How about some window boxes with colorful flowers and cascading greenery in the spring!

I like the door you have, and the transom adds something. The window opposite the door bothers me a bit, because, it isnt anything like all the other windows on that side of the house. Its all lacking a bit of interest and color, with just the flat dark gray paint color. A pretty colorful wreath on the door would help. A couple of pots of fake flowers alont the front wall, would help. Almost anything to add some interest, to the dark prison gray. Yes to window boxes, and colorful flowers and cascading greenery in the spring.

Do you have any old photos of your house? I'm guessing the upper windows were arched, which would look better. The downstairs window is odd; I'm wondering if that boxed affair was to avoid the cost of a custom window.

I’d replace the railing with a horizontal cable rail, get some backlit house numbers (maybe the Neutro ones, they’re classic), and rethink that window on the first floor. It does look like perhaps it was a kludge to avoid a custom job.. I also like the transom and your current door - I think they’re more interesting than a monolithic 8’ door. Another option for the house numbers would be to have them reverse etched on the door glass.

What does the partner house look like? The ‘box bay’ on the front is peculiar. The exterior color scheme is so bland I thought you’d used a black and white photo until I saw the brick steps. I second leaving the transom, proportionally much better than an 8’ door.

Find historic examples of your home…I am sure there are many out there. First, if you can, replace the windows with actual curved (custom!) windows! The arch is what distinguishes them. On the first floor, explore how a bump out might have looked back when this building was in its prime. Try and see if you can replicate that. I can see a more emphatic roof over the bump out. (Not even a bay, let alone a dormer.). Your transom is the PERFECT location for a transfer of your house number to be located! Google them. You send the specs (size the numbers out) and they will send you a transfer to apply to the interior of your transom window. Rather cool! The suggestions for window boxes are great IF you are willing to maintain them AND have adequate irrigation to them. Planters on your porch or below might be an option, too. Charming house! It can go classic or modern, depending on your taste. But I would try to integrate the old WITH the new. Good luck!

Might the roof over the bump out window have been copper? I also wonder if the stairs were turned at some point. Maybe that explains the window projection being reduced.

I think removing the transom, besides eliminating some natural light from the vestibule, if you still have one, will actually make the house look smaller than it is--shorter anyway.

The transom with a standard door, indicates some height to the ceiling, even if it is not that much above normal. A full door could give the illusion that the house is squatter than it is and shorter.

And it could possibly hit anything but a flush light fixture inside the front door. And just possibly if the ceilings sag a bit, it could scrape against the ceiling at a full swing.

Early in the modernist movement, doors that extended all the way to the ceiling with a tiny stop at the top were considered very high design. But in all practicality, unless the ceilings were dead flat, they could scrap the ceiling fully opened.

The full height doors at the back of my almost 60 year old house just miss the living room ceiling.

You may have more space so none of these things may be a concern, but I don't think this lightens the look up, I think the transom does.

Window boxes.

Landscaping

And maybe more of a portico situation

I love the look of your home--I'm a big gray fan. It has character. You might want to paint the bricks of the steps to match your house and paint the dormer white after you have it repaired.

Inspiration

I would consider adding striped awnings to thehome

I would NOT install 6 panel Colonial door on this home. I'd keep the door you have. No one wants to open a door to the outside and not know what or who is on the other side of the door before they open it.

Window Boxes might depend on your location. I'm in New England. From experience - I have window boxes - they are a lot of work and need to be changed seasonally which can be very expensive. And there are between seasons (like end of March - early April when you don't want evergreens but it's too early even for pansies) I have self-watering ones and they still need to be filled just not as often as regularly watering. What about shutters on the upper windows?

I like the house as it is. I think only the plants themself will do the job, because the greenery so much fits the facade itself. If it is not enough, some false shutters can make some job. Both sided wall lamp can lighter the facade, however it can bothers the eye in the bedrooms. In that case the middle wall lamp can enlighten just the entry and the number.

