Exterior reno to add charm and character to a topped up bungalow
We are planning to do an exterior reno to our house that we recently moved into. We live in a neighborhood that has original 1930s and 40s brick and Tudor-style homes. Our house is an original orange/red/gray brick bungalow that was topped up in the 90s with a second story.
We are looking to keep the original brick and stone around the door on the main level, but the rest is a blank slate.
Does anyone have any ideas on what materials and design details we could add to the exterior to freshen up the facade and add some much-needed charm and character? Stucco, siding, colors?
Would you keep or delete the half-round window?
I'd love a way to make the house look more cohesive rather than such an obvious second-story addition. Thanks for your suggestions!
Comments (13)
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Comments (26)If it were me, I would go low impact. You're not crazy. The charm of an old house is that it doesn't look like a new house. You just have to make your own call as to where the line is between "old house charm" and jankiness. A good floor guy can do magic to patch a floor. We have a large patched area which is invisible in our kitchen. Can you buy reclaimed flooring to match what you have from anywhere locally to use for patching, or can you salvage any flooring from any of the other work you're doing on the house? You might need to do some legwork but in most areas with a lot of old homes, there is someone. Another note...you absolutely do not need to tear out the old plaster to rewire if that is a concern. We just had our entire 1914 bungalow rewired, and in many places brought up to code, as part of a larger project. Basically the only holes to patch are where the old outlets and switches used to be, if we are not reusing them. They dropped in the new wires and left the old ones disconnected but still inside the walls. There are other reasons you might want to open up the walls, like if you want to add insulation inside the wall cavities (because of the need to install a vapor barrier, not bc of the wires), but a good electrician would not suggest it just for wiring. The vast majority of the plastering we had done was from reconfiguring the floor plan and moving our upstairs ceiling up 7". You can see the latter below. The texture of our old horsehair plaster (rough surface) does not quite match the new, but we don't expect that to be an issue once it's prepped and painted. I'm sure the availability and cost of doing blueboard and plaster varies by location, but here in Boston it is fairly standard....See MoreHow can I add exterior character?
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worthy
2 years agolast modified: 2 years agoTudor details are successfully integrated into many of the original 1970s homes in our area. Some of the worst renos are precisely those that "modernize" "refresh" and "update" them.
American Tudor with characteristic gables istockphoto.com
1970s sub-division Tudor, (Toronto area) (originally, the boards were green, the fields pure white)
So rather than removing the Tudor fake half-timbering for what? PVC siding? consider integrating detailing on the first floor.
Yes, the half-moon window has to go!
Naomi Choi thanked worthyworthy
2 years ago
Here's an example of a 1930s bungalow topped in Tudor.
1930s Tudor-style (l)l "Designer"'s updating to the right.
Maureen
2 years agolast modified: 2 years agoThe more you research, the more ideas you’ll get. I’d then make a wish list and consult with an architect. Ask about the following, if wanting to keep a classic, traditional feel.
Removing half window (if loss of inside light is not an issue) and getting options on how to finish that section, so it flows from top to bottom
A new front door and paint trim and windows a soft grey/brown
Adding stoneto match the front door, under the large window (cut back the shrubs, etc.)
Advice on how to address the left side of house above front door. Maybe brick the whole area and/or with a larger window its proportions would improve.
Then pick and choose, as to what your budget can support/getting the most effect.
Naomi Choi thanked MaureenMaureen
2 years agolast modified: 2 years ago
ptreckel
2 years agointltraveler
2 years agoNaomi Choi
2 years agoMaureen
2 years agoptreckel
2 years ago
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