Cedar or board and batten on the garage front?

last year

last modified: 7 months ago

I am wanting to improve the curb appeal of this ranch on a budget. I already have a landscape plan so I am working on the façade. I am considering cedar around the garage or board and batten. I want a modern look. I am not a designer so I'm not sure of board and batten is too much like farmhouse. The house is in Florida so I don't think stone is in keeping in the area. I could just leave it the way it is too and use paint colors to add pizzaz. I am open to all suggestions including color and perhaps something to do with the front walk with the roof hovering over the entry. The front 3 windows are bronze. I want to stay away from really dark body colors since it is so hot here it just seems it would make the house warmer inside. This is a big ask, I may need to hire an exterior designer.

This is what I ended up doing with the exterior. thank you all for the suggestions.

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BeverlyFLADeziner

last year

B&B can look contemporary

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Comments (13)

Elle
last year
I agree that board and batten will look more farmhouse than modern. If you search "modern' or 'contemporary" garage doors on Houzz or Google, you will find lots of options, including cedar and lighter colors.
ssslayton thanked Elle
coray
last year
I think the OP (as I understood it) is not looking for a new garage door, but how to clad the garage wall. Our last house was board and batten, and it was not farmhouse-y at all. If you keep that garage door o probably wouldn’t do cedar.
ssslayton thanked coray
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Lyn Nielson
last year
looks like a good candiate for a beachy look.

I'd keep all the windows in the original bronze color, and paint out all the trim a bright White.

Keep the garage door as is and paint all the siding an aqua/greenish... the front door either a Yellow or Pinkish/Orange (geranium).

I'd create a sidewalk/Path straight out to the road from the front door, and plant a flowerbed between the driveway and walking path. Big fun house numbers above the garage door.
ssslayton thanked Lyn Nielson
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Sabrina Alfin Interiors
last year
Hmm. Not sure either of those options will look good with stucco.

Maybe replace the garage and front door with wood doors and re-paint the walls instead?

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ssslayton thanked Sabrina Alfin Interiors
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BeverlyFLADeziner
last year
Here are some examples of board and batten details

It would be nice if you could replace the garage doors also with something more interesting.
ssslayton thanked BeverlyFLADeziner
kandrewspa
last year
I don't think you need to change the cladding on the garage, but a new garage door wouldn't be a bad idea. This is a vaguely MCM ranch which is meant to be a simple style. You're right that in FL you want a light exterior and I don't think there's anything wrong with the color it is now. But also because it's FL you could have a much more interesting color on your front door - turquoise, lime, lemon, orange - almost anything goes with white. Whatever landscaping changes you're going to make I'm sure will help your curb appeal. The houses in the pictures below are dark colors, but I'm posting them to show different garage doors and front doors.

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ssslayton thanked kandrewspa
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RL Relocation LLC
last year
No go board and batten, Yes that is farmhouse. and you dont want that for a modern look.

I would leave the house white, replace the garage door with a modern one, as well as the front door. I think the landscape brings the color. Id spend the money on a new driveway.
ssslayton thanked RL Relocation LLC
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RL Relocation LLC
last year
ssslayton thanked RL Relocation LLC
ssslayton
Original Author
last year
So many great ideas. I’ve decide to change the garage door to a wood look one and I’ll keep the stucco for budget reasons. I am changing the front door to a more MCM look with glass. I may end up replacing the windows with white single hung rather than bronze. Thank you all for the suggestions
ptreckel
last year
Before you change out your windows (we can’t see them in your photo), I would focus on your front door and garage door, and more modern lighting and house numbers, as suggested above. Your bronze windows will go well with a wooden door and they also match your trim. I would keep them bronze. Please post updates! Your house has great potential!
ssslayton thanked ptreckel
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BeverlyFLADeziner
last year
If you garage door has a good style you can have a vinyl woodgrain skin applied to the door
ssslayton
Original Author
last year
I found a paint kit to make the garage look like wood. it came out great so i am getting a new white door and painting it to look like wood. you can see the practice area on the old brown door. I am going to get larger modern numbers to replace the smaller ones i am not sure about a lights yet. Either one on each side or one above the numbers.