Need ideas for a 1949 mid century modern, stone ranch home, front yard
All the low lying yews have been removed. A concrete sidewalk runs across the front of the house from the open porch on the left to the drive way. Also, how do hide the water meter?
Comments (8)
mindshift
3 years agolast modified: 3 years agoLandscaping for a ranch is mostly low shrubs or perennials punctuated with taller shrubs to break the long bland sameness. However, your home's style is anything but bland. Below is a mockup of this basic landscaping style. I've placed 2 sets of tall narrow broadleaf evergreens to flank windows. These happen to be Ilex crenata 'Sky Pencil', but they may not work for you. Between them is a medium sized flowering shrub. In front of these is a perennial edging or groundcover. Yellow flowering shrubs or perennials fill in on the corners and flank the entry.
I don't know how wide your flower beds are between the house and the walkway, so I don't know how much room you have to layer plants. The point of my mockup is to show how plant types and color are repeated. Consider measuring the length and depth of beds and drawing out plans where 1' equals 1" on paper. You can use this to get an idea of how many plants you need to fill the spaces.Visit your local nursery for recommendations of plants that will work in your climate and soil. Pay attention to the expected mature size of plants. If a plant will eventually be 5' wide plant it 3' from a wall or walkway. This could mean that instead of the one medium sized shrub you have to use 3 smaller shrubs that won't crowd your walkway. Remember that "dwarf" only means smaller than the species, so make sure the mature size will fit. New plants will not fill the space for several years, so fill in around them with annuals and biennials.
I have not covered the water meter, but it shouldn't be noticed among the plantings. Use taller annuals or biennials in front of and around it so the eye is drawn to them. As shrubs mature the water meter will be less and less conspicuous.
Jean
3 years agoRelated Discussions
Mid-century modern update to deck and yard
Comments (2)NIce house , MCM is always clean and simple that is why I love it . Google MCM landscaping there are some awesome ieas that would work for you.The furniture you have is bit more country than I would choose for MCM and the landscpaping in the back needs work too.This is just one idea....See MorePotential to become mid-century modern? Ideas needed, please!
Comments (20)Where are you located? There are places that are dry enough to make having a gravel yard practical, but if you live somewhere with a more average amount of rainfall, you will need to use an application of weedkiller at least a couple of times a year or get a flame weeder. A flame weeder could be an issue if it is underlain with weed fabric which might melt. The other issue is that gravel + kids can be an problem (so tempting to throw), depending on your kids. I like the gray tones for the house so much more than the current brown. I would remove the shrub at the base of the stairs and replace it with a low-growing flowering plant. I would want to break up the expanse of the side of the stairs with evergreen shrubs and face them with some lower flowering plants. Choose your shrubs so that the ultimate size can be kept below the level of the stairs. I would want something bright to bring attention to your raised front door, either the door color or if there is space, a large, low flower container planted with bright flowers or foliage. Don't do anything to hide that gorgeous railing! Most houses of this time period have walkways are too narrow, so if there are funds and the walkway isn't at least 4'-5' wide, widen it. A lower cost way to widen it is to add a band of a contrasting color pavers that are 8"-12" wide on each side, and a full replacement would be more expensive. The more generous walkway, along with the more visible bottom of the steps from removing the current shrub, and a generous landing at the base of the steps will make the entry more welcoming. I like the way the fence breaks up the expanse of gravel, but the dissonance between the roof line and the line created by the top of the fence is a bit disconcerting....See MoreDesign ideas for front exterior of mid-century style home?
Comments (5)I love your Mondrian inspiration. First, figure out which software you have access to that you can use to experiment with exterior ideas. If you can use Photoshop, you are ahead of the game. I can’t justify the investment, so I limp along with Microsoft PowerPoint and the free Sherwin-Williams ColorSnap. Even if you do 20 or more experiments with color and color placement on the photographic images, it doesn’t cost much money and doesn’t take much time. Keep going until you come up with the right combination. Since the house has shingle siding, I am assuming that you cannot just paint it to get the Mondrian look. Are you going to change out the windows to get the heavy black frames? Are you going to reside the whole house, or just the front? To get the look of rectangular panels, you will need to find out what products are commonly available in your area. For instance, James Hardie panels are in common use. Example: Drive around to construction sites. Find out what products they are using. Get the names of the contractors. You are going to need to hire someone knowledgeable for the installation....See MoreUpdating recently purchased mid century modern home exterior?
Comments (25)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....See Morelizziesma
3 years agoJean
3 years agopartim
3 years agomindshift
3 years ago
Tara