Hi
Love your house
I would try and keep everything but add some trim work around front window, add 12x12 wood box columns at porch and cover existing conc with a wood deck which includes the columns. I would pick up the curve from the roof for the trims where possible. add a wood curve top fence.
brighten up front door and add a bright shutter on gable window to match door color.
landscape where you can also.

Just read all the suggestions, Mike Welsh nailed it.
The addition of the more substantial columns; trim work to accent the window and provide the visual separation between finishes; bright shutter on the gable window; and my favorite . . . the curve top fence, which echos the curve from the roof. Well done! Clearly a talented professional.

Mike W, looks good.

Thanks everyone, hope this helps the Wilson family

2 thumbs up to Mike Welsh. He offset the lopsidedness of the front porch with a right column and some framing...this is what it needed. What an adorable house. Doesn't look like it would take much to take it to the next level.

I'm posting a photo of a friend of a friend's house here in Southern California. By your photo, I don't think you are in CA, but here is an idea that could translate with native plants from your own area.

Hello there,

Certainly add shutters to the small top right window. The door would be a great place to add a punch of colour and don't be afriad to go bold!

I always prefer a concrete patio in the front... a nice idea would be to have two levels. One right off the door and then a couple steps down to the one off to the side. I would also suggest a pergola over the lower patio which does wonders to adding interest to the front of the house and patio area.

I would keep the front of the patio and front door clear of any intrusive plants... just a nice flower bed infront of the right large window would be perfect!
Good luck with your curb apeal!

I like suggestions by ej610. I love the curve line of the roof that goes over the front door - but I don't like the fact it is not the same material as the rest of the house. I suggest a separation of the top and bottom of the house and fill the top with siding - or shingles. You could even use a different shade of gray and it would add depth to your color palette.

Also beef up the white trim along the roof line to play up the curve. And add another white post to the right side of the porch.

- is the fence a wrought iron one? if so keep it - but paint it the same as the trim.

Keep the costs of upgrades low: in the current economy it just does not make sense to put a lot of money into improvements. Keep the railing and paint it and the front door the white color of the trim. Change out house numbers for large white ones, add a white outdoor fixture to the side of front door. Fill the patio with a white bench w/striped Sunbrella fabric and pots of white roses, plant boxwood on either side of the walkway and fill the front of the house on either side with white roses. Keep it simple and crisp since you have an adorable little house.

My husband and I build spec houses for resale and you can do a lot with paint and plants to dress up the outside for a small amount of money. Depending on how much you want to spend, I would start with painting the front door a bright color - don't cringe but think a blue shade would look great. Maybe in the teal family? Taupes and creams look lovely with the bluish green shades! Love the idea of windowboxes in the same shade as door. At antique shops or yard sales look for something you can put in corner by door and plant some bright flowers (pink geraniums for summer with vining ivy) in it. I have a very large stone crock I got at an auction for $20. Think you definitely want to address the walkway but if you can't replace with stone try staining it along with the steps and patio. Don't like the railing - would take it down and look for a small table with 2 chairs or one nice chair and side table. Again, according to how much you want to spend, look at antique shops. Larger house numbers, a new light , and some landscaping work and will look great!

I absolutely love Dytecture's rendering for you - really plays up the interesting roof line, while simply adding more texture in the walk way and colour bursts in the plantings. The only things I'd add are painting the front door a bright cheerful colour, like yellow and I'd change out the small window in the eaves to a beautiful stained glass insert - giving that area much needed interest. Beautiful little home with such amazing potential! Good Luck...

I love the idea of a red front door. Beef up the column. Add black shutters to the windows. Suggest planting annabel hydrangea and boxwood under the front window in place of a window box. A stone walk and marching steps would be nice.

ej610- what software are you using for the house renderings. I would love to upload some pictures of my house and play around with some ideas that I have.

WOW, so many good ideas, I am sure you are overwhelmed. One thing I don't think anyone suggested, If it is not in the budget to replace the concrete walkway, then Stain It with concrete stain and add some kind of stone along each side.

