Exterior updating for 50s ranch in Nashville

10 years ago

New user to Houzz, so apologies if this is not in the right area of the site, but hoping for some help with my front yard design. As you can see, it needs major help! We just removed the security door and want to paint the existing front door a fun color, like turquoise. Also removed old shutters, leaving a mess where they used to be. The whole thing is a big mess so anything we do will improve it!

Questions:

1. Has anyone had wrought iron supportive beams and successfully covered them somehow? They are obviously supportive beams so we can't remove, but can we encase them somehow?

2. I'd like to attack that area to the right of the front door and make it a little dramatic and different. Any ideas for plants to go there?

3. Black mulch? Brown?

4. Would love to paint the brick someday but this isn't in the budget right now, so any other ideas are most welcome!

5. The driveway is also in major disrepair, to be replaced someday but not now (thinking a gravel driveway in the future, something modern).

6. Our style is very modern, would like this to be a cool mid-century modern house on a block of mostly bland 50s ranches that look similar to ours.

Thanks, everyone!

Right of front entry:

Left of front entry: Sad, broken concrete walkway and sad, sad plants. (The existing plants are healthy, just boring.)

Featured Answer

emmarene9

10 years ago

If you want to add three inches of mulch then you need to excavate three inches of soil. That way the mulch will meet grade and not be falling onto the lawn or door path. Use only natural colored mulch. It all discolors as it breaks down anyway.

Remove what I think is a Nandina to the left of the porch. It wants to get too

tall for that area. It looks as though you have put in some plants but they still need time to grow. I did add a medium/large shrub on the corner of the house. Plant something pretty like a Hydrangea or a Weigela. Whatever will work for your location and conditions.

Your house is mid century but it is not modern. Don't get too extreme in adding modern features. It will not look right. One thing you can add is an MCM type door. It would be much better than the Victorian type door you have now.

It would be pretty in this color

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Comments (6)

Kathleen W
Original Author
10 years ago
Also, how annoying that the meter is right on the front of the house! Any ideas about covering this up? I've seen people paint them or just plant something in front of them... thoughts?
User
10 years ago
Cladding the wrought iron with cedar planks will update them. Consider extending the front stoop width and adding 2 more cedar posts to make a nice porch.
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emmarene9
10 years ago
Once again I forgot to include the drawing.
What are that plants that are waiting to grow?
Michele B
10 years ago
i agree with the poster above that your house is more midcentury classic (like mine) than it is MCM, but I think if you replaced your front door with something a little more modern, it would make it pop a little more. you can often find vintage doors at salvage places or the habitat restore for super cheap. maybe something like this but with clear or greyed glass:

then you could add in some colorful with the landscaping - like hydrangea. as for the meter in the front (which I also have - why did they like them in the front like that in the 50s?), you could paint it bright (maybe a color in the hydrangea) but still have plants around it - so it would be a little pocket of hidden color.
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Forsythe Home Styling
10 years ago
Adding a new front door with a color to compliment your brick would definitely bring new life to your exterior. Paint the concrete stomp a taupe color instead of ship's gray. Bring shutters back but in the more rustic plank style. The windows need more definition with shutters. With regard to landscaping, enlarge the flower bed to the right of the door adding a curved shape. Removed the tall red tip shrub which is blocking the window. Where the meter box is visible add a vertical shrub such as emerald green arborvitae. Repeat the vertical shape on the left and right sides of landscape. Good luck!