You guys are so helpful!!

let me say that I am pretty young (at least I think so) so the white house, red brick and roses seem very old fashioned

@groveraxle love your mock ups! I think I like the lighter colored brick. I really think someone has that green door, I have to walk the neighborhood today

**noticed the widened walkway!!

@Yardvaark i agree that a Gardner is not keen on design, he’s working on sprinkler coverage for the dead spots

I like the idea of starting with a base, I know for a fact that I don’t want the roses, the walkway may be my first project for the Gardner (my neighborhood LOVE my roses, they will not be happy to see them gone)

am I being much to optimistic with my vision ??? light wood door, garage to match the door and change the trellis to match that wood, off white brick, maybe tan trim ???

Thank you guys!!

There are other ways you could incorporate roses. But flanking the walk is a less desirable way of doing it.

thank you @groveraxle !!!

so it’s possible

what do you think??

I like the limewashed brick. I'm less a fan of the wood door and garage. I would NEVER replace that trellis/screen. I would strip the plants, clean it up, and keep it white because otherwise it doesn't show up. It's a unique retro feature of your home. It reminds me of these MCM breeze blocks which I've always loved:

Modern Mid Century Decorative Concrete Blocks • Modern Charlotte, NC Homes For S · More Info

I’m not in a subdivision; but in a small area of houses obviously built by the same builder

A few houses have the same layout and actually turned this area into a porch

I’ll take some pics

Better single shot of house

older photo

I think those arrows on your sidewalk are a little off-putting, like don’t dawdle, keep moving please. I’d cover those up somehow.

What a great house! Thank you for not trying to turn it into a farmhouse. Start reading up on atomic style so you can love it even more.

Do whatever Grover says.

Straightening the sidewalk and removing the flanking beds solves the problem I have with the current scheme. I see 8 parallel lines swerving like a freeway to the front door, which is then partially obscured from view. The roses only reenforce the highway buffer look (they have become the default road planting in NYC). Make that front door beautiful - the right green or right stained wood - and give it a clear broad view from the curb and approach. I am interested in hearing how roses can be used in a modern design elsewhere on the property, though perhaps a subject for a separate post. Nice house and great suggestions here.

When budget can afford get windows without the grids . These types of houses lend themselves to being simple and the landscping being interesting compared to regular 2 storey traditional homes .Embrace what you have and you are lucky to live where there does not sound like there is an HOA in place.

Donald The arrows are because it’s a google photo :)

housegal, I guess you didn’t see my vision pictures above, I’m not the “farmhouse” type but they are Gaine inspired

Patricia, new windows next week, no grids

No HOA,

I have another 10 rose bushes in the back, I’m tempted to perhaps jump the gun and have the pathway cleared this week.

I’ll post pics today of the other planters and you can let me know what should stay or go to get a base

thanks!!

You could certainly put your roses next to the house...

That is better placement of them

actually not a fan of the roses, I don’t mind all green plants to upgrade the look

Groveraxle, I scanned the neighborhood just for you! I knew there was a green (well more blue) and pink door,I didn‘t realize that both the houses were the same layout

Oh, lucky them. How come you didn't get those great clerestory windows? Did someone eliminate them when they replaced the roof?

That is such a great MCM detail.

it’s a small neighborhood with obviously the same builder, mostly ranch and 2 stories

so when you drive around you’ll see 5-7 variations or replicas of the same house scattered amongst the neighborhood

that style Got the roof line

another in my style has gables over the bedroom windows

Think Asian MCM ranch. Paint the garage door, upgrade lights, add a rain chain and rearrange your pavers for a more interesting walkway.

Accessible Ranch Total Renovation · More Info

Mid-Century Ranch Exterior · More Info

Deco... I like the accessible ranch! I‘d Never heard of a rain chain. That will definitely be part of any outdoor change! Thanks!!!

I think there are some great ideas from the other contributors here! @groveraxle always inspiring!