What a great house! Great stonework and nice mature trees. I personally like the railing in front, but it is an unusual choice for the style of the house. That doesn't necessarily make it bad - it makes it interesting. I would paint it thought, just so it blends in with the creams and grays of the paint and the stone. Maybe bring in a couple of other metal things for balance - planters or objects of interest. Paint the patio floor also. Once you fill in the patio with some seating and plants in containers, the focus will not be on the floor, yet it will be easy to maintain - hose off, sweep, etc. I think your idea of painting the front door is great! Go for it! I would also edge the front walk with brick in a simple "running" pattern or something else. This is a very easy DIY job - you don't need to mortar them in, just dig out the dirt, add a layer of sand, then the bricks, fill in with more sand. (Easy to Google more explicit directions.) The brick will add some width to your walkway and also tie in to the red brick at the steps. Also, it would be nice to circle your trees with some "found" field stones. The stones around the trees will "relate" to the stones on the house. The stones will create a nice circle to fill in with either perennials or annuals and also protect the tree trunks and nearby root area from the blades of a lawn mower. Other than that, I think grass seed is all you need. The house is really a gem.

From a curb appeal point of view, we'd suggest using your house numbers, mailbox, doorbell button, and door hardware as assets. Like other posters said, larger house numbers -- in a font that compliments the house style -- in a finish or color that pops. Consider coordinating that finish with the mailbox, doorbell button, and possibly door hardware (if you're using a metal finish like satin nickel). The more coordinated it looks from the street, the more appealing it'll be.

I can't tell from the photo whether you have a wall-mount mailbox near the front door? But you could also consider using a post-mount box out at the curb to set the tone for what's to come as you approach the house.

Your house is lovely and I'm excited to see your changes!

Lauren, The first item I would tackle is the concrete porch which appears to be sloping towards the entry (not away) and most likely causing water issues.
Then, a deck at the same level as the entry to create one continuous level and act as extension of interior. Remove concrete walk and replace with curved stone pathway with planting, and extend this detail to curb (parkway).
Add color to door (paint or stain).

Isn't 40 replies a bit too much for one dilemma?

Haha, Adam! Yes, but I really appreciate all of the ideas! Unfortunately, we are on a tight budget so we can't do EVERYTHING we want, but we hope to at least make some big impact changes with the budget we do have.

The current patio is sloping inward (this is because of the root system on the giant oak tree) so it is causing a water issue. Unfortunately, the cost to remove that tree and one on the other side is just way too great right now. Guttering is on our to-do list, but that will only fix part of the problem. We really would like a small sitting area out there because we enjoy the outdoors, but because of the current slope, we are thinking it would be best to either remove that patio entirely, or do as some of you mentioned and build a deck over it and the porch entry. Would you all recommend a stained wood deck or painted wood (deep gray???)?

I don't mean to be rude, but I just feel the more opinions you get the more confusing it will be.

Perhaps Adam is the one confused! Most "clients" are usually smart enough and willing to weed though all the opinions and narrow them to a select few, which would ultimately meet their needs, desires and budget. This "dilemma" involves perhaps the most important feature of any home. Best of luck Lauren and let us know how it turns out!

@Gregory Isaacs, perhaps if you took the time and read all 39 posts before yours then you won't repeat the same comments people have already given.

Hi Guys, Sometimes on a particularly long thread it can be harder to parse all the different ideas, but it is GREAT to see such a strong community on Houzz eager to help each other with their design challenges.

If it turns into too many responses to sort through for anyone following along, it is okay to focus attention on all the other Design Dilemmas that you feel like might need more help. Thanks to everyone for pitching in! You all make Houzz a great place to be!

Emily Hurley
Community Manager @ Houzz

Wow, thank you everyone for all the WONDERFUL suggestions, and the time you took to make us renderings of what could be the final results. Everyone's help is greatly appreciated. We look forward to working on some of the key issues and will keep you posted, as well as we will seek more suggestions on future projects. 40+ post is a great response - love to have the feedback and know that OUR house can be such a worthy project!

Have you considered a colored awning (I'm partial to dark red) above the window on the right. I also like the ideas of the winding stone walk and leaving the railing but painting it white to match the trim. Can't wait to see the after pics! Cute house already!

