How would you update the curb appeal of this weird 60s home?
Jenni Skarsten
2 years ago
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Jenni Skarsten
2 years agoCelery. Visualization, Rendering images
2 years agoRelated Discussions
How would you improve curb appeal on my house?
Comments (43)You could use some help from the LD forum on this landscaping. Since you didn't pick the hollies and aren't attached to them, I'll be blunt: for my eye there's not much you can do with paint colours or house details to distract from the very unfortunate placement of those bushes. I'm not saying they couldn't be useful if you combined them with some other landscaping (the other forum people tend to be better at foundation planting issues than I am), but on their own at that height they... are unnecessary, to put it mildly. The house has a very nice foundation, nothing to hide. Do any similar houses in your area have no foundation planting with more greenery further out in the yard instead? I might be inclined to put such a hedge perpendicular to the house if anywhere in that yard, perhaps along the side property line. Cutting them and fleshing out the beds further into the yard with more plantings in front of them might help. I think they will sprout from below if cut back, but check that on the shrubs forum perhaps, or someone on LD might know. KarinL...See MoreCurb appeal challenge! How would you fix up this corner-lot home?
Comments (17)Thanks for all the insightful comments! A little more detail on the home: The lot goes back past the fence (all of that dense shrubbery/bamboo at the end of the picture is still on the property) including a driveway with parking pad for 3+ cars right behind the fence). Another major detail is that the interior has been 60% stripped to the studs already because the previous owners were in the process of converting it from an illegal duplex to a single-family home. They abandoned the project last year when they were relocated to Canada for work and it has sat on the market since. They replaced windows, fixed up the exterior, stabilized the foundation, and removed a few interior walls (adding beams to open up the floorplan). I've also spoken to two contractors who believe there is space to add ~750 square feet just from the tax maps and applicable zoning ordinances. Unfortunately, adding square footage would take away from the back yard (which is currently a good size but not as huge as some of the ones in the neighborhood). Either way, I plan on spending a lot of time/budget on the back yard to maximize the limited space! I'll have to talk to a Realtor to see if a nice but tiny backyard would deter too many homebuyers in the area. Here is what I've gathered from your comments! Railings need to go up ASAP Shutters might work, but first I need to add a full-size porch or at least a nice awning over the door. I'll get quotes for both, but leaning towards a nice awning in order to have budget leftover for the rest of the yard. Raised plant beds might not look as good as I thought, mature foundation shrubbery might be a good alternative! Add a small fence or hedge to cover the AC units and meters. Consider a picket fence across the front yard (the three houses to the left all have these, so it should be allowed). My favorite idea: plant hedging or bushes alongside the retaining wall to create some privacy and division from the street. We went for a walk in the neighborhood yesterday and a lot of the corner lots have this! Last - I definitely need to hire a landscape architect to help me figure all of this out. I might have to come up with a phased approach depending on the internal renovation costs, but over the next 2-3 years I can see all of this happening! I am not in the position where I can afford to drop $600K for a house that still needs updating or $800K for turn-key (what the neighborhood is going for), so I'm looking for homes that need a little more creativity and TLC that what a typical investor is willing to give! Links to a couple of neighborhood houses on the market for reference: https://www.zillow.com/homedetails/396-Garden-Ln-NW-Atlanta-GA-30309/35908670_zpid/ https://www.zillow.com/homedetails/355-Lofton-Rd-NW-Atlanta-GA-30309/35908720_zpid/ https://www.zillow.com/homedetails/393-Deering-Rd-NW-Atlanta-GA-30309/35908609_zpid/ (across the street on that main road - likely a tear down)...See MoreHow would you improve the curb appeal of this house design?
Comments (30)I would push back if the builder is suggesting that none of the window sizes can be changed on this elevation due to code. Codes do vary from place to place, but they generally have a few common features regarding windows: minimum open size for egress i bedrooms, and minimum natural light and ventilation in living spaces. Other than the bedroom, none of the other windows on this elevation should be tied to code in that they cannot be changed. I agree that at minimum the 1st floor bath and kitchen window should be the same height. I also think they should both be the same type of window. I understand the convenience of casement windows over a kitchen sink, so I would do a single casement in the bathroom too. On the second floor I would make the bathroom another casement (for rhythm and consistency) and make it the same size as the top half of the landing window. Beyond that, landscaping, exterior color choice, a nice window box under the first floor bathroom and kitchen windows, a small paver patio to expand the front porch, and some quality details on the porch posts, railing, door and outdoor lights can all improve and add character to a simple form....See MoreIf this was your house, what would you do to improve curb appeal?
Comments (19)I like the suggestions of @partim and others to add a roof of some sort (open for light or closed for shelter) to the blank wall area, and the suggestions of going dark with the siding/trim and refining the detailing on the bay window. The element that still bothers me after those changes is the very wide overhang of the main roof on the left side. Obviously it's okay structurally (it's still up there!), but to the eye it looks like it needs support. This would probably be more than $10k, but maybe someday the column of brick and the siding wall to the left of the blank area could be extended up to the roof to provide that visual impression of support and to balance the facade? Something like this?...See Morenickel_kg
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