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jackie212

gable end design dilemma

3 years ago

I’m trying to figure out a way to improve on this poorly designed side wall. Maybe extending the white trim band from the front to break up the siding or extending the gable overhang further down on the right. Any advise would be greatly appreciated.

Comments (29)

  • 3 years ago

    How about some shrubs and skinny tall trees .?

  • 3 years ago

    Interesting idea thank you I hadn’t thought of the breakup of color.

  • 3 years ago

    An espalier would be pretty, but a lot of work and you have shade, I'm betting. If you have the room, I'd put in a large shrub or small tree.

  • 3 years ago

    There is very little room between the house and the property line on that side of the house which would limit my ability to plant anything to big. That was one of the options I took on the other side including a bump out and three windows.

  • 3 years ago

    Ugh, Jackie, I have the same issue. Big blank wall with one odly placed window. I had a window and door and they were sort lined up but obviously not in-line! What kind of idiot designs a house with windows and doors willy-nilly like acne on the sides and backs of the house? And then the builder crams them so close together that you don't have the option of fixing the ugly by adding porches and columns to hide it. There should be laws against ugly. But that would interfere with profit, and we can't have that!


    I looked for my own post on this that shows before and after shots but I can't find it. I got rid of the door as I mentioned, chose a siding color that looked nicer to me, and planted perennial flowers.  I also planted tall narrow short trees, partly to hide that side of my house but mainly because my (grrrrrr) neighbor moved in and cut down seven mature trees, two of which were shading that side of our house in the afternoon. It gets so hot now in the summer that our ac bill has gone up 30% and we still are too warm when we try to sleep at night. Yes there are rules about that and she could be fined $2,000 a tree, but how do you live next to a neighbor after you do that?


    Anyway, the trees I chose, sassafras, are fussy about where they live so probably wouldn't like your conditions. I have the requisite hill for the drainage. And it's west facing…hence the afternoon heat. All the shade loving perennials I had planted also withered and died after she cut down the trees. I had to start all over again. I learned that astilbe actually like morning shade and afternoon heat and light. What a miracle plant! 


    In your case, I would try to line up the bottoms of your siding the next time you reside. Also don't use contrasting white windows, facia board, and downspouts, but rather blend in the "acne" with "make-up". Choose a darker color siding to blend in with your brick or plan to remove both siding and brick for a more cohesive color scheme. Your neighbor seems to have all brick. I don't suppose you would be willing to invest that kind of money in this house?  All brick or all stone? If so, take more pictures of your home and street so you can get serious help here about a total home refacing. By the way, refacing a home is hard on the landscaping, so decide if you want to do that before planting anything but grass. It might be easier to move to a home that has more room between you and your neighbors.

  • 3 years ago

    By the way, nice job on the other side of the house!

  • 3 years ago

    KL thank you for your advise. Unfortunately neighbors can have a negative impact on your own property especially in a case where their house is only fifteen feet away lol. In home design I try to look at what I consider a poor design choice as an opportunity to be creative with a solution that I wouldn’t have otherwise thought of. I also love hearing from others ideas because it’s usually a direction I might never have thought of and will lead to a better solution. Thnx again

  • 3 years ago

    Here’s another example of adding a bump out to give a more three dimension. Plus I add glass wherever I can I love natural indoor light. Windows , skylights etc
    Before and after

  • PRO
    3 years ago

    Here are a few ideas:



  • 3 years ago

    Kelly's got it! Match the brick, paint the garage door a rust color pulled from the brick, then plant narrow-growing shrubs. Plant different heights, though, for variety. The mock-up looks great.

  • 3 years ago

    Nice job on the other bump-out! Could you please show a picture of the whole house from the front and without any vehicles? 

    I'm wondering what it would look like to replace some of the brick with siding.

  • 3 years ago

    Love Kelly’s idea, and it helps keep the garage door from being the big focal point of the house.

  • 3 years ago

    maybe try doing something w/the landscaping on the side? similar to what they did w/the front here




    similar homes. diff ideas for an overall change


    this one is to demonstrate what painting the brick and the siding can do to the overall look







  • 3 years ago

    I found a picture of my own big blank wall. I am limited by a close property line too and HOA requirements.  I couldn't think of anything to do. I'm not sure I will be able to keep the window, as I'm not sure where it will line up in the remodel. If I am lucky it will fit in the walk-in closet. If not, I am faced with eliminating or replacing it with something smaller. If I replace it, I have to replace siding, and this one replaced just a few years ago is no longer available. I am interested in your ideas and post. It seems a common enough problem that it would be nice if there was a story about options. You've done well with yours.

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  • 3 years ago

    I think your idea of a bump-out would work for me too, but it didn't feel like that high a priority, so I decided on the sassafras trees. The picture I posted is pre-tree, but they are spaced to break up that big blank space, an I hope someday it will serve as a blank canvas for tree-shadows.

  • 3 years ago

    One thing I noticed on Beth's excellent examples is the elimination of the white windows, trim and facia board. That really made a difference for my house too. I also used divided light window grills so the outside windows had the texture to match the line, didn't look fake, and really upgraded the whole house.

  • 3 years ago

    Thanks Beth. Incredible examples of making the right color choices. That’s one of my weak points. In the past I’ve painted rooms multiple colors and in the end was still unhappy ultimately just painting them white.
    Thanks for the encouragement KL. I like what you did with the windows.
    ShadyWillowFarm I also agree. The garage door on this house is way to prominent in its presentation to the street.

  • 3 years ago

    I don’t have a picture of the front of the house looking directly at it but I’ll take one. Here’s a side picture after I added all the windows, bump outs, retaining walls and plants.

  • 3 years ago

    That's really pretty! You can be very pleased and proud of the improvement.

  • 3 years ago

    Thank you

  • PRO
    3 years ago

    Do the bottom side stucco

  • 3 years ago

    How do you feel about windows in the garage and other rooms on that side of the house?

  • 3 years ago

    Where I live, every home has a fence between neighbors and at least a fence around the backyard. are you allowed to have a tall fence between the homes? The wall wouldnt be as noticeable…

  • 3 years ago

    Alhajj thanks for the comment but I do all the work by myself and I have no knowledge about how to install stucco.

    KL I was thinking that would be my best option. I’m completely fine with windows in the garage. The back half of that wall where the foundation bumps up is the kitchen where there is no ability to put any windows.

    Mrs. S thanks. I think my HOA does not allow a fence on the side or front of the property just from the back of the house back.

  • 3 years ago

    How about above the garage ? A bedroom?

  • 3 years ago

    Yes there is a bedroom but I added short windows over the headboard wall so I can’t add any more windows there.
    Before and just finishing up after pics.

  • 3 years ago

    Very nice rooms! Your home is in good hands.

  • 3 years ago

    Thank you