Have you considered accolored awning (I'm partial to dark red) above the window on the right. I also like the ideas of the winding stone walk and leaving the railing but painting it white to match the trim. Can't wait to see the after pics! Cute house already!

Darling house. I'd go with a plum accent color rather than bright red.

I also love dytecture's rendering. I'm not in the business so just a casual observation. Talk about curb appeal - the sloping roof is a selling point and I hadn't even noticed it until he highlighted it.
I do agree with all the comments about the vertical slats over the porch - go with vertical all the way to the right or continue the stone above the porch. Have a good time with it - great little house!

What a cute house! I would start by replacing the walk with large pavers.

Then, I would paint the stone foundation as well as the stones interspersed throughout the brick a shade lighter than the gray of the rest of the house. I think they are a fantastic feature of the home and painting them would add some depth and allow for them to stand out a bit, rather than blend in with the rest of the house. I would also paint the wood porch roof the same lighter shade. I'd go with a bright red door as well, and I like the renditions with shutters surrounding the small 2nd story window. I would paint them red as well for another pop of color. As you can see from my profile photo, I am a big fan of red doors! :)

Mike Welsh I think has the right idea with regards to updating the house exterior. Some trim work will go along way to balancing the front entry. A column enclosure would do a lot to add detail and paired with additional trim work would draw more focused attention to the entry. I would maintain the difference in material between the house and the entry overhang - it gives you something to work with and stays true to the construction of the house.

We have a lot of older homes in our area (Houston Heights), and yours looks kind of like one of the original sears. I think a cheerful paint job would help immensely; we have many charming houses in a lighter yellow, blue, etc; or you could try to match original colors (see links below).

Here's a sample heights home in yellow (albeit with no stone work):
http://search.har.com/engine/915-Harvard-St-Houston-77008-6934_HAR95496400.htm

And here are links about sears houses:
http://searshomes.org/
http://www.oldhousejournal.com/the_story_on_sears/magazine/1429
http://www.oldhouseonline.com/paint-colors-for-sears-houses/
(can't find the exact house i'm thinking of, but here's a link with remotely similar architectural; http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v108/rosethornil/Norfolk/HomeBuildersCarrville_OV_NorfolkVA.jpg)

good luck!

Hi Wilsons
I used to work for a major homebuilder and the box columns are just a 4 sided 1x12 hollow box w a 1x12 wrap around trimat the base. A 1x6 wrap around at the top. These are non-bearing so they shouldnt cost too much. If you need bearing on the left side use the existing porch post inside the new hollow column or use a treated 6x6 or treated 4x4 for bearing depending on the loads from the porch which most likely is not much.

Okay, I've never commented before but surprisingly no one has mentioned this and I just have to say it...1st I did read about your tight budget so this probably won't work for you...but bang for the buck...
1st I see a cute 1950s-70s cape cod...a very dated design, curb appeal and 10s of thousands in resale would entail rebuilding the porch roof with an extended gable dormer, use hollow round fiberglass pillars on both the left and right pulling in the architectural detail of the wrought iron fence. Fascia colors and Trim go with Dytectures color scheme. As for the patio and porch, if its not too broken up save the money and use a product called permacrete to resurface the existing concrete and just pour the needed new concrete prior to resurfacing to accommodate the new patio size.
Once that is complete you now have what will look like a brand new constructed contemporary home with the expensive stone work that a house that size typically would never get in todays real estate market making it a top sought after home for the money achieving not only beauty but also maximum selling price.

Change the entrance to come from the side where the porch is (showing the bench) and access the front door at an angle. Put up a small picket fence where the front steps were on the porch and remove steps. Curve sidewalk to access front door by curving to the left and then back toward door. You have a cute house. Joan B. Wallingford, CT

You have a lot of really nice ideas here to improve the look of your house, but I think the most important issue is the water damage and tree roots. If you don't fix these problems, you will end up with a cracked foundation.

The first thing you should do is get gutters to stop the runoff from your roof. Since you can't afford to remove the tree, you should take out the concrete patio, or at least cut it back from around the tree roots to stop it from shifting towards your house.

You also need to make sure the post that's holding up the roof over the patio is secure. The picture looks like there's a lot of erosion and deterioration at the base.

