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saratee8

Help with Ugly front entrance

9 years ago
last modified: 9 years ago


Need help in figuring out what to do with my ugly front entrance. The area that connects the two entrance steps and the entrance steps are hideous. Suggestions on tiles and decor. Should I completely fill that path with flower pots?

Comments (8)

  • 9 years ago

    Do you use both doors?

  • 9 years ago

    Stain the concrete to match the stone so it is not as jarring a transition. Then put out great rockers and flowers in containers.

  • 9 years ago

    Oh and flowers up the path like this

    sara Tee thanked User
  • 9 years ago

    Nice big window boxes under the windows could be nice.

    Or hanging flowers.

    Id have a diff color for the chairs as for the shutters.

  • 9 years ago
    The stone looks a bit stained, and that can happen if there are low spots which collect moisture and dirt when it rains. If the stone can be cleaned, it will look better and you can keep it if you like it. You could have the low section between the doors filled with concrete and then have matching stone laid on the (now even) area and the front of the step up.
    If you don't really like the stone, you could have the low area between the doors filled with concrete to even it out and pave the whole walkway and raised porch with split brick. If the stone walkway areas are well-laid, you could lay the brick right over it. Be careful to avoid trip-hazards such as the slight height difference I notice between the stone walkway and the lower section of concrete toward the right door.
    Then add a curvy planting bed along the walkways with an assortment of plants.
  • 9 years ago
    If it were my house, I'd build a deck atop the concrete/stone.
  • 9 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Nice place.

    You appear to have two front doors.

    Perhaps you could enclose the right end of the porch, preferably adding a second gable the same size of the left gable over it, and then you could have any door from the right side of the house face the porch from the inner side and enlarge your front porch*.

    You could alternately -- or also -- add a small extension to the side of the house between the
    garage door and the front of the house to create a stairwell for interior steps leading
    down to the garage and add a downstairs entrance that still leads from the
    parking area to the front porch (as long as the door between this small
    addition and the garage itself is kept closed/locked).

    (Even indoor circular metal steps would be welcome on a rainy day and they'd take up less room than a standard wood staircase.) You could then add a short shed roof or arbor between that stairwell addition and the back edge of the right end of the house.

    If you add an enclosed space and second gable over the right side of
    the front porch, you'd then only have a front stoop between the two
    extensions -- but, zoning / setback rules permitting, you could then create a 6'
    front porch all across the front of the house -- new concrete or boards over existing concrete -- with a shed roof all
    across the front of the house, including in front of both gables.

    Know the applicable building codes before planning any changes, additions or extensions to the house and/or porch.

    You could add a short shed roof or arbor over the garage between a stairwell addition and the back edge of the right end of the house.

    Your current sidewalk in front leads to the road -- but is that where visitors park?

    A sidewalk from the main front door to the driveway that has an arc in it could enable you to put a flower bed between the sidewalk and house.

    With these changes, the garage door would then be less of a focal point
    as the home is approached and a new sidewalk and improvements to the
    front porch and front yard would visually lead visitors to the front door from where it appears they'd park near the garage door.

    Using larger 6'x6' posts appropriately spaced to support the extended porch roof would also enhance visual appeal.

    sara Tee thanked suezbell