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Looking for Exterior Advice please looking for creative ideas

last month

Looking for exterior advice please 1. Painted stone:
Part of the front façade is stone that was painted gray by a previous owner.
Is this something that can realistically be stripped/restored, or is repainting / covering / replacing usually the smarter move?
2) Overall refresh:
I’d love ideas for giving the front of the house more warmth and character, including:
Front door ideas
Front window ideas (soften vs. frame)
Exterior colors and combos
My style (if it helps):
Not ultra-modern or super angular/boxy. I’m drawn to warm, textured, timeless exteriors — plaster/stucco looks, natural stone, rich colors, no greige, no all white, wood, curved or organic details. More soulful, more tropical.
Photos attached of the exterior as it is now in green & gray, and how it looked 2 owners back.
Open to opinions and creative ideas. Thanks!

Comments (7)

  • last month

    If you can undo the paint on the stone, it would be a huge improvement. You should paint the house a color that allows for white trim. Presently, all the white on the windows fights with the thin, yellow trim.


    I'd remove the fence thing at the entry. It does nothing for curb appeal, I doubt it's useful. You have a lot of opportunity for improved curb appeal with landscaping. I'd remove the planter on the right corner and put in a small tree that will be taller than your house. That will soften the boxy lines. You want it slightly forward and far enough away that the mature size won't be a problem. I'd put a small palm in the semicircle garden. I'm no expert on what grows in your zone, but Elephant ears and Canna will bring an instant tropical vibe. They both come with plain green leaves, and can be bought at any nursery as a corm or tuber.


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  • last month
    last modified: last month

    The previous owners should never be allowed near a paint store or to make any design decisions, which they seemed to make after consuming too many cocktails!

    If the stone is just a veneer, I would get a quote to remove it and replace with stucco.

    South FL is one of the few areas where it is relatively easy to "upgrade" the look of a house with just landscaping. Search Houzz photos for "Florida landscaping" and you'll get lots of ideas.

  • last month

    Excellent post by Sigrid. IMO, that gray on your stone is so bad. You could repaint in a more natural color (natural being whatever color stones in the ground naturally appear in your area). Ditto on demolition of the mini fence.

    I’d keep the bed in front of your house in some fashion, but those landscape blocks set on top of the ground need to go. Maybe plant something with a vertical growth habit on the right side of the bed, or instead reduce the bed size and set a small tree in the yard towards that small window. Or do away with the existing bed completely. It feels forced, and the lamppost (?) is teeny tiny.


  • last month

    You can use pretty planters in that cement area and use Bromelia type plants that love the heat/sun and don't need much water.

    Here are mine in my Lanai. I only water once per week year round.



    An Areca palm can also do great in a large planter.

    The Bromelia on the left was only one plant when I bought it. There are around 10 plants in there now, which I need to pull out and transplant ... but it does have serrated edges so a bit harder to handle.


  • last month

    I doubt that the painted stone can be undone. It It’s a very labor intensive process and not always successful . The house would look much better all one color except for the trim. I would get a new landscape & hardscape plan that can be done in stages if needed.

  • 16 days ago
    last modified: 16 days ago

    The colors are a bit shocking at first but after a few seconds is quite pleasing, esp. for a tropical climate.

    But since you like neutral, sandblast the stone and paint the house a golden tan from the stone. The color of the lower brick of the front wall.

    A modern light post. Modern porch light. Perhaps a Coral color front door with modern glass panels.

  • PRO
    16 days ago
    last modified: 16 days ago



    Stay with the color of the painted stone for the body of the house. . Go darker than the painted stone for the front door.

    And, landscape!