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Updating Exterior

3 years ago
last modified: 3 years ago

Our home was built in the early 80s and I’d like to uodate the exterior. Everything is brown and I would like some contrast. We need to replace our old garage doors so I was thinking of going with white doors Should we also paint the trim white to match? Eventually I’d like to paint the entire house but I don’t think its in the budget right now. Any ideas are appreciated. I haven’t updated a house before so I’m having a hard time imagining what it will look like



*We replaced the walkway with stamped concrete since this picture was taken

Comments (23)

  • 3 years ago
    last modified: 3 years ago

    Please provide photos of your new walkway since that needs to be taken into account along with the roof color. Also need better photos of roof color and recessed entrance color. Is that a sand colored roof--hard to tell from photos. You have several different elements going on--three garage doors taking up almost as much visual space as the house. I think white garage doors are ithe wrong direction to go with current house color. You need to think of the future house color you will want before you choose the garage doors. Otherwise you'll wind up with a mish mosh.


    This palette of warm ivory and taupe might be appealing. But need more photos of roof, new walkway, entryway.


    Front elevation · More Info


    Andrea O thanked housegal200
  • 3 years ago

    There is a lot going on between different materials, directions and colors. I would pick one color that works with the fireplace and use it for everything including trim and garage doors. The only thing that should be an accent color is the entry door.

    Andrea O thanked Rachel Lee
  • PRO
    3 years ago

    I love the current garage doors…

    Andrea O thanked HALLETT & Co.
  • 3 years ago
    last modified: 3 years ago

    You have a lovely home and I don’t know why you think it needs updating. Cleaned up and polished, maybe, but there’s not a need to try to make it look new when it’s not. It’s a beautiful classic style.

    I agree with housegal and Rachel - move slowly, step by step, for a well-thought-out cohesive plan. Start your plan with what won’t change, assumably the brick/chimney and roof, and build off of that. Don’t choose anything that won’t go with them.

    Andrea O thanked littlebug Zone 5 Missouri
  • 3 years ago

    I would leave it just like it is. Add your curb appeal, and color with some nice furniture, and some colorful pots of plants. No white trim, and no white garage doors. Its a very nice home.

    Andrea O thanked cat_ky
  • 3 years ago

    Agree that it is a lovely home - if you are itching for an update or refresh, I would get a professional landscaping plan developed (with outdoor lighting) and then you can install it over the next few years

    Andrea O thanked la_la Girl
  • PRO
    3 years ago

    Lovely home. Can you save the garage doors? They are PERFECT for this home. NO WHITE ON THIS HOUSE PLEASE.


    I don't like seeing the white shutter through the window. I'm sure the total house could use a wash to just generally clean the brick and siding.


    Why is it that many posters on this forum cannot see the perfection of their homes? When it ain't broke don't fix it.


    The only thing I'd change is the planters and chair on the front patio. If there must be a chair or two then select one in the MCM style.





    Andrea O thanked BeverlyFLADeziner
  • 3 years ago
    last modified: 3 years ago

    Can you post a pic with the new walkway?

    Unless you're dealing with rot or an aging paint job, I wouldn't do anything just yet except give the house and driveway a gentle pressure wash.

    When it's time to paint I would pick a color with less yellow but definitely not white.

    Andrea O thanked deegw
  • 3 years ago

    Beverly, I have to agree. So many want to change things, when they have is already really nice.

    Andrea O thanked cat_ky
  • 3 years ago
    last modified: 3 years ago

    Thank you for the feedback everyone! It is very helpful to get an outside opinion. This gives me a lot to think about!









    Here are some more recent photos that show the new walkway.

  • 3 years ago

    If you have to get new garage doors because the ones you have are rotted or somehow not functional anymore, look at MCM styles. All manufacturers have some factory finish colors. Once you choose a manufacturer and door style update your post and show us what you're considering and what the factory finish options are if you want more assistance/comments. I agree that white wouldn't be the best choice here. Is the chimney a pale brick? The entry looks good. If you change the exterior color at some point you could go with a more MCM color for the front door.

