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Remodeling Design Dilemma Exterior

Looking to update & modernize house exterior. Siding? Stonework Ideas?

3 years ago

Looking to put a fresh new look on our split level house. I contemplated doing vinyl siding, new door, roof & portico over front door. Need ideas and suggestions on what would look best and maybe give the house a bit more of a modern flair and a higher energy efficiency,

. Open for suggestions on materials, colors and how to go about selecting an honest contractor. I am just getting my money back from a contractor that took our deposit in February and didn't do anything for the past 9 months.

Comments (5)

PRO
Patricia Colwell Consulting
3 years ago
What are all those tiny windows for?If you want a more modern look IMO no bay windows . A wak\lkway too the front door from the street some redo of landscaping and if the siding is in good shape maybe just paint it.I really think vinyl siding looks cheap . If you need siding look at cement board a much nicer choice for sure.New front doors with some glass in them and all those tiny windows made to look like the rest of the windows on that side of the house
PRO
Patricia Colwell Consulting
3 years ago
last modified: 3 years ago
What are all those tiny windows for?If you want a more modern look IMO no bay windows . A wak\lkway too the front door from the street some redo of landscaping and if the siding is in good shape maybe just paint it.I really think vinyl siding looks cheap . If you need siding look at cement board a much nicer choice for sure.New front doors with some glass in them and all those tiny windows made to look like the rest of the windows on that side of the house Dark vertical siding mixed with natural cedar would be a great look
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You could certainly paint your Hardie siding. I wouldn't replace perfectly good siding just for aesthetic reasons. And that style, while appealing, will also quickly date a home. Please don't do what everyone else is doing, that gets old really quick. Your house is lovely. But I agree, the color could use a "jump." Have you looked at navy homes? It would look fabulous with the white trim and your porch... Oh, and paint your downspouts to match the siding.
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Good morning, Beth, I never answered you. Yes, we are in SoCal. Stucco box land! I didn’t think I could achieve my “dream house” look with *this* house, but I’m hopeful now. I gleaned a lot of inspiration from this feature on Mediterranean farmhouses. https://decomg.com/75-beautiful-rustic-mediterranean-farmhouse-exterior-design/ I can’t tell you how helpful this thread has been...helping me understand what it is exactly I like and don’t like, and what terms get me images of what I do like. It’s not modern that I like necessarily, but minimal, simple. And maybe it’s not black and white, but contrast (I.e. not all beige, ugh!). And I do love farmhouses, but it’s really the metal roofs and industrial lighting. And I absolutely adore black steel windows, but I can get my fix in a front or back door. I’ll be sure to share a photo of what we end up doing. Here are a few of my favorite images from the website I posted. I hope this discussion helps others!
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That's a wonderful first home and looks well maintained - congratulations. From the examples you've been given, I would go with one of the darker greens, or darker brown. My own single story MCM is dark unsweetened chocolate brown - all of it, no brick other than built in planters in front - and in searching back through neighborhood photos, has been this color since built 1955. I have no plans to change it. I like the way it blends into the landscape as though a part of it, and not something just dropped into place from somewhere else ;0) I think blue would have that effect on your home with the treed background. One thing the PO had done here was paint the underside of the soffits warm white. I think if the darker color, it would appear a little dark when inside looking out...you might want to keep that in mind when painting along your parking and basketball hoop area and keep the part the overhangs the brick light colored on the underside. No one will notice from outdoors.
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@kjr0625 - before you change things, have an architect design the changes and create some renderings. I fear that removing the vertical lines will make that front look really boring and sparse, and it's worth the extra money to be able to really see how it's going to look before you actually do it. Personally, I think those lines are the best feature of that house and I would love to see it preserved. An architect could help you come up with other ideas that might make you happy. Of course it's your home so you should feel free to do what you want! @Patricia Colwell It also in not MCM but a great example of a 80's contemporary house stay true to that era for sure. It definitely captures the MCM spirit for sure though. I happen to love these, even when they do lean more 70s/80s!
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Ruthann Furst
Original Author
3 years ago
last modified: 3 years ago
Thank you for your suggestions Patricia. There is a circular driveway that is hard to see from the picture we posted so I'm not sure how a walkway would work as it would have to cut across the driveway.

We currently have asbestos shingles and have painted them 3 times over the last 20 years. I think they kind of make the house feel dated. The small windows are from our master bedroom redo 20 years ago. They were actually very modern looking when we put them in. I'm attaching a picture of how they look over our bed, but your right they do appear small from the outside.
PRO
Beth H. :
3 years ago
last modified: 3 years ago
these are all update split levels. (i'll have to post pics one by one since houzz is glitchy)

since you like the smaller, more modern looking windows, why not do that side of the exterior in cedar plank siding? you can do composite cedar

this has the garage, but picture it just on the right, and do regular siding on the left portion

you could also do a board and batten

here's a shake

regular siding:

here's one w/a bay window, although it has brick

another option is to extend the roof over the front door and over to the right
Ruthann Furst
Original Author
3 years ago
Hi Beth. Thank you for sharing all the photos! I like the first two pics, they have more of a modern feel which is what I'm trying to accomplish.

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