If you're still interested in seeing what other garage and entry doors would look like on your home you can try a free design app we've just released in beta to the iOS app store called Modifai. It provides realistic and instantaneous visualization with your smartphone - just take a photo of your home and then choose from the catalog of garage doors and entry doors to visualize on your home. We're still in development so would love direct feedback from Houzz users as we continue to improve/evolve the experience. App store link: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/modifai/id1459977254

Revive looks like a nice app! I need a new iPhone To download this version

Please don't try to turn the house into a Gaines house or a cottage. Atomic/midcentury ranch is much cooler style. Love the screen.

Roses have thorns that could crowd a sidewalk as the bushes grow. At the appropriate time of year for moving roses, you might consider moving them alongside the front exterior wall of the house or beside the house to create a green hedge between front hard and side yard. A small low growing plant without briars that grows well in your planting zone would be worth considering for outlining your sidewalk. In Zone 7, liriope is a great plant for that purpose.

I like the recommendations for a straight wide pad walkway, if and when the budget allows.

Tqtqtbw not really trying to turn into a Gaines house or cottage but I LOVE the White House and oak doors

I think the trellis would be cool recreated exactly the same in oak

I can go without the shutters but there are homes like my own in the neighborhood with shutters

The look of your roof would convert easily to Asian, and these pix with the porch are more traditional rooflines.

The shutters fit with the gables and don't seem to go with the great screen.

Here are the pitiful planters, hence hiring a new Gardner

what do I demo

Side planter

Other side planter

I know ... they are terrible

Behind trellis

You do have some nice individual plants that could be relocated and better organized. Have you been there long enough to see things bloom?

Yes I’ve been here for 3 years

its such a mess up close

You need a garden revitalization and mulch, not all new plants. Can be a DIY or at least cheaper. Maybe count how many large plants you have of each and maybe Yardvaark can reorganize them for you.

I see daylilies, agapanthas, maybe clivia, 1-2 monsteras, multiple roses, dieties, varigated cannas, gardenia(?), nandina, liriope or society garlic. You have better plants selection than the neighbors' pictures you posted.

Oh wow! I don’t know the names of any of the plants! Let’s see what yardvaark says. Also want it to accommodate my overall decor change with painting the brick etc

Oh yes, you have plants that I would personally come dig out and take home.

Sometimes, one can personally visit a site and make some meaningful improvements by waving their magic wand around. It's a lot easier to see what's where and the places where things might go. But with a few pictures and no plan, it's difficult to get a feel for the inventory and the potential spaces for it. To solve any landscape renovation, especially by remote, requires the preparation of a plan. To make headway, you'll need to create a base plan first, and then put the ideas on it.

I think the first plan is deciding if I want to paint the house and change the door etc .... I’m glad tqtq identified the plants .... I was ready to pull it all out LOL

Here is an upgrade around the corner.

On the same style that has the colored doors and roof line

Horizontal rectangles in a new front door would look good with your house. See if you can identify updated houses like yours in the neighborhood. without gables or the clerestory windows.

there is only 1 fully upgraded that is all stucco ....

The new windows without the grids and aluminum look great!

Back of house

Ok what do you think about white paint, including the brick (or whitewash the brick)

oak/walnut doors and garage

Remove those square tiles from the trellis and painting it black

painting the windows in the front with black trim (not the windows behind the trellis)

painting all the eaves black (the pointed wood pieces around the roof line)

More modern clean landscaping

thoughts??

If you're getting rid of the tiles on the trellis, you might as well get rid of the whole thing. Here it is in black with black rafter tails and fascia:

And here it is removed and replaced by philodendron selloum:

what area (city and state) do you live in. Could make recommendations based on your location.

Remodelinghomeadvisors.com

I’m in the San Fernando Valley (California)

Groveraxle THANKS!! I actually like it without the trellis vs painting it black but apparently it’s my statement piece for my atomic home that I’m embracing

can you make the brick more white Like the house and trace the window in black? Basically a white house with black trim

this site is too addictive! You guys are beyond helpful

We have an office in chatsworth! Give us a call in the morning (818) 514-5262 and we could have someone come out and give you different ideas with samples.