Sillycannoli, yes...

Melissa Gallagher, yes I definitely will be doing a lot more research before any decisions are made. my main problem with researching it is I didn't know exactly what the style is. Most people say it's MCM but there are a few like yourself that say it's a contemporary. Which I agree with. However with all the research and pictures I have looked at it seems like it's a mix of both with a shed style roof. I have yet to find a house that has the shed with it rounded out like that. If you come across one please share it with me!!!! I unfortunately can't afford to hire a professional to come out and tell me what I need to do. Boy do I wish I could!!! That's why I'm so grateful for all of the responses!! It's helped me so much! But I will say I'm still not sure what it's or which direction to go. I have no clue what that front area is supposed to be. I have also done a ton of research on who built it and looked for original pics of it. Can't find anything!! It's weird. I'm sure I could go to the town hall and find out more. As for the mosquitoes we have had companies spray but because of the standing water in the creek there's not a lot we can do about it. It's horrible. Thank you so much for all of your help!! I really appreciate it!

Melissa this is the original siding. I think it's cedar but not positive. we had a horrible infestation of honey bees and had a guy come and take the hive but left a huge hole in my house. However I would have never known this otherwise. I can't seem to understand why they would put tin siding over it.

Ok. First of all, it is just paint. Don't stress. You do not need to go in to the town archives to figure out what to do! Lol. You are on the right track. Research on Houzz, find pics you like, post them here if you want feedback. Have fun! One thing I can tell you is that the areas of no cement are supposed to be planted. You could do it with uniform planters on rocks as in a prev pic, or plant directly in the soil, which I think is more streamlined. Definitely stain the deck to make it "disappear ". Your house definitely has MCM bones even if it is a 70s improvement upon the 50s tract houses, so enjoy!!

Shed style homes-This is from Denver.

"Shed. The style features a multi-directional shed roof that in shape appears to be one or more shed roof elements (sometimes with additional gabled roof forms) joined together creating an effect of colliding geometric shapes. Wall cladding is typically wood-shingle or board siding. Roof-wall junctions are smooth and simple and have little or no overhang. Entrances are commonly recessed and obscured. Windows are generally small and asymmetrical. The overall effect is of prominent diagonals, contrasting shapes, and multiple massing. "

some others

Thank you Beth that's the closest to my house I have seen! color wise and brick. shape is almost there too. The round end on the overhang is where I get confused. So is it a mix of styles?

It was a Cedar siding.

Greenfish1234 yes it is! lol. you're right, I will have fun with it!! Thank you so much!!

yes,, that rounded part is weird. I don't think I've seen that. this style is all about angles and sharp edges. maybe they had the roof redone or fixed at one point and decided to modify it? That looks more 90's to me. But then again, maybe not! lol.

try look at pics by searching, "1970's contemporary" or 70's shed style, or modern 1970's housing,,, terms of that nature, and see what you find. Have you driven around your neighborhood to see any others?

Big kudos to you for doing a cutout of the bees instead of an extermination. They are an invaluable natural resource!!

Well, Joleen, no matter what it is you truly have a very unique place! And more kudos to you for wanting to fix/maintain it!

Is the cedar underneath painted or stained and can you tell what kind of shape it's in?

Maybe rip off the old metal siding that covers it and having new cedar replaced??

@Beth H the first house under your shed comment reminds me of the Brady Bunch house.

tphilly,,,when I was kid watching that, I sooooo wanted to live in that house! It was actually in the San Fernando Valley.

and if Oliver doesn't get you, Coal will! So yeah, don't mess it up Joleen!

This house is exactly like a 80s neighborhood we lived near in Atlanta. It was considered contemporary at the time and featured a lot of cedar materials on outside. You have tons of ideas here, but if you want to keep original look, try going to your local library and looking up this style from newspapers and magazines of the 80's. I think you will find darker woods and trim colors. You could also set up a front play area behind a horizontal wood fence structure. Be a nice linear addition, would' be too costly and give you time to work on a master plan to be implemented over time as budget permits. I will post a photo to show you an example. Bbl.

This home encloses the front to create a private garden and outdoor area. I'm not suggesting something this extensive, but rather some fence panels in the linear cedar would enhance your front area, and give you peace!

You guys are cracking me up with your adorable pets!! No, I swear I will not do either of those things to the house. Lol. There was Cedar siding but they covered it with tin siding, I have no clue why. Love the fence idea!!!!

