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Landscape Design Design Dilemma Exterior

Help up the curb appeal of this Cape Cod Style Red Brick!

3 years ago

Looking for some help/advice on upgrading the landscape and general curb appeal of this redish brown brick, Cape Cod Style home. Its in USDA Hardiness Zone 6 / Canadian Zone 7a with just below freezing winters and hot humid summers. I'm stuck and looking for some help. Thanks!

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Comments (4)

Elaine Doremus Resumes Written
3 years ago
(In my opinion) I know you didn't ask for security help but may I make a suggestion, while you are making landscape changes? The blue bush and the tree closet to the garage may need to be removed. Anything too close to the windows may be a security concern.
Tori Anne thanked Elaine Doremus Resumes Written
houssaon
3 years ago
I would prune the spruce by the steps.

I think you have a nice planting along the foundation. I would look to add bulbs, perennials, and annuals for color.

I would get a new traditional door. The one you have now looks Victorian. I would paint it and the side lights white or a soft light color. If you don't want to replace the door, paint it all white.
Tori Anne thanked houssaon
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Replace roof with dark gray shingles. Replace small windows in dormers with larger windows to scale adding trim around each. Remove storm door and add trim around front door and around lower level windows as well. If you can, add panes to all windows. Add veneer stone to match existing rock wall. add new light fixtures each side of front door and above garage door. Remove all plantings then add climbing roses each side of stairs. Add ground cover at top of stone wall that cascades over softening lines. Remove metal awning replacing with wooden portico extending from existing roofline. Remove wrought iron railing and replace with wood/pvc/vinyl.Personally I would paint the brick a pale gray and add black or dark gray shutters, both of which are classic colors for cape cod style houses. Good luck.
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Paint the metal around the posts yes they will be wood underneath but not pretty. I would start with better landscaping if you plant in front of the foundation you will ne need to paint it. Google foundation plantings and you will get all sorts of ideas the same on the right those little shaped bushes need to go add some color . As for the shutters I would paint them , the front door maybe a nice blue Use a metal railing the same color as the posts
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OK Scott, since you just became the homeowner, I have a change of advice. While it is great that you are focusing on the curb appeal, I suggest you should direct your attention to the heating and building envelope since this will be your first winter in the house. Although it looks like the rehabber did a thorough job, many skip or skimp on the stuff that can't be seen, like aging insulation (or 100 years ago NO insulation), drafty corners, rooms that are burning hot and others that are freezing cold, etc. Save some $$ for resolving this. But I wholeheartedly agree that now is the time to plant a tree or 2, but I will reiterate that unless you are in a Sun State, really good windows remove the need for shade from trees, awnings, etc, and it looks like that work got done already. The trees really are only needed to dress the lot, unless your interior walls were burning hot from afternoon solar exposure. As an aside, I profess to know nothing about early 20th century interior surfacing techniques in Ohio, but I wonder if that heavy stucco was a more modern fast fix to deal with the naturally imperfect walls that come with building technologies of the time. IOW, I personally would look into whether that stucco should even be there at all.
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Tori Anne
Original Author
3 years ago
i'm thinking of pulling all the landscaping and starting from scratch. Things have been overgrowing for a while and the bed is lava rock...which i'd love to replace anyways. @houssaon I love the white doors idea and @Elaine Doremus Resumes Written the security call out is something I hadn't thought of! Thanks!
decoenthusiaste
3 years ago
Upgrade the swing. I too would start from scratch on the landscaping. Rocks are NOT mulch! I took 2 years to dig them out of a bed to make it useful. Add some daylilies when you redo it. You could upgrade the lantern lights. Make them 1/3 of the door's height. Your black urns are a bit too formal/classic for a Cape Cod cottage. The two white dormers are the first things I saw. Painting the door and sidelights white might pull the eye to the entry. If not, consider blending the dormers into the roof color.

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