Your architect/designer will work that out when they design the addition.

Thank you so much for your response. We have worked with an architect but feel like we need to offer more direction. We like farmhouse/coastal style with some type of character.

I would install a door to the left of the chimney with a balcony overhang above it that acts as a porch cover.

Even a long balcony would not change the footprint.

just as you have it in the pic, i'd try and recess that prominent chimney by either painting it the same color as the siding, or, using landscaping to hide it. proper plants or a flower bed of some sort would obscure that front portion.

Maybe try doing some sort of deck , darker paint on garage door and siding

or facing the chimney w/natural stone

I like the shake or shingles instead of that yuk vinyl siding

shake siding in the beach blue is nice

the deck w/the cement squares is another landscape option

have no idea w/the addition will look like,

You're clearly not in California, or Mass, where ventless fires are banned, but they do affect indoor air quality , even with safety sensors.

I'd move heaven and earth to get that chimney and fire..... gone. Show the other three sides of the house?

It will never look right with that chimney where a front door should be .Ventless are against code in many places now . Why not just rip that all out decide on another place for the FP and get a nice electric one much safer for all living there . Then you will have a place for a front door. Have you already had the structure approved for a second storey ? As for any help after that you will need to post a too scale floor plan of the whole house.

IMO there isn't a way to make your house look "right" without adding a front door. People will pass by your house and if they pay much attention they will wonder how do you get inside the house.

As long as you are adding a second story, I agree with those who say to get rid of the fireplace and the chimney. The fireplace is a hazard and the chimney doesn't add any curb appeal to your house.


Ventless fireplace issues - click here

Second story addition needs a full staircase for a full dormer. That staircase is going to take up some space. Why not start by using space you have...the garage. Make that the front entrance. It would allow for some possiblities that will free up floor space in the house. Consider the largest area in the house...living room? Then move it into the garage. Kitchen could go there are well, leaving plumbing behind for an extra bathroom.

It is cheaper to build up, but it is even cheaper to remodel space with wall and a roof already constructed.

What ever you decide to do, new windows (with no plastic shutters) would enhance the exterior.

What ever you decide to do, new windows (with no plastic shutters) would enhance the exterior.

If you don’t address the fireplace when adding the second floor, I think you may be sorry. You will also probably run into other design changes (ie: windows to match addition) to achieve a cohesiveness. It would be money well spent, influencing curb appeal and resale value and even wait until you can do it right.

From here with the little info offered we have zero clue if the current house / foundation is even capable of accepting a 2nd story addition. It very well may need to all be taken down. You're asking for design ideas and truly very well may be putting the cart before the horse.

following along

I would look into ”remodel” leave one wall, tear all the rest and remain in footprint.

Cost may be less than an attempt to fix this - at least better value.

The photo shows a glimpse of your neighbors' foundations and it looks like they are raised up a few feet from ground level. I would not spend money on a second story addition when newer neighbors have built houses that are elevated to reduce flood risk.

Do other houses near you have front doors on the side of the home = is it "normal" to have the main door to the house on the side? Will you add photos showing the other three elevations of your house?

Wow! Thank you for all of the great feedback. It seems that I need to provide a little more context. For starters, I am sharing a few additional photos showing the side of our house where the “front” door is now, the back of our house, and the elevation. The architect and contractor we met with confirmed that the house can support a second story. Currently the house has 1BR/1BA with two open lofts on the second floor so we are looking to add a second bathroom, privacy for at least one of the two lofts with proper ceiling height, a new roof, and curb appeal (our main challenge). Ideally, it sounds like the fireplace/chimney needs to go and a proper front door added in order to make it look right. If adding a door, I would prefer that it go as close to the garage as possible to preserve wall space for more seating inside since that is our family room. Our front “yard” is used for parking so we can’t go too far past the garage if we were to add a front porch. We were hoping there might be some creative solution to avoid having to move the front door since our budget is tight, hence why I reached out on this forum because the more eyes and minds on it the better. As far as other homes in the area, some have the entrance mid-way back on the side with a nice walkway and pergola over it. We are not in a flood zone because the house sits up higher. Thank you again for any ideas you can offer.

Love your view! Are you able to take photos showing homes that have side entrances with nice walkways and pergolas? I'm just trying to see if there is some way to keep the door where it is in order to reduce costs.

FYI - with you view out back, I wouldn't care where my door was! 😂

However, I'd still want to get rid of the chimney!

Wow! Thank you for all of the great feedback. It seems that I need to provide a little more context. For starters, I am sharing a few additional photos showing the side of our house where the “front” door is now, the back of our house, and the elevation. The architect and contractor we met with confirmed that the house can support a second story. Currently the house has 1BR/1BA with two open lofts on the second floor so we are looking to add a second bathroom, privacy for at least one of the two lofts with proper ceiling height, a new roof, and curb appeal (our main challenge). Ideally, it sounds like the fireplace/chimney needs to go and a proper front door added in order to make it look right. If adding a door, I would prefer that it go as close to the garage as possible to preserve wall space for more seating inside since that is our family room. Our front “yard” is used for parking so we can’t go too far past the garage if we were to add a front porch. We were hoping there might be some creative solution to avoid having to move the front door since our budget is tight, hence why I reached out on this forum because the more eyes and minds on it the better. As far as other homes in the area, some have the entrance mid-way back on the side with a nice walkway and pergola over it. We are not in a flood zone because the house sits up higher. Thank you again for any ideas you can offer.

@Dani_m08 Added a couple of photos with side entrances. I’m liking the photos uploaded by @tracefloyd too.

I also love the last solution you show, the Creston Craftsman with the side arch attached by the roofline.