I think taupe trim for the windows, charcoal for everything else. Mexican beach pebbles for mulch, ground cover in front of the deck, a specimen plant or two. A globe pendent over the door which I would replace.

Well, I must've been channeling Flo...or she was channeling me. Cedar would be awesome.

Ooh Grover. Nailed it again. A high quality door would be so worth the money. Often bad siding can be pulled off to reveal perfect original siding!!

Haha Groveraxle! Yes, some cedar would be awesome.

*high quality GARAGE door
Garages are so prominent on most houses yet it is one place where in almost any price range you are likely to see the cheapest thing available. A beautiful garage door is (as Grover showed) transformative.

Nobody noticed I brought the wrong dog?

WOW!! Now that is beautiful!! How did you do that??

So do the charcoal on the siding all the way around?

Charcoal on siding and fascia boards all the way around, something taupe-like (take a light color from the brick) on all window casings.

Hello. I would advise you, to leave everything as it is. Because everything perfectly looks. I would not begin to change anything

Yay! I'm so glad Groveraxle (and her doggies) showed up. I knew she would work wonders with this house.

Joleen. Best value for your dollar on your house, do a garage door like groveraxle pictured. It will inspire you and with paint change and decluttering it will feel and look like a completely different home! Keep us posted.

Following. :-)

I never realized how much of a difference that door could change everything. I knew it at least needed a fresh paint job but the whole style is so beautiful!! I'm looking into what it will take to get a door like that one today. It may not happen as fast as I would like because we didn't really Budget for a change that big but it will be worth every penny and the horrible anticipation of it. I'm finally so excited to see how this turns out!!! I could still really use opinions on how to finish off the front area. I would love to be able to sit out there with my girls relax and possibly be able to eat. Not sure if there is enough room for all that but that's what I was hoping for. And what would you suggest for the flooring of the deck and everywhere else? I can't thank you all enough for your help and Amazing ideas!!!!! I'm blown away!!

Perfect color scheme Grover, and better yet that Oliver is standing guard to say don't mess with this beauty!

I like this image for landscaping inspiration: rock, modern planters, low plantings, some kind of sculpture for interest.

Remove the rug from your deck area, wrong style. Concrete works with your house style. If you want a rug, maybe get a solid color, or at least a modern or MCM style one.

The bricks edging your front entry walk really need to go, as well as the other clutter.

I think large groupings of mondo grass (comes in green or black) will work very well in your climate and look fantastic.

I'd recommend a black version of grover's second door if you're going with dark trim.

Just be prepared. The door will be shockingly expensive. It will be worth it. I promise. Once you save the money and see it up you will never look back. For starters with the staging/use of the space. Remove EVERYTHING. Including the various edging materials. Think uniformity in all materials. Once colors are chosen, stain the deck to match dark siding color. Go ahead and put a sleek, modern table and chairs out there (this is your HOME, after all!), plantings as previously described, but that is IT. See how Grover removed everything? Resist all urges to add back anything cute, homey, etc. consider a screened in porch in your beautiful back yard! you've got this!!

Joleen, before you buy another thing--a planter, a chair, a rug, or even a plant--please study modern and minimalist design. While your house is some kind of meld between contemporary and mid century modern, I'd head more in the MCM direction since it is classic. You will find everything sleek and simple, no scrolls, no ornamentation, nothing is there just to fill a space.

Two things to remember: form follows function and less is more.

Ok!! I will remove it all and start from scratch. I will admit this is a whole new style for me but I'm falling more and more in love with it. The more I learn. I will definitely do more research on the style before any other decisions are made. Greenfish1234, yes it will probably take awhile to save up for the door mainly because I have four little ones and things are always coming up. But it will happen! In the meantime is there a color I can paint it so it will at least look good with the charcoal color? I love the plant ideas as well!! Thank you all so much! Words can't express how grateful I am!

Jolene, we love helping people like you make the most of their beautiful homes!! Consider maybe a faux treatment on that door to approximate the stunning wood one Grover showed. My neighbor did it with ok effect by using different colors of stain. I will try to find a link for you on the process. His doors were painted wood, and he stained over that. I think his came out a little too shiny, and darker than you would want, I would try to avoid that with the stain selection. A huge concern with painting it charcoal, if you consider it, is if it is vinyl, which I suspect it is, dark color plus Texas sun equals melted garage door. Pic came out bad,sorry.

