Improve exterior of a half Spanish style home
I bought a multifamily home with different style design. The back of the home was later built and is Spanish style which I really love and the front of the home is plain and I’m look how to make it look better. I will be putting vinyl fence on top do the retaining wall. Any other ideas to make the exterior look better and more cohesive will be appreciated.
Comments (11)
rainyseason
last yearEverly San
last yearRelated Discussions
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Comments (12)I like the cream color. To me, it's soft and inviting. White will not look "hacienda". The most striking things to me are the garage doors (too plain), the expanse of concrete, and the pitiful palm tree in the center of the driveway ring. I think I would do the kind of driveway that had grass interwoven into it. This will help with runoff, too. You could at least do the center medallion like that. IMO break up that concrete! Aside from replacing the garage doors (I'm thinking echo the curve from the windows, atrium, and the front porch), I would have greenery draped from above o a trellis, to break up the expanse. I'm a big fan of bougainvillea and it always looks "hacienda". To luxe things up, I agree that the steps need redo-ing. It the very least, make them wider with curved sides, again, echoing the curves of the windows. Too much vegetation in front of that one window, IMO. It's blocking the house....See MoreEverly San
last year- PRO
Patricia Colwell Consulting
last yearlast modified: last year 
PROBeth H. :
last yearlast modified: last yearthis isn't a spanish style home. you have some arches on the back addtion part. that's it. I mean, it's like walking around w/castanets on your fingers while wearing blue jeans and a tshirt, and calling yourself a flamenco dancer. no offense.
If you want more spanish, get a spanish roof tile, get new windows for the front part, spanish style door, and a mediterranea landscape.see how they did this look?
or this one.you'd have to stain that concrete driveway too
But aside from that, I'd just go w/the vintage mid century look.Like this one:
(is this home up in the north part of LA? montecito hgts? Lincoln park area? looks like it. )
First thing I'd do is paint. from the pic it looks like a greenish white.
why do you want fencing on top of the wall? Have you checked w/the city first to see if it's allowed? if it is, ask about the spacing of the fencing. sometimes you need a gap in between the planks.
If you must do fencing, then make it this style:
I'd paint the cinder block wall a darker color and then do your vinyl wood look fencing on top of that.
I'd paint the lower portion a dark charcoal, and do a warm, horizontal wood-look plank on top
paint your stucco and trim a more modern color that works w/the wood tone
I love the dark and white w/the wood
PROBeverlyFLADeziner
last yearlast modified: last yearNo to any vinyl fence on this property.
Just because a home has an arch or two doesn't make it Spanish. You have a contemporary home.
I'd paint it a white and paint the retaining wall gray and add a slat wood or faux wood screen/fence at the top.
pat1250
last yearsimplynatural
last yearlast modified: last yearSimilar but simpler ideas to @Dig Doug's Designs (really nice, Doug!). If this is a rental property, you might not want to invest more than you have to, so I added fencing for safety, shrubs for screening, trailing plants for softness, and a differently-paved walkway for a more pleasant approach. The black iron railing and an arched panel over the visible door echo details from the back section to try to unify the two parts of the house.
If there is room on the terrace for shade elements like a tree and a pergola as Doug shows, those would be great additions.
Everly San
last yearThank you for all the amazing ideas. After consulting some fencing people, I decided to go vinyl because of the weather of where I live and I like not having to take care of real wood. If you HAD To pick a vinyl color, which one would you pick (grey vs brown) and what color should I paint the wall? Thank you again
Everly San
last year
Dig Doug's Designs