Updating 70s Raised Rancher

11 months ago

I'm currently in the process of trying to update the curb appeal of my 1970s raised ranch that's very flat in the front with an old looking porch cover. I added on a garage pergola to try to close some of the space over the doors but contemplating if a lime wash would help. The house is up on a hill with a low pitch roof (that will need new shingles soon). Would love to hear any ideas on how to bring this home to life without breaking the bank. Don't think I'd see a return on dumping a ton of money into it due to lower sq footage.

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HU-359946952
Original Author
11 months ago
last modified: 11 months ago
kazzh
11 months ago
The structure that the stairs wind up is not really fitting with the house. Would suggest a colour more in the terracotta tones would bring it into the house more rather than contrasting. Once you have the colour right, a planting that drapes down would bring in the green background ground you already have behind the home.
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I also wouldn't remove the railing! If it were mine... - I'd think about ways to improve the wide plain/void opening between the two widely-spaced posts opposite the door. I'd be trying to make it more inviting, yet with an element of privacy. I'm a gardener, so my first idea would be to put in a trellis for climbing plants (something narrow next to the left post as facing the house). And/or I'd add some bench/chair seating near the door & window, and find some large planters for the porch edge near each post. Thoughts like that..... - I'd evaluate the gardens around the porch and the foundation evergreens and decide what should stay/go/whatever. - I'm most bothered by the windows with the odd shutter sizes and white thing below them. I'd put window boxes on those two windows, for sure!!! :) I wouldn't paint the brick -- that would just add maintenance issues for me. lol! ETA: sorry, I didn't see the photo that shows the pathway leading to where I thought a trellis might go. Don't do that. lol! Is the existing path used? is it at a spot and in a configuration that's natural? if not, I'd change it to whatever works best!
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That Architectures 101 article on "Shudders", suggesting their removal in about every case where shutters are used, keeps being put forth as the final holy dictum on the subject. Personally, I reject it, thinking that today's use of shutters have moved well beyond actual or simulated function and have become, just trim ... another way to add some interest and detail on an otherwise dull and bland box. Accept it as the maxim if you will, but I think this shutter removal fad will run its course in another decade or so and start to be mentioned in the same way as "that's so 70's" ... or whatever decade you want to comment about that has little to offer today. Can't figure out why someone would say that landscape beds need to be serpentine. That can't be true because there are countless instances where it couldn't possibly work or be good. And the snakey serpentine is almost always bad. The bed line should geometrically fit the occasion. It's usually straight lines, curves, or a combination of the two. Maybe some angles thrown in. There is no blanket rule that fits all houses. The foundation planting does not seem to fit well to the house. It seems to have the urge to smother the house, but seems also to be simultaneously suppressed in its endeavors. The unbroken roof comes across as an uninteresting element and the house seems exposed. Some small trees off of the corners would help these conditions. the burning bush off of the right corner could be such a small tree, but this one is most likely too close to the house for that. The stoop could stand to be larger and not smothered by plants. A clearer path from the drive to stoop would help, too. The yard overall seems exposed so maybe some street trees could be fit in, too.
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Really nice house. Would not paint the brick -- not ever. You might consider removing the two trees leaning toward the house before a storm --wind storm and/or ice storm or even lightening -- puts them on your roof. While you already have room to create a portico, if you remove the two trees, you'll have plenty of room for a larger front porch -- either one will look good with forward facing gable with its ridge point the same height as the gable on the left side and it would be a good idea to make a decision on that before replacing the roof. If you've been considering enlarging the house to extend the upstairs over the single story section on the left end of the ground floor and/or adding a porch or room elsewhere, Decide that before redoing the roofing. If a new roof is needed, make that your priority. medium/dark gray shingles are as close to neutral as shingles get. Newer metal roofs now have an extended warranty. Talk with your homeowner insurance company and see if they can give you any information about how metal roofs age in your geographic location that might help you make your decision. Probably would not choose metal myself with that style house -- they tend to look better with steep roofs. Siding color you have is neutral and works well with the brick so if it doesn't need changing, wouldn't make that a priority.
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I think the fireplace is very well done. The main problem is the incremental addition of all the clutter that has occurred. If that were my home, I'd remove every single thing on the hearth, the two lamps, and -- though you probably don't want to hear it -- that television. The tv is a distracting focal point and it's very high placement is terrible from an ergonomic standpoint. Yes, people put tv sets above the mantel all the time, but that doesn't make it a good idea either from a practical or a design standpoint. The placement of a tv for viewing comfort should be approximately at a height where the midpoint of the screen is at eye level or a little higher when you are seated; yours is probably 5' higher than it should be. The only thing I would do to that fireplace is paint the mantel -- maybe a semi-gloss black -- and then consider putting one, nice vase on it.
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Rho Dodendron
11 months ago
What kazzh wrote about having vines covering the concrete wall. My last house was a raised ranch. If I had stayed one more summer I would have done just that.

Loose the black horizontal buckles on the garage doors. Put flower boxes under the windows.

When you replace the roof go for a different colour such as dark green and change the shutters to match.
Rachel Lee
11 months ago
I would take everything you can dark. Pergola, trims, retaining walls, sides of the steps, garage doors…
tpbond
11 months ago
last modified: 11 months ago
I like your pergola over the garage! I'm in the middle of updating my dad's 70's split level, and I'm curious to see what you end up doing. My brick is not a great color, so I'm painting it in shades of green (some people don't like painted brick, I love it & think a limewash would really update your exterior). Forgive the crude mock-up, I "limewashed" your upper brick and did a little contrast darker green on the garage doors/front concrete structure. I also added a bit of horizontal wood siding for interest, and removed the shutters for a more contemporary look ;) Good luck and look forward to seeing your finished update!
HU-359946952
Original Author
11 months ago
Appreciate all the comments, lots of good ideas. Right now it's finding the balance of cost effective measures and what is feasible myself. I think addressing the wall of concrete a good art! Tpbond may I ask what application you used to mock that up? Looks good would like to play around in there myself
tpbond
11 months ago
HU-359946952 , Sherwin Williams has a color visualizer that's great for playing w/ paint, you just upload your pic and start painting;) (I'm a photographer and added the pergola/siding using Paint 3D). Have fun!
OhNat
11 months ago
I think you could easily beef up the porch roof with some vinyl trim. Add rafter tails to the front and full rafters on each side. https://www.elitetrimworks.com/pergola-rafter-tail-craftsman-profile.html Wrap the columns and add half columns to the back. I like the carriage hardware on your garage doors. Matching shutters and window boxes would be lovely.

Updating 70s Raised Rancher

Comments (8)

HU-359946952
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kazzh

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Rho Dodendron

Rachel Lee

tpbond

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tpbond

OhNat

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Updating 70s Raised Rancher

Comments (8)

HU-359946952Original Author

kazzh

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Rho Dodendron

Rachel Lee

tpbond

HU-359946952Original Author

tpbond

OhNat

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HU-359946952
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