bigger windows are needed

Ranch Style with trusses for the roof. Probably 2x10 floor joist. Brick my be hard to match.

Definitely MCM, but it appears the windows were swapped out at some point. They need to be much bigger. Do a Google Image search for MCM homes so you can get some ideas of how your home should look.

Thanks for the comments! I don't think I need to match the brick. The windows are small but are original and can't be enlarged...without completely reconfiguring the inside and that is not in my budget for this rental house. I'll be changing the landscaping to compensate. I am, however, going to be painting the exterior in the Spring. Let me know if you have any ideas for colors for the gable, trim and front door. I won't be painting the brick and the foundation will be painted either something close to the brick or the grout. Thanks again!

I am also in the process of picking out a new garage door for my detached garage. Any ideas for a style are welcome!

Long, low landscaping will look great in front of your midcentury ranch. Get yourself some streamlined house numbers and mailbox, and possibly remove the screen door to bring back some of the minimalism. I love the orangey brick with the blue contrast, but you could also go warm with a darker trim/gable. Maybe add in a glass or frosted glass garage door?

Whatever you do, don't add shutters!

HI -- Just because a house was built in a certain time in architecture does not make it a true mid century style house that most people relate to . Your house is a simple ranch bungalow that has had some style modifications with where the entrance is and the size of the windows and so on . The true plan of the house was probably turned to fit the lot and then the entrance was moved to street side and that is how it turned out to be what you see now . What is now the front entrance was probably an end on the true plan . I wouldn't worry about keeping the original feel when it could use an up date to make it better than it is now . It needs some help with the plain front . Bigger windows , a better entrance and curb appeal . Consult with an architect to work out a better look . Maybe keep the large front window , that is nice .

Glad to hear you are not going to change, but rather enhance your MC home! Glad you are not painting the brick either!

Orange was the color I thought of too, kellyography! Love it with the blue, or a brown could work too.

I don't care for the screen door either, leave off if possible, unless the climate will not allow.

Pull out the shrubs and start fresh.

New, larger numbers, one mailbox, this home is a gem.

Looks like a midcentury diamond in the rough! Not sure if you could afford a glass garage door but it sure would look great!

Mature shrubs are expensive to replace. Before you tear yours out, investigate the possibility of re-shaping them. Depending on the type of shrub, you can get a very nice effect by just cutting them to shape. Yews are very happy to be cut right back, and in a year they look great. Take a branch into a local nursery along with a photo, and get some advice.

Nice house.

Thanks for the comments! I would love a glass garage door and bigger windows (I'll be replacing some windows but keeping the size) but this house will be a rental and I won't get any return on adding high end upgrades with the location where it is. I'm on a tight budget and looking to update without spending a lot. I have actually removed the screen door and had a cheap 6 panel door installed out of necessity. Unfortunately, I will need to add a new storm door as I'm in an extreme climate. I think I may just go with a basic garage door since I've already installed the generic front door. Plus, I can't decide which garage door style will look good with the multi-pane front window and the generic front door. In regards to the shrubs, I don't like them and want to remove them but since I won't be living here it doesn't really matter so I may just trim them back for now and work on the perennial bed some more. My goal is to increase the value a bit, maintain it properly and make it so some nice renters are going to want to live there and stay for a while.

Hi Treena, Lefty is correct in the statement that it's not a MCM you should feel you have to keep the flavor of. In the end it's a small ranch built midcentry but nothing so stylistic that you can't alter about anything.

That particular model is seen all over and yes with the door and roof line as it is. There are probably a number of homes in your area that look just like that one.

Color for the gable..Typically green, grey, white cream and yellow. In shore communities you see teal, royal blues and pinks.

I would suggest black for all the trim and a warm beige for the gable and foundation. Then do the door in a brilliant color. Go to a paint website... All the major paint company's have them (Benjamin Moore, Behr, Glidden, Sherwin-Williams) up load the home to their interactive program and have fun with the colors.

I do suggest you pull out the overgrown bushes. Plant a nice tree on the center of the lawn. Then taller plants and flowers at the front of the foundation such as hydrangeas. A larger porch light and a newer mailbox.