  • PRO
    3 years ago

    The walkway and driveway could look more cohesive with your home.



  • 3 years ago

    Love Beverly's visualization. However, if you only have budget for garage doors right now, you probably don't have $$$ to change driveway, garage doors, and paint the house at this time. So do try to coordinate with whatever new walkway you put in, which I hope works with roof color and driveway. Please show photographs of the new walkway you mentioned.

  • 3 years ago

    I thought the same, Beverly. The new walkway seems to have an unfortunate gray cast.

  • PRO
    3 years ago

    Easy to fix the color of the concrete.


    I use Lowes, Valspar concrete patio and porch paint in a satin finish on my aged walkways and patio. They can match absolutely any color. It's easy to roll on and in the 10+ years I've had it applied I have had no peeling

  • 3 years ago

    Yeah, it's too bad the concrete walkway doesn't harmonize with hardscaping yellowish rocks and light, sandy roof. Skim coating it and the driveway could pull it together.

    Like many others, I think the house is great, garage doors are right for the house style and roof. I read an article recently that people who watch a lot of HGTV get depressed when their own homes don't conform to this generic TV style on these decorating shows. This repetive standard look makes it hard for some homeowners to appreciate homes that don't conform to what they see on HGTV.

    https://www.washingtonpost.com/home/2023/07/07/hgtv-makes-homes-boring-sad/

  • 3 years ago

    Has your brick been painted? It appears that the brick on the bottom of the chimney where your bench is located is painted. Can you confirm?

  • PRO
    3 years ago

    No skim coating on top of concrete unless you want a continuous maintenance problem.

  • PRO
    3 years ago
    last modified: 3 years ago

    I like your new walkway! I would do nothing with it.

  • 3 years ago

    @BeverlyFLADeziner: Oops, I mean staining walkway per your suggestion. But it's fine as is, honestly.

  • 3 years ago
    last modified: 3 years ago

    You know, it would be helpful to clarify what you mean by "update"? What you have now, the soft beiges/greiges/golds is actually a quite current color scheme. Or had, past tense. The addition of the blue gray is unfortunate.... it could be easily remedied with masonry stain (incl. driveway as Beverly illustrates) but before proceeding with any more changes it would be good to have a comprehensive plan in place, rather than approach these design choices in piecemeal fashion.

    Midcentury style, as it evolved from the earlier prairie style, was all about using colors of nature and unpainted wood, brick, and stone. This is not to say a house couldnt, or shouldnt, be freshened and tweaked to more suit your esthetic, just that any updates be true to original intent.

    Does the white of the window repeat elsewhere - conceivably that could be your accent color while your faded gray-browns/greiges/beiges remain your main color (some siding, garage, walkway stained to greige), while the golds/gold-beiges (eg other siding, roof color) remain your secondary color. White no more than 10% of surface area as accent only (windows, seating, planters, doors)


  • 3 years ago
    last modified: 3 years ago

    Interesting article Housegal - Ive wished for a long time that there could be just one show on tv thats more like the renovations Ive done or known of - where its more a matter of stripping away all the gack, all the faddish changes that were done to it, to reveal the beauty of the original design thats waiting underneath to be rediscovered. Assuming there's some left - a lot houses have been too futzed with and theres nothing much original left so all you can do is start over.

    Often we find that the house taken back to original elements has a freshness to it that no hgtv cookie cutter rehab can match - whats old is new again. This is especially true of midcentury houses, which often were still built very sturdy with good quality materials.... and its so easy to find furnishings and architectural components (doors, fixtures, etc.) that are compatible with midcentury style.... as so much of our current style is derived straight from that earlier era.

  • 3 years ago

    I appreciate the feedback. You have all helped me realize that I need to appreciate the unique style of my house as it is now rather than trying to change it to something that it isn’t. I found that article about HGTV very interesting and feel like it applies to me


    The chimney is not painted. The chimney and side walls are the original adobe brick.


    We went with a grey tone walkway to coordinate with the exisiting grey driveway and cement near the door. It is only 1 year old and not something I want to change.