I don't have answers to your questions but wanted to comment that you certainly have done a nice job with the changes.

Thanks whaas for your kind words.

I ended up cross-posting this thread on the home decorating forum so you can follow the thread there to keep it to one thread.

[home decorating cross-posted thread[(https://www.houzz.com/discussions/our-split-foyer-face-lift-s-on-dormer-portico-and-lights-xpost-dsvw-vd~3754890)

Do you have elevation drawings?

Thanks for taking a look JDS!

Here is the front (north) and one side elevation (west). If you click on them they are much larger. If you need the back and east side let me know, I will convert them later in the day or tonight. You will note that we put in an 8 front door with transom above, but the architect showed it as a standard height door with very tall transom.

Carol

Just a side note that has precisely zero to do with Ontario Mom's question at hand....

For all you architects/designers/permit drafters out there.....Creating construction documents isn't about making it easy on you, it's about making it easy on anyone using your drawings. After all, if drawings don't do that very well then a fair question is why are they being created at all??

Sure YOU know that an "6" with a circle around it refers to a note somewhere else (usually on ANOTHER page) that says " 8" PAINTED FASCIA " but everyone else has to look for the note, slowing things down and only increasing the possibility of an error.

And for all the owners out there, don't accept this shortcut. Insist on understandable notes written on the plan/section/elevation/detail. And with CAD it's become far more easier than when everything was written out by hand. I simply import another similiar noted elevation into the drawing and copy and paste and edit those notes into the elevation as needed.

Good point, Architectrunner. The drawings are very hard to read for the average, untrained Joe or Jane as well. As per the scalloped bubble (if that was an area of concern) the licensed architect who did our plans used the bubble to highlight areas of change from the previous elevation submitted to the City as we needed to go back to permit stage to change up our garage roof and entry area.

One decision that we still need to make is whether to have the front railings on the steps the same finish as the glass railings (grey finish to match window trim) or to make the stair railings a darker brown finish. Perhaps a darker finish on the hand rails might speak to the door more and contrast more with the stone steps?

Here is a mock-up of what it would look with grey upper deck railings and brown hand rails over steps. Please vote whether you like it better both grey as per original picture in opening post, or one below. Note, brown railings on the upper deck don't look nearly as nice as the grey, so we want grey for the glass railngs.

Any votes on whether we should have dark brown for the step hand rails or stick to the same finish on the steps rails we plan to use for the upper glass railing (grey to match window trim)?

Also, I wonder if the reason the dormer bothers me is more because it is set rather far back on the roof rather than the shape. Most images I see have the dormer closer to the front of the house. This was not an option for us as we needed it to be in the back two-thirds of the house where the house was a two story. Also the change in roof height from a two story on back of house to a one store in the front third of the of the house makes the roof heavy and awkward. We also suffer from a house that is 3 rooms deep and 2 1/2 rooms wide. I think rectangle houses vs fat square ones look nicer (if I have recalled posts on this subject correctly).

Please let me know your vote on the hand railing finish.

Carol

Briefly - darker hand rail for the front entrance, no to a portico because I think it will be too much and do just the opposite of what you want which is to make the front door more 'present' and no your dormer (size, shape, location) does not bother me. All that said, I am not a purest about architectural styles and have no training but I trust my eye. FWIW - Our house will also be roof heavy but it's intentional - I like the feeling of shelter that a large roof and nice overhang give to a house - that fairy tale house in the woods effect. It's not everyone's cup of tea but it's what I like.

Thanks DLM for your reassurance and thoughts. So one vote for the darker handrail with the lighter grey railing on the upper deck. I think I have seen your house plans on the building a home forum. I look forward to seeing your house progress.

Carol

Honestly, I think I would paint the brick, either the same color as the house or slightly darker. The brick is slightly confusing to the eye and separates the bottom of the house from the top of the house. Also, when you look at your windows they are white with a gray trim which looks great. Your front door is getting lost because it is black? and has no brighter trim like your windows. So your eye is seeing a disconnect there. If you can paint the brick then you could also paint the front door a color that stands out more and bring more attention to the front door. What you have done is pretty fantastic, so congratulations on that!

Thought I would post a picture of a mock-up showing both upper and lower railings in a dark brown (one of the options we ruled out). I imagine you will agree that the upper deck looks better with the grey railings vs the dark brown posted below. Do vote on whether you like either 1)Both upper deck and hand raillngs in grey (as per the second photo posted in the opening post) or 2)Upper deck in grey with darker brown for the steps (as per Wed 9:00 a.m. photo).

Thanks for voting.

Thanks Jack for your ideas and kind words. I see what you mean about the brick separating the bottom half of the house from the top. It might have looked better if the brick and siding were closer in colour. As it is the mortar matches the siding, but that is it. However, the brick is brand new so we would not paint it at this point.

The door is a stained mahogany colour (dark brown with red undertones). Currently the trim around the door is real mahogany wood and the door itself was a well done fiberglass door with decorative glass. I do agree the contrast on the windows (white windows and grey trim) is missing in the door. But I do love the door! Here is the door a bit closer up. There is some lumber behind the door that is required until we get the hand railings installed. There is also a paper curtain over the transom window that is temporary.

I think I like the brown hand rail on the steps, and the grey above the garage.

