HELP We are confused about how to update front of our home need advice

ksal2010

5 years ago

My husband and I are planning to replace our windows. We also thought it might be nice while we are doing it to make some updates to the front of our house. We saw a garrison colonial that had a portico added onto it that we really liked alot so started thinking about that, but then half of our friends seem to like the idea the other half don't! They have said things like make porticos need to blend well/your house is fine as it is, it will look stuck on, your roof pitch may be tricky. we have also been told it should be curved which is more current, it should be triangular roof shaped with curved inside, it should be flat because of house lines. We are now nervous and confused. With the windows we had been leaning toward white wood marvin with attached grills 6 over 6 versus the cottage we have now, (or 6 over 8 on bottom) but someone recently suggested black windows with black grills, white trim and black shutters. We like the look but are nervous that in 10 years it might be out of fashion. Finally, we are wondering if it is worth it to get a new front door? We can't do sidelights because the front door opens into a entryway that has two closets on either side of the door as soon as you walk in. Any thoughts, help and guidance you all have would be greatly appreciated! It is so hard to know what to do and to be able to visualize what would look best with our house!!!! Thank you all!!!!!

Featured Answer

sheloveslayouts

5 years ago

Check out the season of this old house when they renovated the Lexington garrison colonial

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Comments (8)

tatts
5 years ago
You don't have enough clearance between the top of the windows and the eaves of the roof to squeeze a porch roof structure in there.

Even if you did, those upper rooms would be dark as tombs.
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mindshift
5 years ago
Your house is not a coat that you can easily replace, so stop thinking in terms of fashion. Buy the color and style of windows that you like. When you start asking other people what they think you will get a plethora of ideas, many of them conflicting. Consider that you are now asking an entirely different group of people for their opinions.

If there is nothing wrong with your front door, don't replace it. You can still put a portico over your stoop. Just keep the lines simple. There are no curves on your house, so you don't need curves on your portico. Here are a couple of links to the type of roof I think would work with your house. Photo 1 & Photo 2
Irene Morresey
5 years ago
Like the long arbor also the blue grey exterior
ci_lantro
5 years ago
Your house has clean classic lines; I wouldn't mess with it.

The only things I would do is paint the front door; house needs some color. Move the outdoor lights a few inches farther away from the door (2-3"?). Also, the landscaping could be improved.
Carla T
5 years ago
last modified: 5 years ago
It is amazing what a front porch will do for a home. When I look at the picture of your home, the front door and entrance simply have no pop. I would forgo adding a portico. Add a long front porch. It will be inviting and updated. Something similar to the picture posted by benjesbride. Except different style posts I would remove the glass screen door and replace the front door with some glass in it to let light in and to see out. Stay with white window.

I just showed the picture of your house to my husband. I didn’t tell him anything other than “What would you do to update this house?. The first thing he said was to put a long porch along the front of the house and to put stone on the on your house on the first level with stone columns and take off the siding on the second level and put a cedar looking shake or a wood that has a layered look. He said he would change the front of the garage, remove the dated looking trim and style of the garage doors and replace them with one large double door with a straight trim. He would continue the wood up to the same height as the porch and the wood shingle look above it. He also said the same thing about the front door, that it looks old and should be replaced. Also, of course,new lighting should be add.

Good luck. Have fun
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Sabrina Alfin Interiors
5 years ago
last modified: 5 years ago
I think the house is lovely. I wouldn't add any structure to it. Focus on landscaping and bringing some color into the mix with perennial flowering shrubs like hydrangea, rhododendron, azalea, etc. You could do some climbing roses on either side of the front door if you added a trellis to the wall. I would also perhaps change out your exterior light fixtures, which to my eye seem too small in scale.
Bette P
5 years ago
Lovely home!

You could have an architect consult. This photo, portico and I like their windows too, upper grills only. I wish I could photoshop, I'd like to see what your home would look like with shutters on the bottom level only and no diagonal trim on your garage doors. Wondering if the one storey portion would look nice painted a red/brown from your chimney. New bigger exterior lights and at least two at the garage. If there has to be a backboard behind the lights, paint out the backboard to match the siding. Paint the downspouts the siding color also. Landscaping needs a big reboot.

Entry Walkway and Portico · More Info