Hi!

Now sure about a siding color, I'm sure you'll get plenty of suggestions. I just wanted to say that I like your brick. It doesn't look dated. It looks current and nice!

Elaine

I like the color of the brick, but I'd replace all the faux-colonial stuff with more modern, sleeker-looking things. Like the pediment over the front door and the garage doors. The profile of the house is very cool, and I think more dramatic landscaping would play that up, as well.

mom2sethc...Hi...Thanks so much!...Everyone is so kind and helpful on these forums :)

ideefixe... The landscaping is something we plan redoing. The photo was taken last summer. We live is southwestern Pa and have had the WORSTwinter in a long time!
The deer have made a mess of the yard looking for acorns...and the retaining wall by the driveway is bulging from the weight of the snow...we're holding our breath it doesn't give way.

Thanks!...Sandy

A rich shade of brown, would look great with that brick! maybe milk choc. siding with drk. choc. shutters...

The *ONE* thing I find that ages the house is the garage doors. I could see the house re-done in a more rustic, maybe English style~just a thought.

These doors might give you a bit of inspiration. ;o)

Here is a link that might be useful: garage doors

susieq07 - Thanks for the suggestion!...I have such a hard time trying to imagine the "before and after"!

patty cakes - I agree... The garage doors do date the house... The front door has the same "lovely" arches.

I like the rustic "English" style idea as we do live out in the boonies! We are planning an inside remodel too...I have a thread started in the kitchen forum ...I'd like the "style of the house to be carried from outside to inside...If you get a chance take a peak at the kitchen layout and let me know what you think!....Oh!...Thanks for the link...I like a few of the styles...what a difference they would make!

Sandy

I agree about the faux-colonial stuff. IMHO it needs to go. If you took off the shutters, the ornamental entry thing, and changed the garage doors, it would be a HUGE improvement.

Our house, though a one-story ranch built in 1956, is similar. It's brick and white vinyl with faux colonial touches. We can't afford to replace the garage doors (which were brand new then we purchased in 2008) with the nice wooden ones we'd like, but we're replacing the arched colonial "grills" in the windows with a more cottage-y square grid.

We're removing all the shutters and the colonial style exterior lighting.

We're removing our vinyl siding and replacing with cedar shingles in a gray/tan and then painting the "brick" (which is actually not real brick, but brick-colored cement block) a similar gray/tan. Wide creamy trim on the windows, and a fir craftsman-styled door.

But in your case, it looks like you have real brick, and pretty brick, too. If that's true, I wouldn't paint it. I think that the biggest bang for the buck would be to change the entryway trim and garage windows. With a nice, cleaner-lined modern door and landscaping, it'll be sweet.

What's your decorating style? I think there are a lot of door styles that could work here, from traditional to contemporary.

staceyneil...Yes the brick is real and in very good shape...I would say our tastes run toward "Traditional"...Any color suggestions for the new front door... siding...trim...or shakes????..I hadn't thought of shingles but it may look good?

What would you do for door trim??...Shutters??...ditch....or replace with new color???...Our new windows will have the grids in them....Wonder if I can take the arches off the gararge window until they can be replaced?

Thanks so much for your help!

I agree with the others about replacing the colonial elements-i.e door pediment and garage door arches(hopefully you could just replace the grills). As far as colors, I like the idea of maybe a nice warm taupey/khaki color for the siding.I like the khaki,white trim around windows and doors w/black shutters. Traditional and crisp. By the way, how cute is your Westie in the window???

I just wanted to start by saying I'm glad I'm not the only one on the forum with a split level house ;-)

My house is so homely I feel sorry for it, probably why I bought it in the first place. I think yours has more potential to look really nice.

As others have said, I think the shutters, the garage door windows, and colonial surround around the front door are taking away from the clean lines of the house. Without those things, you could have long, lean lines that would highlight the house's original style.

I would aim for a siding color that isn't a huge contrast with the brick, perhaps a shade of brown that is just darker than the darkest color on the brick. Or, if painting the brick is in the budget, you could unify the whole look of the house by having brick and siding the same color.

About the garage doors: the salesman from the garage door company told me that I don't have to replace the whole door to get rid of the funky windows on our garage door, we can just replace the panel that the windows are in. In our case, the garage door was practically new, we just hate the windows. So, replacing the panel seemed like a better idea than springing for a whole new door. According to his quote, it would cost a little more than half of replacing the whole door.

