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eamillz

Curb Appeal - help?

4 years ago

Hi, what are some architectural feats I can do to approve the curb appeal of this home?

  • Remove the bricks around the window frames and add replace with the same stone on the top right?

  • Add shutters?

  • add corbels?

  • change the paint?

Thanks

Comments (20)

  • 4 years ago

    Looks nice as is. Perhaps paint the front door.

  • 4 years ago

    Is that your fence pictured on the left? Power wash it. Add some colorful annuals or perennials to your landscape.

  • 4 years ago

    Nice house, I wouldn't change a lot. Replace the big rocks in front with a nice plant. Pathway lights. Maybe paint the doors a milk chocolate brown.


  • PRO
    4 years ago
    last modified: 4 years ago

    I would lime Romabio washing.


  • 4 years ago

    Normally I don't go for the lime washing, but there's something about that facade that is fortress-like. I think it could stand to be toned down with the Romabio. You certainly don't need shutters or corbels. Then the garage door should be white because you don't want to call attention to it. It's already front and center.

  • 4 years ago

    I like the garage door the color it is with the metal pieces, maybe add metal focal above garage and under windows then add plants to front of landscape, the white wash pics look good and I do agree with front door color change

  • 4 years ago

    It looks good already, but you could tweak a few things. I think the garage door color is too light. I would make it a slightly darker taupey brown color that blends in better with the bricks. I would add some low growing flowers to that mulch in the foreground and remove the two larger rocks.

  • 4 years ago
    last modified: 4 years ago

    the house is fine. the garage door is not. it's too generic looking and the wrong color. you need some contrast. try this type of door and paint your trim a darker color like one of these two


    bring in some more flowers, maybe paint your front door a softer shade, or switch it out for something like in the picture

    similar style home but they changed the white trim to this Kendall Charcoal color. see the diff? Urbane bronze would do the same thing to your home. And they also beefed up the landscaping in and around the flower beds.



    or try a door like this, and plant some more flowers like shown here.




    similar style home w/a lime washed brick, but I wanted you to see the dark trim and the dark garage doors. I like the style of these too.


    if you go w/a bit of limewashing, here how it looks with a nicer garage door in a soft black (this is tricorn black, but iron ore would be a bit warmer) and an iron double door and black address placque.


    bring in some white iceberg roses in the flower bed

    or, you could do this. limewash, do a softer white trim color, bring in shades of grays and wood.










    Don't know how much of a change you want, but these photos should give you an idea. try the darker trim option first, along w/a diff garage door. (seriously, that garage door ruins the entire curb appeal. if you only do one thing, make it that door) Then try the front door. if you still want more, look into the Romabio. check out Board and Batten for some amazing before and after renditions

  • 4 years ago

    Start with a darker color on the garage. Then add darker trim. If you still don’t love your house, do the lime-wash. It will definitely give it a “lighter” feel and the dark doors and trim will be finished.

  • 4 years ago

    Interestingly enough, I happened to watch a renovation show yesterday. The owner wanted to lime wash the house. The price was twice the price of painting. That stuff has to be applied with a brush. Major labor costs. And by the way, the brick was a light color and the wash made it look weaker color wise.

  • PRO
    4 years ago

    I think the house could benefit from a new garage door that mimics the style of the windows. I have also lightened the trim and replaced the front door.


  • 4 years ago

    Lime washing or not, I suggest staining the keystones to better match the brick so they don't jump out at us. Since you can't really bring the entry out of that recess, do something interesting with the garage door. How about a stained pergola with vining bloomer that matches the front door?


    Pink Garage Landscape Details · More Info


  • 4 years ago

    Sometimes I think Romabio must be paying for product placement on Houzz!


    Your home is very nice, if a little bland. The suggestions to update the trim and garage are good ones. But mostly, this home would benefit from more extensive landscaping. I'd also add a lamp post at the bottom outside corner of your front walk. It will be very functional and also guide the eye to the front door and away from the driveway.

  • 4 years ago

    Thank you everyone. Lots of excellent suggestions. For now, I'm not planning on a limewash. The garage door is also a struggle whereby it's front and center but I want the focus to be on the front door and not the garage door. If I bolden it with a dark brown, then it will become the focal point. What do the detailed eyes in here think about a dark brown trim but warm grey garage door like this? Am I breaking any design rules?



  • 4 years ago

    Have to chime in with the rest of the folks who say if you’re going to do anything replace that garage door. I know that you want the entry to be the focal point but the garage door will always be the first thing you see. I’m not a designer but all of the pros have commented on that. Consider ditching the knockout roses for more interesting plantings too. I think better visual interest in your beds could be great. I have a garage door that should go too but we’re finally finishing a kitchen/laundry/powder room renovation ( 2+ yr nightmare) and have to replace the poster child for deck rot in the back along with a master bed/bath renovation before I can gleefully deposit our garage door in a dumpster. Ditch the door, you’ll be so glad that you did!

  • 4 years ago

    I like the dark brown trim and the garage door dark brown also. I don’t know if you are going to replace it but paint the old door and see how you like it. The pergola idea is also good.
    The garage door is there so make the best of it.

  • 4 years ago

    Definitely change the garage door. I liked the photo that showed garage door with arched windows which echo the arch of the house windows. I also thought that the idea of a pergola over the new garage door was very attractive. The garage door is the largest feature of the house, you can not hide it by just focusing on the entry. But if you make it congruent with the house style it will not stick out like a sore thumb.

  • 4 years ago

    The garage door is a massive part of your house, so work with it - a garage door with arch windows, or if in your budget do 2 separate doors and a center post, and the pergola that decoenthusiast suggested. Landscaping will give the front door more focus, take focus away from all the concrete, and soften the straight lines…I don’t know what is native to your area, along the left side of the driveway plant a low hedge or tall sky pencil Holly, at the 2 boulders some feathery grass perennials and creeping Jenny ground cover and colorful annuals, along the left edge of the sidewalk plant candytuft, at front door a round urn in front of each sidelight. Please do not paint your garage door a color similar to concrete - is already an overwhelming color. The color of the cap stone centered over the windows would look better being the same color as the mortar. Please do not remove the brickwork around the windows, they are an upgrade and an interesting feature.

  • 4 years ago
    last modified: 4 years ago

    I agree with either lightening or darkening the garage door *a little,* but not to a dark brown or black (which emphasize it more) -- but just enough to blend in more with the brick or trim. I agree using a new garage door with arched windows to echo the house would be huge for a more cohesive look (rather than the Garage vs House battle). I also love the idea of the lamppost to the left of the flower bed, and beefing up the flowers. I'd also take out the shrubs leading to the door and make that some eye-catching flowers with color. That will draw the eye up the walk toward the front door. You'll need varying heights in your landscape and I would include a little height on each side of the double windows as well as matching that at the left corner of the garage, all of which will draw your eye to your beautiful walkway and front area. You have a beautiful home and you will really enjoy it regardless which of the many options you choose. There is no single "right" answer. Just think of your goals and go for both beauty and balance.

  • 4 years ago

    So maybe just a couple shades darker like this?