. Makes a perfect place to place your finial. All kinds of things can be purchased for finials. In my album - Shea's Tower - listed in "Tower Installation" - I used a resin thingy from Hobby Lobby. Your pedestal w/be fun to watch.
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sushipup1
4 years ago
Unless there are other very strong reasons for this house, I'd just keep looking for a house I like more.
PRO
BeverlyFLADeziner
4 years ago
The house without the over bearing trees. It could be limewashed in white

The front door on the house isn't quite right Should be more like this one below.

T
B T
4 years ago
last modified: 4 years ago
I feel like the columns are a bit weak in presence. Maybe a bit larger, or square-shaped, or double-columned?

A second-story porch chandelier could be interesting.
Lidia
4 years ago
French doors for the second floor and add to the diameter of the columns. Remove diamond walkway and add a wide and proper walkway. Otherwise the house looks stately and charming!
rrah
4 years ago
As someone else said, remove those oddly shaped trees to start. I'd also pull out those rows of bushes. The square shapes for the walkway and the fence-like bushes accentuate the squareness of the house. More circular shapes for landscaped areas would help a lot.
decoenthusiaste
4 years ago
I think the landscaping is a worse problem than the house, especially those carnival looking pads leading to the front door and the aqua blue porch. Is that just my computer or are those really the colors?
Kris Fay
Original Author
4 years ago
Ha ha they are cream tiles on porch not great but not aqua! Thanks for feedback gives me some food for thought.
PRO
BeverlyFLADeziner
4 years ago
Lidia
4 years ago
Beverleyfladenzer took my idea and made a picture! Doesn’t the section d floor deck look great now?!
Lidia
4 years ago
Oh...and add shutters

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