It's hard to see from the photo what the light fixture above the door is like, but if you are able to get rid of the door surround, one way to really make the entry look great could be the light fixture.

It's hard to give sugestions for your specific questions because I see other elements that would could be addressed and they aren't the ones that you're inquiring about.
The siding's fine, the color's fine, the brick's fine, the garage doors would be nice in a wood finish, lose the shutters. Just losing the colonial elements would be most helpful.
Here's what I think should be addressed: The front door could use some attention in the way that it blends into the wall and competes for attention from the patio(?) area to the left. How about maybe a pitched roof over the door area? I'm just not sure that there is enough clearance for the posts on the side, but right now it feels a little flat.
I think your goal should be to infuse a little bit of those traditional elements into your design and try not to fight the architecture of your house so much. It's a lovely ranch and it can be traditional without being colonial.

You might find some inspiration in this publication that is a plan book of ideas for remodeling and renewing split level and split entry homes.

Here is a link that might be useful: Split Visions Plan Book

I hope someone comes along and does some photoshopping for you. It would help so much to see the different options. I would use siding in the brown family. Not sure if I would try and get as close to the brick color as possible or something different. I personally like the shutters. It gives you a place to add more color. I love brown, cream, and black, so I would keep the shutters the color they are. A brownish red door would be pretty. You said the white soffit will be staying. Can it be painted another color like cream?

Laurie

Thank you all for your input!

I'm all for losing the pediment above the door...What should I use in it's place?...Door styles/colors...trim/colors...lighting/styles????

Yes that is a covered porch to the left side of the house...The front porch landing is very small...when we replace the retaining wall...maybe be could enlarge this area?...landscaping advice would be welcome!

We have 2 Terriers Westie & Cairn who LOVE to DIG!!...They have made a mess of the front yard especially in front of dh's office window ...ground level left of porch.

If anyone is able to Photoshop the photo that would be great!...I'll try and take a photo of the brick close up today...it's not really brown...more of a rust and cream....I'm not sure if sofit can be painted...does anyone know?

The house does lack a sense of style both inside and out...This will be a one time reno for us... dh is 61...I'm 50... we plan on being here at least another 10 years...we are both retired...I love DIY projects...dh has some health issues so he is very limited in what he can do.

Keep the suggestions coming!...Sandy

Well, I'm going to be the odd woman out here. I think the colonial elements are fine. They were so prevalent in the 40s-70s that, to my mind, they're an accepted & traditional style even on a home with contemporary lines like yours.

The problem, IMO, is you've committed to divided light windows, which are traditional in style. If you strip out the other traditional elements to go contemporary, then the windows would look off. I'd keep the colonial look & upgrade the garage doors & exterior lights. It could look like a mid-century interpretation of colonial, a standard American suburban style.

Anyway, here are two (admittedly crude) renditions. Hope these help with ideas.

Just for comparison (and in case your new windows have removable grids) here's the contemporary rendition without the divided lights. It's a cleaner look.

Your house is really pretty. It has good lines, alignment and balance. I like the brick and the side porch too. It will look nice however you change it.

Since playing with your house design is a lot more fun than folding laundry, I did a picture with "painted brick." If you step back from the monitor & squint, you'll get the idea. I just have a basic photo editing program, so sorry the presentation's not more polished. Frankly, I think painting out the brick makes the house look a bit generic. But what do you think, westiemom?

If you can stand one more, here's the traditional home with wider shutters (more appropriate) in a softer color:

Now, on to laundry...

Here's my take. I didn't put divided lights in the windows, but I did replace the windows in the garage door with a solid panel.

I say keep the shutters or replace them with another color or different one's. But the house without shutters is just too naked looking. It's the one thing I notice when looking at older homes where there are no shutters. lol.

Of course it depends on the style of windows you have and if you keep your current windows, keep shutters too.

Love the brick, I wouldn't touch it!

One more thing. I like the retaining wall because you can plant so many flowering, trailing vines to go down it which are just lovely. Is there any way you can fix the wall? With trailing plants you won't be able to see the wall.