Thanks for all the wonderful suggestions! My house and the three row homes it’s connected to were built in the late 1890s. Each has the same facade and layout with the box bay window and side-facing stairs. Jana, I love the shutters and the greenery. I’ll probably repaint as well sticking with the blueish-charcoal color.

The replacement window on the lower right is horrible. Please don't add to the remuddle by obliterating the transom.

Appreciate your passion, Joseph! Based on your and others’ comments I’ll keep the transom and door and have the house numbers painted on the transom.

Ivy looks beautiful on a home, but it eats into your mortar and leads to the need for tuckpointing. Don't add any to your home.

Thanks Sigrid. Since reading these comments I noticed other rowhomes throughout the city; Washington DC, have the same arched window frame and rectangular windows. I can imagine how beautiful custom arched windows would look in these historic homes!

Wonderful house!

As others have said, keep the transom so you have light on your interior hall. Transoms are such a classic architectural feature. Add gold leaf numerals in large, unfussy, font. I like the way this gold leaf has a black shadow, which echoes the black door. If you change door color, then just get plain gold leaf numerals. Change mail slot to golden brass if it isn't that already.

Are you changing the door for safety reasons? Then black or a dark brick red that echoes the brick stoop will look great. Maybe you can get unbreakable glass in current door.

Get a black iron coco porch plant for the front railing instead of window boxes. Then change out plants seasonally.

Maybe add some simple lathe wood screening painted same color as the house in front of utilities on the right. Make sure it's moveable to workers can get to it. Get a tall planter on the left and add an evergreen to screen that utility box somehow. Keep your red brick stoop since it pairs with your hardscaping and adds some color and texture to yourgry façade.

Container gardening · More Info

Are you in a historical district? Any restrictions on what you can do with the porch, steps and railing? Window boxes are cute, but need lots of attention. Love the house, I am a sucker for old painted brick homes!

Had year round window box on the first floor of my row home and loved it. Change them out by season. DC can handle min-evergreen shrubs in them during the winter.

What's going on with the mortar? Diminished in some areas, gobbed on thick in others. Signs of water damage inside?

Yes to leaving the transom for light and proportion of exterior space.

Consider these pics below. I don't love the look of a lot of them but they each have interesting considerations about window and door trim, and trim at the top of the house. I like the ideal of eliminating white on the front of your house and either painting trim the same color as the brick, or painting it a few shades darker than your brick .

Kendrah, I love all these homes and it’s nice to see a others’ comments in favor of my dark prison gray (BM Flint)! Greenery looks great against that color and I usually have a planter in front that I change with the seasons.

It is unlikely that this house ever had arched windows, but it did likely have 2 over 2 or 6 over 6 sashes, depending on its age. Either would soften the look of the facade, as would slightly heavier, more horizontal stair railing and painting the gas meter and electrical box to blend into the background. I would keep the transom, as it adds interest. The current door, while more modern, works pretty well. You can consider painting it a brighter color as a focal point and coordinating it w/ some container greenery, as you already have on the stair landing. Another long, narrow container against the house between the stairs and gas meter would also help soften the transition. Keeping the window screens fully up or down can help visually.

Also, if you are budgeting for future projects, the mortar is likely due for tuckpointing (use lime based mortar on these older homes).

One thing about those back steps is that large furniture cannot be turned around to get into that door - unless that railing can be removed and re-installed. A piano could not be turned to get into that door. Other large pieces could be a struggle too.

If there are other row houses like yours…how are the first floor windows configured? With the semi box bay that you have? Or are they a slightly wider regular window? Or a double front window? I was looking at other Philadelphia Row houses and some have a slightly bigger offset window on the first floor next to the front door, but not a window that sticks out like yours. If you choose not to install curved top windows on the upper floor…consider painting all your window frames black, including the infil arch above the upper ones. I would explore your options for that first floor window. A future project!

Beautiful house, Shauna.

There is a lot of contrast with the Flint gray, black, white palette.

