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Landscape Design Design Dilemma Porches & Decks

Request for curb appeal assistance, please!!!

sharon Drysdale

3 years ago

I am getting ready to do some major redesign on my front yard and don't know where to start. I am interested in a drought tolerant landscape with no grass whatsoever. I am interested in removing both brick planter boxes on either side of the walkway and also reorienting the sidewalk. I would love to have a dry creek bed running through the property with rocks and boulders. I live in Northern California so that needs to be taken into consideration when choosing landscape items. Thank
you, in advance, for any help you can send my way. :)

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Comments (10)

sharon Drysdale
Original Author
3 years ago
Here are a few photos taken today.
ashtonchic
3 years ago
Drive around your neighborhood and see what others have done. Look on line for examples of things you might do in your area.
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Exterior design/color/curb appeal assistance requested - please!
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Comments (72)
The hardest thing about making this sort of a change is actually taking the plunge - my suggestion is if you are not thrilled go ahead and take a chance. I appreciate everyone's comments. I am suprised with such positive remarks considering the pics are really not good examples - it really looks great in person though. Thanks again for everyone's suggestions and comments. Hopefully this post will be helpful to someone else considering making a big change. With that said - I'd like to suggest for the forum that people ALWAYS post their actual colors when they post a picture. I know the lighting, computer screen, etc can make things look different but it is very helpful to see something in action as opposed to on a paint swatch. I would have found it invaluable.
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Comments (46)
Well, I have been fooling around with colors. The darker SW Spalding Gray above & below looks great with the brick, it's darker than my mock-up but in the same chit. The problem comes in when I add more brown to it ( as to your request) .I have a problem with door colors jiving. If I add more brown and then a green door it makes the salmon-y pink in the brick POP out not in a good way. I'm not finding a way for it to work. It's so horrible I'm not posting it. There is a lady down my street who has Fred Flintstones on her front. She painted her house the most unlikely shade of chartreuse and it looks amazing! However, she has all your brick colors except the salmon-y ishy pink shade in her stone. if you go with the darker Spalding or the med tone Perfect Greige and do not like any of the warm door shades in above mock-up perhaps something in the eggplant color family for the door. Otherwise, a shade in the mock-up door works best. I realize the door above looks a tad too bright overall but there are some deeper less bright colors in there.
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Comments (4)
Yardvaard, thanks so much for taking the time to do the rendering! - We were debating widening the front tree planting; I like your visual of it! - Addl questions/refinement (added another closer pic so you can hopefully see more detail): -- The red tree to the right you mention pulling back to a regular circle and doing plain groundcover as well. We have 2 protruding pipes towards the bottom (nearer the 3 bushes) and will need to keep it elongated to cover it. As it's a very large area, I would like to have some type of colorful interest there, with perhaps a groundcover in the middle, keeping the three red bushes if possible (they were a gift). Is there a design you would suggest? -- Your drawing shows groundcover for the overhang/window on the right, and a single bush for the one on the left. The area is large, about 11 feet from the rightmost post/porch edge to the brick wall, and almost double from the window to the edge of the walk. The bed to the left is even larger. Won't a single groundcover on one side and a single bush on the other make it seem to sparse? Also, how would you outline the bed on the left (include the birch tree or leave it on its own)?
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Comments (79)
The realtor stated we are now** allowed by law to state the ammenities the home is near. ** jlj, "now" or "not"? And if it's "not", what is the law against stating nearby amenities? I know about mandatory disclosure provisions where sellers are required to state certain things, but have never heard about not being able to note nearby facilities, etc. And our highest offer so far also wanted all of our main level furniture and washer and dryer. Do you mean main level appliances, or actual furniture, like dining room table and chairs, sofa, etc.? How far are you moving, and would it actually help to be able to sell the house furnished? If so, I'd include this possibility in the listing.
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sharon Drysdale
Original Author
3 years ago
thanks, I will do that.
decoenthusiaste
3 years ago
Search the box above under "Photos" for Northern California xeriscape.
Amber Lynn
3 years ago
I love your home and red door! I think the vision you have described would really accentuate your home.

There is a landscape designer on here who was really helpful to me ~ Doug from Dig Doug's Designs. His talent is amazing. Maybe he would be able to help you as well. Someone else on Houzz told me about him and these are her instructions on how to reach out to him:

To send him a message, click on his name in my post (above).

Towards the top of the screen you will see a rectangular green box that says SEND MESSAGE. Click that and a white box pops up that says CONTACT THIS PRO.

Write your message inviting him to contribute to your thread and include the URL for your post.

Good luck!
sharon Drysdale
Original Author
3 years ago
thanks Amber
kitasei2
3 years ago
I think the interfaces with neighboring properties is important to create a naturalistic design. Please take pictures that show those.
gardengal48 (PNW Z8/9)
3 years ago
Do some research on "California Friendly" gardening for tons of ideas on drought tolerant planting plans and plant selection. Lots of photos of existing CF gardens, as this has been a big promotional push for all of CA for about a dozen years or so. There was also a long standing incentive or rebate plan associated with this program to encourage homeowners to remove resource-thirsty lawns and other plants. Check with local authorities to see if this is still in place for your region.

A designer not familiar with CA's climate and growing conditions and plant selection will be of much less help than one that is local. Many of the suggested CF plants would be very uncommon outside of that state. Try posting on the California Gardening forum for more localized and site specific advice.
sharon Drysdale
Original Author
3 years ago
Thanks gardengal48, I didn't know about Cal Friendly. it will be a helpful resource.
sharon Drysdale
Original Author
3 years ago
Thanks kitasei2, I will post pics of part of my neighborhood's property.

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