I agree, if you delete the shutters you really do need to add wide window trim (which means re-doing the siding.

The problem with vinyl siding is that the window trim is always so stingy and mean-looking!

How much fun is this to actually be able to see different colors!...We have committed to the window grids so I agree I need to find ways to capture the "Traditional" not "Colonial" look.

awm03...Sorry to have put you behind on your chores...but I really appreciate what you've done...I really like the grids in the windows...dh & I have been going back and forth on it since we placed the order...I feel much better after seeing you version!

suero...What color did you use?...What a big difference color can make...Thanks!

patty cakes...gave a great link to Clopay garage doors...I really like the whole look of the first house on the site...do you think this style would work for my house?

The retaining wall has to be replaced...I'm thinking of a stacked stone???. What do you think?

The light fixtures also need replaced...there a brass ones up now...and they just kind of fade into the brick...what color/style lighting wold be best?

Oh!...The Westie in the window stays...She allows us to live with as long as we never run out of "cookies"! lol

What about the porch???...Thanks again...Sandy

Westie, and while we're at it, new shutters would add a lot to the 'new' look also.

Here is a link that might be useful: shutters

Wow, I just want to applaud the photoshopping. I have no idea how to do that and think it's great that others are able and willing. It really does make it easier to think about things!

Oh good, Westiemom, glad to have been some help. I know they're not great renderings, but thought the pics might help with visualizing a few things.

leafy02...Wow and DOUBLE WOW!...The willingness to help others is Amazing...I can't even color inside the lines let alone try something like awm03 and suero did!

awm03...I'd be glad to save you from your "chores" anytime...we have soooooooo much to do...prioritizing will be hard!

patty cakes...Any particular style you would recommend?...the black ones we have now are louvered...leaves get stuck in them all the time :(

Okay, I didn't take time but to scan the replies, but didn't see that anyone mentioned screening in the covered porch on the left. It would be quite easy to do so using the ScreenTight system. Just frame above the bricks with two by fours then add the system linked below. We did this to our front porch and it's the best thing we ever did. Not only does it work great for humans, but our pets love having access to the "outside" world while still being kept safe from all that's outdoors.
I also want to add my vote to NOT paint the brick, keep shutters and if your garage doors are in good working condition I'd check and see the arches are removable before buying a new garage door. There are faux techniques to change the look further too.

Here is a link that might be useful: ScreenTight

Color: I just tried a color that would pick up the color of the brick. It's close to Sherwin Williams Down Home (#6081).

justgotabeme...That is something we've always wanted to do...Thanks for the link!...I love being outside... but am a bug magnet!...The pups love being out on the porch...hence the baby gate...We also need to replace the scratchy green astro turf looking carpeting...I want to try my hand at laying tile???

If we screened in the porch and added a door that would help alot.

I love the last pic that awm posted. I would definitely go for a clean modern look without divided light windows. I think divided lights may be a little busy for the style house and going back to the idea of mid-century modern would be great. Like those modern garage doors, too. We have a 1960 ranch and used doors from Frenchporte, but they are more traditional.

Here is a link that might be useful: garage doors

I thought you might like that idea. Both Lowes and Home Depot carry the ScreenTight system. We've actually had to re-install the screen this past fall since the grasshopper ate so many holes in it it looks as though we lived in a war zone. I'd recommend using their Solar Screen since the grasshopper never ate a single hole in any of the thirty windows we have in our home. And that's saying a lot because we live surrounded by corn fields and grasshoppers are rampant around here every few years.
There is also pet screening too that I'm sure would give the same results along with working well with your puppies. I see one is looking out the front window of your home. I meant to mention that in my first post.

justgotabeme...Thanks for the heads up...I'll check it out next time I'm at Lowes...I still can't come up with a color scheme I like :(

justgotabeme-grasshoppers eat through screens???? Oh my goodness. That is amazing.

Yes Cyn, they do. At least the standard black fiberglass ones we originally had on our home. And they can get to highest of windows too. Our home is three stories in the back (walk out basement) and they made their way all the way up to the second floor. I've always hated grasshoppers, they didn't have to do this to make me hate them more.

Westiemom, I like the one you have now, but I understand wanting to change. I was thinking of a color like suero did at 14:44 on the 12th with black or charcoal shutters and door.