Here is a too shiny pic plus the process: https://prodigalpieces.com/diy-faux-wood-garage-door-tutorial/

Yours would look a lot like this but way better without the yucky hardware and portholes.

I didn't finish, but you get the idea. I'd paint the deck the same charcoal. I probably wouldn't do a rug. Eventually get some cedar furniture.

Look at modern landscapes and note the massing of plants, the inclusion of specimen plants, how the plantings take on a sculptural look.

Urban Bronze looks a nice colour for trim etc. worth considering. Some great inspirational pics, so much potential

oh I love it all!! Plus I have confidence that I can achieve both those suggestions!!! Thank you for taking the time to find pictures and then dressing up the pictures ( which I'm dying to know how you did that, lol ) and websites. I can finally see it and so beyond excited!!!! I'm beginning to think I need to rethink how I have decorated the inside now! I told my husband last night that I may have to start from scratch, he shook his head and walked away!! Lol I'm sure I will be bothering you all along the way for help and suggestions. And I will be posting pictures of everything Hope you don't mind!!

Oh Joleen, we live for this! Bring it on. But do get house exterior fixed up first if you can. It will build your confidence!

The shorter limegreen/yellowish plants in groveraxle's last mock-up are called euphorbia and I think it's a super cool plant. A local nursery should be able to tell you which cultivar will work well in your area. Look for varieties that don't get taller than about 18" - 2 ft tall, and will not spread too aggressively. Some varieties up here in the pacific northwest where I live are quite large and can tend to spread a bit (from seeds, not runners or anything). The lime green on the top are actually the flowers/seed heads of the plant. You can trim those off to prevent spreading too. But they last all winter if you leave them, which can be a nice feature. I'm not sure what the taller plant she used is, but is has a strong structural feature to it. just for an idea, a red hot poker, or a nice yucca plant as a specimen feature. Again, I'd consult with a local nursery to find out what they suggest for your area. You can show them your house and they should have some good recommendations of the best plants to use.

And yes, this is super exciting. It's such a cool house!

love grovers charcoal/wood door scheme, and the plantings/deck area. your house will look so good when completed. And yes, all the cutesy stuff will have to go. On a cute farmhouse it would fit in great, but on this house, it just doesn't. But it will look even better than the farmhouse when you're done.

this is the charcoal w/the wood garage door. looks very nice together

while you save up for one, look into painting yours to look like wood like she mentioned above. plenty of how-to's out there. ("how to paint garage door to look like wood") It will hold you over until you get the real deal.

If you plan on getting a lot of pebbles (say, those mexican beach pebbles) then make sure you take a truck and go to a stone place (as opposed to home depot). when you buy by the scoop, you get a better price. They also might sell those in big bags but they're 1/4 the price of the big box stores.

As for the walkway/deck area, I found a few similar styles for you to grab some ideas

A lot of these have similar undersides of the roof as yours. this beautiful cedar would look so nice w/your brickwork. notice on these pics, all of the landscaping. the large cement pavers, pebbles, plantings. everything is neat, linear and spaced evenly. this one below actually has a table/chair so you can sit outside.

Head over to Pinterest (wait for the babies to go to sleep!) and search "mid century modern exterior" or "palm springs mid century modern homes" or even " Eichler homes". Eichler was known for bringing the outside in on his mcm houses. Yours is similar w/that front deck area against the large glass. you can do wonders w/that spot.

DH is correct that the plants in my last rendering are euphorbia and I believe the taller plants are kangaroo's paw. Just a note on euphorbia: there are thousands of varieties and all of them are toxic to one degree or another so you might want to consider something else with children. I shouldn't be letting Oliver sit in the middle of it like that. But DH's other suggestion about having a local horticulturist make recommendations is spot on.

Two more tips: paint your gutters and downspouts the same color as whatever is behind them--the trim or brick color--so they disappear.

Tip two: don't overdecorate. The architecture of the house is the star and everything you do should enhance that so, for example, if you have a soaring angular wall like the one to the right of your front door, don't cut it in half by hanging some gewgaw in the middle of it.

I cleaned up a bit so you could better see the house without all the little scrolly bits strewn about:

Ollie, get out of the euphorbia! You're gonna get a rash.

Actually, a philodendron selloum might be a great specimen plant for this space.

OK, I'll quit playing now.

Any progress on your home?