Ugly 1970s Ranch! Suggestions please!!

9 years ago

My husband and I purchased this small 1970s ranch two years ago, and have been waiting to make any improvements to the outside. I can't stand it anymore and think it desperately needs an upgrade. I despise the deeply inset front door and the paint (dark teal, white, and beige?) and want to move towards a farmhouse or rustic look. I've toyed with the idea of adding a peaked pergola to try and accent the front door, but the eave line of the garage intrudes into the space I would need. I've tried to settle on paint options, adding shutters, window boxes, planter boxes, landscaping, and a ton of other things, but just cannot seem to get something I really like figured out. I have finally concluded that I am out of ideas, and could really use some advice and perspective from creative thinkers.

The largest issue we are facing is that we need to keep the cost fairly low because the house will possibly be rezoned to commercial or mixed use within the next few years, and we will most likely sell. The city in which we live has bought out five of our immediate neighbors with the intentions of building a traffic circle and extending a major roadway through our neighborhood.

Our property will become a corner lot, and from we understand, it is likely that a business will purchase our property and level the house once the rezoning occurs. It doesn't make sense to invest a ton of money into something we will only enjoy for a few years, and probably will not get much of a return on.

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Comments (5)

gustaviatex
9 years ago
Looks like my house (which I still want to paint) but reversed. You can do a lot with landscaping and a wider approach to the front door, but if you really think the time frame is only a few years, then I would save my money for the next house.
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DaleAllenSpiry Designs
9 years ago
If the garage door has raised panels paint what would be the trim to give some interest. Maybe add some faux shutters and definately landscape bigger in back smaller in front.
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Amanda Castleberry
Original Author
9 years ago
last modified: 9 years ago
Gustaviatex - They do look pretty similar, but unfortunately, my porch isn't as wide as yours. Mine is basically a long hallway, only 4 feet wide but about 8 feet deep.

I would love to just sit on the house and do nothing, but I seriously feel disgusted every time I pull up out front. I need to do something, even if I'm just repainting the thing. I am having a hard time picking out paint, because it seems like every time I think I find something that might work, it just makes the whole house seem squatty and closed off or dark.

DaleAllenSpiry - I've though about faux painting the garage door to look like wood, and tying it in with some stained shutters. The only landscaping we have right now are the hedges and a sad baby cottonwood. I have never been great with landscape planning, so I don't have any ideas on where to start.
Emily Jowers
9 years ago
last modified: 9 years ago
I think these colors could be nice, but I like the white.
acm
9 years ago
last modified: 9 years ago
Even just painting the garage door the same white as the walls, and then using a neutral medium gray (warm enough to match the roof) on the trim would do the job. Don't overthink it. Get a good overhead light for your entry and add a couple of planters.