I will be adding new house numbers at some point. I do need the two mailboxes as I have a basement suite (I will post the before/after of the suite). Both mailboxes will be white and I had planned on putting the house numbers on the mailboxes. My thoughts were to paint the gable teal, the front door navy, the foundation similar to the brick or a grey like the mortar and the trim white with the storm door being white. I was planning to do the garage door teal to match the front door but then it would be the focal point and I don't want that so it will probably stay white. I would love to have the front walkway come straight out from the front door and open that right up but I don't think I would get any return on that.

I do plan to plant a tree in the front yard. I also love the black trim idea but some of my windows are white pvc and some aren't so I fear it wouldn't look consistent.

Landscaping will go a long way to add interest to the street front of the house I'd take out the bushes and start over. Make the garden bed anything other than squares or rectangles...you have plenty of boxy things going on already.

1960's box style ranch.

Change the door build a porch all along the front to hide the basement window- smack dab in the middle of the slab.Then add some pillars and grow vines. Paint the brick. Awnings over the 3 little windows and the one to the left of the door. I'd say paint brick white, red door and kahki for the trim. Then add color. Get rid of the bushes and do some nice landscape when in front of the porch.

Steps with a landing and a rail going up to but not covering the egress window. Like I read above get rid of the tall bushes and do some landscaping that will let light come into the lower level. Put some cool railings on the landing and paint that door a color like above red, blue or dark green and maybe paint the windows the same color as what the door will be? Good luck!

You can get a duplex mailbox it would tie things together better.

Mid-century modern that needs a little work. This place could be so awesome!

I also think better landscaping would make a huge difference. But something soft like colorful ornamental grasses (especially in front of the basement window. They look great and are maintenance free - which is best for a rental. I'd keep the bush by the door to give the front some dimension - otherwise it will look flat. Just have it trimmed up in an angular shape with top smaller than bottom. Deep teal gable with white trim and plain white garage door will give it a fresh look. Thistle by Pratt and Lambert or Mallard Green by B Moore are excellent colors to go with brick work.

Below is pic of ornamental grasses in different colors and textures. As well a pic representing the shape of the bush in front of your door.

Ward Designs, ornamental grasses, rocks, and succulents would look very nice.

I have been assisting my daughter imagine her mid-century home done up. So I created this rough vision for you. Don't get rid of the evergreens, they take too long to grow. Prune them. Cut the small hedge right down to about a foot or so high, they will fill in again. Take all the branches off the larger evergreen to about 3/4's of the way up and shape the upper part into a flat round ball as shown. Plant a multi-trunk tree like a rose of Sharon, Eastern Red bud or Japanese Maple to be the central show piece and fill the gap. Add pink or white hydrangea shrubs across the front. Change to a door with windows, add a nickel light fixture and numbers. You could increase the size of the front porch but add a terra cotta flower pot. Paint the upper panel below the roof and the garage door gray. Windows are expensive and these look new. Leave them. Voila!!

tomlit2, I love what you did.

I don't agree about the evergreen shrubs. I didn't find where this home is located, but there are a lot of evergreen options depending on where you live. I live in the Pacific Northwest, so of course, almost everything is evergreen. I'm not sure if pruning them when they are that big would look right, as the trunks are probably very woody. I also would be nervous about having something that large close to the house, as the roots can mess with the foundation.

Aside from that, your use of color is beautiful, and would look great on the home in question.

I like the overall look of tomlit2's idea. I'm not a landscaper so I always ask advice myself. The windows are fine and obviously original. The main things is to create a welcoming entry, one that has obvious access is neat and tidy (important when selling to potential renters) and 'feels friendly'. The worst thing existing are the two shrubs in the front because they oddly give focus to the basement window. I like both the orange and the teal for a pop of color, just pick your favorite.

TREANA - could you post a picture from the driveway looking toward the front entry - What's behind the bush? Maybe a small pergola around the door would give you a welcoming feeling? And give dimension to the face of your home, They're not very expensive and you can get the kits at Home Depot. You could paint it Teal to tie in with your gable and to add interest to your front door. Here are some pics of pergolas I think may work with your entry: (the 3rd one would look great around your door) !

Was thinking of your home today when I saw this and thought it may look nice. This is actually Vinyl sheeting for the gable.

Treana74 - idea for your garage; it should match your home in style. However, if you want something interesting that will blend well with several styles and add interest, I would go for Carriage house look -

Hi Treana74

Here are couple of resources for you if you decide you want to keep with the mid-century "flavor" of your house: retrorenovation.com, a great blog all about modest mid-century houses, and Atomic Ranch magazine, www.atomic-ranch.com.