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kmcmaster

MODERN bungalow exterior with cottage style roof

last month

We are planning a new build but we struggling with the front exterior. Since the house will be built amongst many trees and we’re building our retirement home (so easy maintenance is a priority), we’ve chosen a sloped roof (cottage style) instead of our preferred flat roof. I’ve included a picture of the front exterior for your consideration. First, we think we should remove the thick wall to the left of the entry door and replace it with 2 posts (one on each side of the entry roof.
The entry is inset 2’ and the width on the exterior is 7’. Suggestions for the front entry are needed. Second… we would like to change the window to the right of the entry to a window 36” wide by about 60” tall. Third, there are presently 2 transom windows to the left of the entry. We do need a window to the entry 36” by about 60” tall (this would replace the transom closest to the entry). I’d like to eliminate the second transom window (the one farthest from the entry) and preferably not use a window there at all.
We plan to install ONE large garage door instead of 2 small ones .
Do these ideas make sense?
Do the windows and spacing need to be symmetrical?
What changes or additions would you suggest to make the front exterior of the house interesting with a modern/contemporary vibe?
Below are some images that we’ve experimented with.

Comments (10)

  • last month

    Sorry, I can’t give recommendations but I do have a question. Are those two separate single garage door entries? If so, speaking from experience I would just have a single double door ( or wider as my neighbors do ). My second home has similar to your illustration. It’s awful, one must be VERY carefull entering & exiting, & my cars have excellent cameras .

  • PRO
    last month

    Do you have a floor plan and 3D renderings you could attach?

    Where are you building?

    Here in the USA, you have a hip roof -- never known it as a cottage roof.

  • PRO
    last month

    Consider engaging a local competent residential architect. They can address your concerns and more.

  • PRO
    last month
    last modified: last month

    I think I hav not enough info to really undestand some of what you are doing . You want modern but the roof is not modern A new build is designed with both exterior and interior working together so at best we need to see the interior plan IMO that drives the exterior usually. If this is your retirement home then make sure spaces inside are ADA compi\liant in a perfect world .I think the roof needs to be simpler not so many gullies Not sure how a roof with all of those is a better choice as you age . I have just sold our MCM house with a flat roof that was very easy to care for and no dangereous slopes if we needed to get on the roof. The new house also very little slope to the roof easy to look after . I am not a huge fan of garages as big as the house butmany things drive choices for that. Windows do not need to be symmetrical but IMO should be the same style Your house is notsymmetrical so not a big deal IMO. As far as the windows are concerned in this darwing we need to see the inside plan to really comment. So post the interior floor plan here in jpeg format in a comment then we have some context. And what does your arhitect say about these concerns

  • last month

    I much prefer single garage doors, specially when placing them in the front of the house. They come in different widths and heights. Get the 9 ft wide ones and you'll have no problem getting a large SUV in/out of the garage.

  • last month

    Are you working with an architect at this point?

  • PRO
    last month
    last modified: last month

    There are two trains of thought on garage door sizes. I prefer single car garage doors because they do not expose a large portion of the garage when open and when multiple doors are used with a small portion of wall between them they automatically allow space for car door swings inside the garage. And the structural header above a single car garage door can be smaller in height than a header above a two car garage door. Also for more traditional styles of architecture a single car garage door is usually more appropriate.

    A two car garage door is good for those drivers that have a hard time with aim and compact turning radiuses immediately outside the garage door..

  • last month

    Ramblings:

    - Yes to a sloped roof when it's amongst trees. Consider those gutters that don't allow leaves to collect too -- eliminates the need for gutter cleaning each year. What's the angle on that roof? I'd say you want no less than 8 over 12 (at a minimum) to keep leaves, etc. rolling off.

    - What kind of trees do you have? If you have sweetgums, cut them down now. Now! Those nasty little balls'll throw you to the ground.

    - While it looks functional, I don't like the look of the roof you're proposing at all. I'd opt for something more simple. Remember that a roof with fewer planes will cost less and be less likely to leak. Think about the Golden Ratio; your proposed roofline is essentially divided in half, and that's not attractive to the eye.

    - If your porch stays small -- and that's fine -- definitely center the door. My main family entrance includes a 5x5 covered stoop /porch, and I wish it were just a bit larger. When Amazon leaves a package, it blocks the door, and rain sometimes blows over farther than I'd like. 5' deep is fine -- what I wish is that it were a little wider.

    - Yes to larger windows. Always yes. And I don't like those transom windows on the front of the house at all. You say the house is in the woods? So privacy isn't likely an issue?

    - No, windows don't need to be symmetrical, but you do want windows that make sense together and enhance the overall look of the house.

    - With aging in place in mind, I'd prefer a single large garage door. When my grandmother was nearing 100, I often picked her up at her house -- and she loved for me to back into her double-garage /single garage door. This allowed her to come down one single step, where I'd have the door wiiiiide open and waiting for her. It was only a few easy steps.

    - Since you're thinking of retirement and -- being cold here -- end of life housing, consider that at some point you'll likely downsize to a single car. My husband and I made this choice when we retired, and it's SUCH a huge budget-saver. We have better things to spend on than duplicate cars that'd sit in the driveway most of the time anyway. Consider that when you reach this point, you'll probably like that large garage door for the single car -- just like my grandmother did.

    - Plan your indoor entry carefully. My grandmother "did it right": She had a sturdy grab bar (vertical) in the garage + another inside, giving her a secure handhold as she came up the single step. She entered into a breezeway that had a storage spot for her walker -- because most people, if they need mobility assistance, will start out only needing a walker when they go out, while they're fine inside their house. It'd be smart to have an electrical outlet in that storage spot so IF you ever need something electronic, you'll be ready. Realistically, if you don't use a wheelchair now + don't have a debilitating disease, you are unlikely to become a permanent wheelchair user due to simple aging, BUT an outlet requires no extra space and is not a large cost -- plus it's good for other things. Eventually she had a second walker (with larger wheels), which she used outside -- she kept that in the garage, which was convenient for her, especially when she was alone. (She could not move her walker out the door by herself.) She could just "step out" and her second walker was waiting in the garage. On both sides of your everyday entrance, consider motion-sensored lights, which means you will never enter into a dark room (or a dark garage).

  • last month

    Fenestration (windows and doors) do not have to be symmetrical. Balance and proportion are much more important, and can be achieved without symmetry.

    The window enlargements/eliminations pertain to function of the space so should be based on the floorplan. Usually transoms mark a closet or bathroom, so advice can't be given on those desired changes without more info.

    The terms "modern" and "contemporary" are hard to understand what those define in someone's head. For many, it is a style tacked on to a suburban house, rather than inherent in it's design. So as a style it would need examples to get on the same wavelength of someone's interpretation of those words.