exterior challenge

14 years ago

The interior of this house is awesome! The exterior continues to be a scab on an otherwise beautiful property. Any ideas about how I could balance this out without adding a second story?

Featured Answer

PRO

Mint Design

14 years ago

The shed roof off the back of the second floor is making me cringe! The roof is not relating at all to the roof on the right side. Either totally change the roof to the same roof lines as the right half or blow the back shed roof off at the level where the front roof(second story) ends and add a flat roof under which would be more of the interior room or a covered balcony with columnar support. Repeat the columns and roof on the front creating a porch all the way across. Lose the skylight. Add a second story window over the roof of the lower level. Lighten the color of the shutters (no darker than pale grey and do the door in a darker shade of the same so the one on the far right does not look like such a severe end to the hose...or lose the ones on at least that window entirely. Clean up the landscape and add foundation shrubs and something to cascade over the front wall to soften the area. Window boxes would also add curb appeal and a couple of trees and climbing roses on the left side by the window. I think you will find the result amazing! I am attaching some photos of flat roof dormers to give you some ideas. Hope this helps! :)

Sort by:Oldest

Comments (7)

PRO
COASTROAD Hearth & Patio
14 years ago
A couple of gables on the front would help immensely, especially on that shed rood & skylight at the left and at the entry. A gabled dormer over the window at the far right might help balance it.

I'd also recommend getting rid of the shutters that obviously don't work. They call even more attention to the lack of harmony in the window size & placement.

A horizontal band extending from the gutter line through the two story section at the left would give you an opportunity for a material change, perhaps to a darker shingle on the upper floor.
Related Professionals
Macon Interior Designers & Decorators · Hackettstown Interior Designers & Decorators · Billings Interior Designers & Decorators · Washington Architects & Building Designers · Effingham Architects & Building Designers · Poplar Bluff Architects & Building Designers · Aiken Architects & Building Designers · Oneonta Architects & Building Designers · Chico Architects & Building Designers · Pierre Architects & Building Designers · West Palm Beach Kitchen & Bathroom Designers · San Marcos Kitchen & Bathroom Designers · Webster Kitchen & Bathroom Designers · Grand Island Kitchen & Bathroom Designers · Nashua Kitchen & Bathroom Designers
PRO
Mint Design
14 years ago
here are a few more so you have a lot of choices.....you can go from side to side without leaving any of the shed past the level of the opposite side so the visual of the shed is totally gone.....and I recommend going that route...:)
Dar Eckert
14 years ago
One way to update the homes appearance would be to replace the window on the upper floor with French doors and a porch. Extend the porch over the entire front of the house. Add railings along the entire porch length even if you choose not to have a deck over the main part of the house. A striped awning over the new French doors would add interest. I also would remove the shutters.
PRO
Dytecture
14 years ago
last modified: 14 years ago
Hi smirick, most contemporary style can accommodate asymmetric design such as your situation. This could be achieved without major structural changes.
PRO
Cooke Furniture
14 years ago
A cupola would a cost effective way to break up that roof line...
smirick
Original Author
14 years ago
Thank you all for your input. I've compiled your suggestions and come up with something that might just work. I like the idea of embracing the asymmetrical structure and heading down a more contemporary road. Why fight it, right? In this image I've raised a flat roofed dormer that currently exists off the back of the house ( not visible in photo) to be in line with the shed roof addition. I've also extended the gutter line across the addition and extended a portion of it to create a covered deck. My thought is that a cluster of roof lines might help counter balance the long expanse of the rest of the house? I'm not a builder or architect so I'm not sure how doable a dormer like this is ( or if its even called a dormer) but perhaps you all could help me out with that :) I like the idea of a material change for the addition, vertical siding maybe ( not sure how to do that on my computer) I've aligned the addition windows and trashed those awful shutters too!
Thoughts about this new design?
Thank you all again for your ideas!