by fairlyd
4 hours ago in Design Dilemma
Mid Century Box with Addition needs Exterior Facelift.
Any suggestions and/or advice on creating a more pleasing exterior would sincerely be appreciated!! The short porch overhang is awkward and rain splatters the front door. Front steps are dangerous. Windows on right will need to be replaced as they are deteriorating so suggestions on changing sizes (but staying within window size-smaller not larger) would be great! Five windows on left are newer. Thanks in advance.....

This one is a challenge, but totally do able! Am assuming you want to keep the mid century vibe to the exterior. The windows you plan on replacing should match as closely to the 5 newer ones as possible. You don't want to catch the eye with that. The steps should be re-done in a straight configuration. Width can stay the same. The overhang needs to straightened out and lengthened. You will have to straighten out the pathway as well. Why someone mixed all the curves with mid century is beyond me! If it's in the budget, covering the steps in stone is a great option. You can wrap the stone around the front of the house, bring it up to the line where the pickets are resting. It looks like the siding stops right below the windows, it should come down a little further. Good luck!

Board and batten siding, vertical, in a darker gray (this is Amherst Gray, BM).

I totally agree that the replacement windows should match as closely as possible to the 5 newer ones.
Window treatments that look just as nice from the outside as they do from the inside go a long way in improving the look of a house. Do you have any pictures of the house before the addition that could help you with fixing the front door problem...

Yeah, Mark. It's like adding a 20's vibe with the curves. I would play up the quirkiness and treat the addition separately. Add trim at the lower line of the windows on the whole house and paint everything below it white or cream. On the addition, paint everything above it charcoal, and add white/cream batten board in a grid pattern. Play up curviness on the main side of the house. A 50's-60's color above the trim. Bowed multi-paned window next to the door. A decorative curved railing at the entry and add fascia to the overhang to protect the door. Display house number on the fascia. Maybe add a cross-hatch balconette around the roof edge to hide the mismatched lines. Rail or cross hatch fence. At least take the spearheads off the pickets.

I would suggest you choose a main house color, such as a soft white. Then, choose a bright accent color, such as turquoise, for the horizontal siding boards that are even with the tops and bottoms of the windows and paint these segments of siding the turquoise. Then, I would suggest you paint the entry door the same turquoise, the porch ceiling a lighter turquoise, and the porch floor and treads of the steps a darker turquoise. I would paint the risers or backs of the steps and all the house trim white. I love the curve of the steps, and I realize you first will need to extend the porch ceiling to give adequate protection from the rain and other elements before you paint. The house across the street from mine is white with a contrast color on the horizontal siding in the window areas, and the effect of unique and refreshing.

this is a Deco design, a 30's hollywood design. The entry is cute, keep it. enlarge the overhead so it keeps rain off the guests.