How can I improve curb appeal and symmetry?
We purchased this home at a great price. It is on the water and has amazing views and lots of bedrooms and bathrooms, so great for guests. The dock and water are out the front of the home. The lot is narrow and the previous owners turned the home sideways to fit, then tried to make the side of the house look like the front. The best view (sunset) is out the left side, so they moved those windows closer to the corner and there are also three windows top and bottom on the left side of the house close to the corner. The door cannot be moved, the house is supported down the middle. Thinking of moving the lower right window over towards the corner the same distance as the lower left window. Would like to remove small window on upper right (bathroom) and put one that matches the bottom right, however, it can not be the same height unless I completely remodel the bathroom. The sink is on the front wall. I don't mind if the window runs above the sink, but can't drop below the sink vanity. Would it look terrible if that window didn't go as low as the one on the upper left? I cannot put a window directly above the lower right window (where it is now) because there is a wall between the master bedroom and bathroom right there. Finally, thinking we will dress it up by adding some accent siding in gable, adding door trim, opening up porch with center stairs, and perhaps retrimming windows. Help!
Comments (9)
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How Can I Improve the Curb Appeal on a budget?
Comments (8)Donna - Thanks :) Unfortunately, it looks to me like your porch/deck is higher* than those in the example pictures you posted. I could be wrong, but please check your local building codes against your actual deck height before making any big $ decisions. (*How I figure that is: The yellow house has four risers that look like they're maybe 4-6"high, putting the porch 16-24" above grade. The blue house has four risers that might be as much as 6" and that funny lip in the concrete walk looks about 4" max, so that porch is no more than 28" above grade. Your porch has four rows of cinderblocks, and cinderblocks are usually 8" high, so that would be 32" without the decking. If it's 2-by decking, that will add 1-3/4", for a deck height of 33-3/4" above grade.)...See MoreFront of house is on cement pad, so how do I improve curb appeal?
Comments (17)Here's a few more ideas and thoughts. Since you have a deck on the other side of the house (in 3rd photo) and generous land around you, I'm guessing this is not your main entertainment area. I agree with Yardvaark about the plantings. IN the quick sketch attached, I just cut away some of the excessive concrete and extended the bed, but (hopefully) left room to back the car into (or for the table in chairs if they need to remain). Also added a columnar evergreen on the corner to soften it. For the deck, I change the railings to metals railings for a lighter look for the deck, added screening below the deck, and added a color to the front door. The planters are larger and more of them to fill the corner. For the bare wall, there is a lot of art that is made for the outdoors these days. Pick something you love to use as a focal point. You can also add vertical house numbers, like comelyhomely suggested next to the door. Good luck with your project!...See MoreHow do I improve entry way and curb appeal of the front yard?
Comments (10)In your introductory statement, you say that you're interested in changing "... the front deck into a more pleasant entry way." Let's compare the existing deck to two concepts. Presently, it seems sized such that it could accommodate 3 or 4 people entering. In my concept I haven't the size of the deck much. I've widened it just a little, mainly to allow for building wider steps ... maybe twice as wide as the current steps. It might accommodate an additional person or two. In your concept drawing, you've changed the deck from merely an entrance, to one sized for family gatherings -- lounging, dining, BBQs, etc. Is that how you intend to use the deck? If it is merely an entrance, it does not make sense to overwhelm the space with a lounging and entertaining deck sized for a family ... unless you are receiving visitors in groups numbering into the teens. First, figure out its purpose and base its size on that. Then work out its configuration. Whether its a wood deck or masonry porch structure doesn't matter to its function, as either can do the job. The materials will have more to do with durability, maintenance and the visual, artistic impression that you are trying to make. In general, I think people value masonry porches as the superior ones, b ut it isn't necessarily always that way....See MoreImproving Curb Appeal - What would you do to improve curb appeal?
Comments (15)Shutters should appear to be operable, so they would need to be as wide as the window... so if closed, they would cover the window. So no shutters on your house. I agree with taking out the boxwood that have been butchered. If you take the bed all the way to the sidewalk, you need a pocket bed on the left side. Yes to learn more about pruning the Crepe Myrtle. Ever heard of Crepe Murder? It's a thing. LOL Honestly you don't even have to prune them. We had several over 30ft tall at our last house, but you don't want one too tall right next to the house. Having lived in the South all my life, I don't have a problem with the grass since we get rain. No idea where you live, but the grass looks healthy. Unless you want to spend every weekend gardening, or hire a gardener, I would not go to the extreme of removing the grass. If there room for a wooden bench on the front porch?...See More
Steph Hannum
3 years ago
Steph Hannum
3 years agookibujp
3 years agoThose are photos I found online. This is my porch and I absolutely love it! When the house was built in 2000, the option to add a porch was 12K. It has added tremendous value to the home. We use it so much that we can't imagine not having it. It's extra square footage and since we have the kitchen French doors that open onto the porch, we are able to have breakfast or dinner outside. We don't have the water to look at, but we have beautiful birds and lots of great neighbors who walk by and say hello. :-)
Steph Hannum
3 years ago
Nancy Ingram