What if you soften the look with color? Paint the rail the same BM Flint gray. Paint the door one shade darker (or lighter)?

Check out this tonal DC row house to see the monotone look:

https://certapro.com/washington-dc/before-and-after/residential-refresh/

Rachel, I like the idea of reducing contrast and working with different shades of Flint or similar. That plus planters placed as Katalase recommends will likely be the direction I go.

I do not like row houses that all differ hugely from each other they look to me like tenamnt housing after wahile . Can we see all the other home in that row ? I do agree kep the transom as far as the door is concerned I need to see the one you think will be right. I do not mind a row of homes all alike but with different colored doors for a bit of personality .IMO since that boxed out window is there I would accent it and paint it all wahite then add a window box with some flowers the same color as the door.

In my opinion you first need to pick a style to go with. Historic, modern, etc. And keep that style in mind when picking everything so it’s cohesive. Then you should highlight the architecture with paint. First paint electric box and gas meter the same gray as the house. Go black, or a few shades darker gray than existing, and paint all protruding brick, all white trim and different brick pattern in that darker color. As well as above and below the protruding brick under the roof line and below the door. Add a cantilever porch roof over the door and install with ceiling light to illuminate the porch. Bulk up the existing roof over the bottom window. Put window boxes on upper windows only-all in black. Update and bulk up the front railing-black. Add a window box to the front-street side-of the railing straight out the front door. In the three window boxes do seasonal color. Add 1 tall black square planter to left side of door to hide the electric and 1 lower wider square planter to hide gas. All planters and window boxes should be the same style. In these planters do evergreens. Leave the transom and put your house numbers on the glass. And paint the door a fun color-teal, yellow, a pretty red that ties to the brick. Power wash all brick. Add a nice front door mat. Good luck!

Some people have given you great ideas, the awning over the door is one of them it takes away that flat look.

All the advice is deeply appreciated. I purchased these etched numbers for the transom. Still deciding on paint color.

Glory Iron Doors provides a wide selection of door design and also accept custom design and custom sizes. Feel free to contact us if you need a iron door. Glory Iron Doors

No to awnings (only grannies have them here in Philly) or a portico (totally against the style of row homes). "That flat look" is the feel of historic row homes, and some of us love them! (I wouldn't add shutters to yours either, in part because of the first-floor window and in part because it would be crowded on your exterior.)

Shauna - if you’re still considering door colors, what about Gull Wing Gray or even Soft Fern? It’s hard to tell if wither of those would work well with your entire row, but both coordinate with BM Flint:

https://www.benjaminmoore.com/en-us/paint-colors/color/af-560/flint 

or even darker green like Rosemary Sprig

https://www.benjaminmoore.com/en-us/paint-colors/color/2144-30/rosemary-sprig

or Narragansett Green?

https://www.benjaminmoore.com/en-us/paint-colors/color/hc-157/narragansett-green

(can you tell I’m a big fan of green doors, haha)

Link to all colors: https://www.benjaminmoore.com/en-us/paint-colors/shared-list/21d8cbad-2149-47a0-88ca-f3ccf98abfda

Let us know what you choose. It will look great :)

Consider painting your rowhouse exterior a shade brighter to soften its look and add visual appeal. Last summer, I painted my house a bright shade of gray with the help of a local company, oahuinteriorpainting. My window frames were also white, so I just repainted them in the same color to create a contrast against the gray. I think that by opting for a more colorful hue, maybe even soft cream or warm beige, you can infuse your home with a welcoming ambiance while maintaining its classic charm.
Here's a photo of my house:

Then, think about installing soft, warm lighting fixtures near the entrance, which can enhance the curb appeal and provide a warm welcome to guests. Sconces or pendant lights flanking the new black steel door can further accentuate its elegance and add a touch of sophistication to the facade.

Another suggestion is to add architectural details such as trim work or decorative molding around windows and doors. This can add visual interest and character to the facade, softening its appearance while also complementing the new black steel door.