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Design Dilemma Exterior

Exterior Ideas for New Home

last year

We are in the process of purchasing this home. They had it listed as a “Cape Cod” style home. It’s interior is laid out similar to one but I’m having a hard time seeing it on the outside. Its a quaint home and I especially love the cottage look. We will be making some renovations to the front since the current front door opens into the steps going upstairs which makes it a tight space to walk through.

Any ideas on what type of materials to use to gain that certain look? Any pictures or sketches to put me in the right direction would be grateful. Thank you 😊

Comments (7)

J Steel
last year
A layout of the inside of your house would help with consideration on where to move the front door to.
PRO
Beth H. :
last year
do you know if additions were done?

I don't really see Cape Cod. I'd let that description go and try something else.

classic capes

if you want something like this, you're going to need some help from an architect
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Don't have any pics but you can yahoo images. I would suggest the trim be black or grey. As for the shutters a red like the shingles use to be. You did not mention what part of the country this house is in. That can make a diff on the color choices. Is the entire house cedar? Is it a one or two story?
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Comments (13)
Maybe the door would be good in red? But I always think that. Still.... Or how about a teal or soldier blue door? It's a cute, cute house. Maybe that horizontal rod going across the storm door is removable. I've had storms like that. If you could take the cross piece off, it would let the nice wood door show better. And the light that awmo3 posted would look great on your house. A variegated red-twig dogwood would be good, maybe on the left hand corner. They have nice bright red stems in the winter. (Oh-oh....there I go again with the red.) I'm in zone 4. My dogwoods are the nicest color I can have in the winter. Otherwise it's pretty blah in the middle of winter. You might also consider some Annabelle hydrangeas. They are so pretty in the summer and have a nice old-fashioned look. If you want to, you can leave the big pom-pom flowers on all winter and cut them back in the early spring. The blooms turn rusty brown color and it gives you something out there in the winter. And also one or two small evergreen shrubs would be nice out there so you have some dark green color during the winter. Then plant some daylillies and some asiatic lillies for summer color. If you expand those planting beds out a ways so they are deeper, and make them a curvy shape, that will add to the look too. If you leave the stained porch as it is, you could get some golden or medium brown cedar mulch for the garden and that will tie the porch color into the landscaping.
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We just replaced our roof on our contemporary homes with black. I main body of the house is Garrett Grey (Sherwin Williams) . I feel the need to. Paint the trim a different color and add accent to the front door. What do you suggest?
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Comments (12)
Widen the walkway to the main entry. If there is the time and energy or cash, move the wall back about a foot or two since it currently makes the walk feel narrower. Regardless, redo the main walkway so it is 4’ wide. Make the steps the same width and and move the pillar by the opening onto the porch to accommodate the needed opening width. The porch, pillars, and bright colored forward facing door make the main entry visible as such. If you do a patio for the apartment, fence it along with the lower entry with a gate so it is clearly not the main entry. Whoever lives in the apartment can tell guests how to get there. If there is space, can you add a low fence with a remove able front opening to hide the ?gas meter? No suggestions on landscaping other than blocks of ground cover with a few feature plants to keep the “modern” look you want. Wait a year to see what is already there and whether you like it. I would not remove the large tree, regardless as it provides shade and therefore lower AC bills as well as giving nice character to the property. For more specific suggestions, tell us your USDA growing zone and nearest large city.
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Sarah
Original Author
last year
Directly behind the brick is the living room. The spaces both to left and right are bedrooms with the kitchen and sunroom towards the backside of the house. The only additions done to the house before buying was a garage with the sunroom on top which is on the right.
decoenthusiaste
last year
Live there for a year. Figure out the landscaping (what's dead or alive, blooms or doesn't) and take care of the issues you may run into that keep it from functioning for you. In a new to you home there may be HVAC, plumbing, foundation or roof problems you don't expect. Meanwhile, post a floor plan so we can help reorganize the entry with you.
PRO
RL Relocation LLC
last year
So the garage side seems as though it is sunken in? We need a shot from front center.

I assume you will have the door walk into the living room now? Again we need an interior floor plan to so we can see things more clearly.

Right away, the shutter have to go lol, otherwise I think living in it first is going to allow you to maybe see, "we can do with out this window" or "we need better access here" or we can Enlarge this window.

I second Beth not seeing anything Cape Code here. Im seeing a house. nothing really descriptive. just having a slopped roof isnt really pulling it in any direction.
rbhirano
last year
It looks to me like a salt box (on the right side) with an addition. You have a large blank area on the left. That makes the right side of the house seem a little heavy. Maybe a taller bush in front of that blank space to help balance out the house.
RedRyder
last year
Wood shingles would look great and lend more towards a cottage OR salt box feel. But the green that Beth posted is also lovely for a smaller house.

How you change the exterior will matter but if it keeps the cottage-y feel, shingles are a good choice.

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