Just to give you something else to do, can the mad-door to the garage be the sMe color as the garage door? The white just doesn't seem to go. (Perhaps this has been covered already in the thread...)

I think a portico could work but it would require a 3D drawing or model and would block light at the door transom not that it gets much light anyway.

bpathome, thanks for the vote on the railings. The garage door paint colour and the man door paint colour have been photo shopped in. The man door is to be the same grey as the garage door, but I agree in the mock-up it looks much lighter.

JDS, thanks for your idea. 3D sketch-up might be a possibility for us to do to show a portico. What shape of portico are you envisioning? The transom does bring in a fair bit of light (or did before we covered it in a paper curtain to hide the construction look inside the house). The paper curtain is temporary. the transom underneath is mostly clear glass (not decorative glass like the door). Can the portico be more like a trellis style to minimize light loss inside the home?

Carol

JDS, here is a Sketch-up model of the home without cladding. I might be able to get a family member to add a portico to this? The door is not accurate (ours is 8 foot) and there is a decorative vent over the windows on the gable that is not accurate. Not sure if we add a portico to this basic model if that would help. Is that what you had in mind for a 3D model, JDS?

Carol

You could send me the SketchUp file.

Your house looks great! I have no decorating sense, but I think the dark color of the front door makes that whole area of the house very dark and be less noticeable. I'm not sure that portico would do anything but make that area darker and make the front door disappear. Again, I am not the decorator that many others here are, but I wonder if a lighter colored front door draw your eye to it.

Thanks jlhug for your good thoughts on the door, and kind words on the house project. I am struggling with changing the door because in real life it is quite gorgeous as is. It is a stained door, not painted. I believe to paint it now (say a lighter colour) might be challenging (paint over stain?). However, the darkness of the door may be making it receed as you and others have mentioned. To combat the dark door, we have roughed in for lots of lights at the door landing area (two coach lights on either side of door and two can lights over head the door as well as other can lights and coach lights nearby). The garage blocks the door as well, depending on the angle you are facing (esp a problem if you are on the driveway).

JDS: What we have it seems is jpeg images of the house that my BIL did for us. My DH is calling him to see if he can send us the Sketch up files. I did find an image that was more uptodate than what I posted earlier, and I have reposted it below. If we do get the Sketch up files sent to us, how do I send them to you? I have no ideas how to send files or even photos on the Houzz message board. I can send you my email on the message board and then if you email me, I can reply with the files. Does that work?

Carol

.

JDS,

Did you happen to have anymore thoughts on a possible portico after getting our files?

ALL:

On another thread I was encouraged to consider cable railings for the deck area over the garage. Any thoughts on whether the cable railings would suit the house more, or should we stick with the glass railings as planned?

I am also torn on whether to have the same finish on the deck railing (grey to match window trim) vs choosing a dark brown for the stair railings only and keeping the deck railings grey. My gut says to have the two finishes be the same, and I definitely prefer grey for the deck railing so don't want dark brown for the deck and railings. Others have commented they like the dark brown for the stair railings to draw the eye into the door more.

Carol

Bump in hope for thoughts on questions above.

Carol

I couldn't find a solution that I though worked well but here is one I tried.

I am very grateful for your creativity and time in working out that idea for us JDS! The contributions you make on this forum are amazing. I think the idea of a sky light to balance the loss of light throught the front door from the entry overhang is very clever. Overall, I think the shelter at the door is a nice improvement!

Atlas, the new door is taller in real life than the Sketch-up file I sent to you (as mentioned). The door is 8 foot with a transom adding an extra 14 inches of height over top. I'm guessing a taller roof over the tall door would not work as what you show is a nice looking extension to the existing roof (same pitch as existing roof). Any way to change it to accommodate the tall door's height?

Again thank you for lending your creative eye to our house elevation,.

Carol

I was considering making the added roof essentially flat. It might even be steel and glass. I'll try it when I get a chance.

Thanks JDS -- your help is very appreciated! That flat roof of steel and glass sounds like it would tie in very nicely with the glass railings. I can't wait to see that idea and see how it works with a taller door.

JDS, do you think it will be best to have the same finish/colour on the deck railings as the stair railings? We think grey llooks best for the deck railngs. Should we have the picket style stair railings the same grey to match or go with a dark brown for the stair railings only (with the deck railing still grey).

Carol

I found an image of a steel and glass portico. Is this similar to what you had in mind, JDS?

Forest House - Exterior features · More Info

I imagine we need to tie in the look of the step railings (and likely deck railing) with the portico. Looks like we should not proceed with step railings (and possibly deck raiilings) until we get a handle on the possibilities for a portico or not.

Any thoughts JDS on appropriate railings? We had assumed picket, but I am now not sure that would look good with the glass deck railings and a possible glass/steel portico.

Thanks,

Carol

DH is anxious to order the deck railings and handrails. We are still somewhat undecided on whether the step hand railings should match the deck railings (both grey) or whether to do a dark brown for the step rails only (with grey for deck rails).

Any last minute thoughts on the colour for the step railings? Same as deck railing or different?

JDS: Do you think it would be a mistake to go ahead with the glass railings for the deck and the picket railings for the hand rails before we have worked out a plan for a future portico?

Carol

Any answers for the questions posted in the post just above this one? We really want to order and install the railings for both the deck and steps.

JDS, any more thoughts on the glass/steel portico idea?

Carol