Cute house! First I would change the trim color to something darker, deep red, green or chocolate. I would not do shutters. Beef up the porch column and square it up. Cover the front steps and walkway with flagstone. Aso leave the side porch dropped down and remove the railing to open it up to the garden. Perhaps enlarge out a bit but keep a soft rounded shape to the front. I'm seeing natural grasses mixed with other colorful shrubs. Change the front door to one with a smaller window up top, it matches the windows too much and gets lost. You might consider sand blasting the stone before anything.
Good luck!

I replied earlier but after reading some of the comments wish to reply again. Accenting the door would be good. Do not change the windows as the age and design of the house is reinforced with the current ones. The stone is beautiful, so don't cover it up with more paneling across the front. Generally that style of paneling was an inexpensive way to side a house....not very attractive, but acceptable for above the porch. I love the shots shown with landscaping, but bear in mind that you can not change the level of soil around the tree or you will kill it. You don't need shutters on the lower windows but nice on the upper one.. It is a small house and they would clutter the front. I did not read about your root problem or water issues, but older houses can have those and regrading soil away from the foundation, sealing the foundation, or tree removal would help. Flower boxes and accent trim along with door would create a nice touch. A brick or field stone walk way would compliment the house too. I wish this house was in CT. I would have bought it in a minute. Joan

I found this on Houzz... it has the same feel as your house and would be a great one to copy some of the elements. http://st.houzz.com/simages/559117_0_8-5560--.jpg

Whatever you do, keep it in character with the house.

Enlarge the landing, with steps that run along both edges - one flight to the patio, another to the street. Widening the entry walk, enlarging the porch and stepping to the patio will make these spaces work better together.

You can add pots on pilasters to define the space and eliminate the fencing for a more open look. They could be planted with appropriate annuals or small shrubs, depending on your preferred look and maintenance requirements.

Change the planting to something more interesting than lawn - consider using native plants and/or more evergreen varieties. This will give more color, better seasonal change and more variety to the planting areas.

Adding a mound in front of the windows to the left and planting with a multi-trunk flowering shrub would give a nicer view from the house plus more privacy. If the shrub is deciduous (and not planted too close to the house) you'll still get light in the winter. Make sure the mound does not interfere with drainage or cause snow to build up against the house - keep it closer to the sidewalk.

All areas should drain away from the house, of course.

Getting a bit more color, using less gray will brighten things up in the winter and can contrast with landscape foliage.

If you're having root problems from the tree at right, remove it and plant another flowering shrub (I drew it in because it's there). Something not too opaque that lightly screens the view from the street would work well.

If you remove the vertical siding at the porch entrance that would open up the area. Then carry that slope roof line all the way over to the left side of the house with open beams, rebuilding the porch to extend all the way over to the left side also would balance the front. I would then paint posts and beams white and shutters and door a 3rd color. You really have to decide what you want your curb appeal to be, cottage or more modern, as to how you redesign the front of your home. It has wonderful possibilities.

Lauren, When I saw your house, it reminded me of another beautiful home I had seen a picture of. I finally found the picture (hope it works to attach it!). I love everything about it! The colors, the stone, the front porch, the "terrace" off the front porch that looks similar to what you have, or could have. Hope this helps.

Ugh... it didn't attach! How do I attach a photo?

Going to try again....

Yay... it worked! Click on picture to enlarge to better see details. You have a wonderful home, full of character and charm and lots of potential! Good luck.

Adding some kind of curb appeal can change the whole look of your home! You should think about adding some kind of mulch alternative; its beautiful, natural and durable! It is super cost effective and can change the entire look of your home! Check out www.GreenGroundEffects.com to see somemore photos.

You should have those large trees close to the house looked at. They will need frequent trimming, their roots could cause plumbing, sewer, or foundation issues and the leaves and branches will clog up the gutters. They were planted much too close to the house and should probably be removed.

maybe choose a bright red or yellow for the front door. Also, widen the sidewalk up to the front door. Your house is lovely...tons of potential!

If there are sewer problems, consider pipe replacement via pipe bursting rather than digging up the yard. Pipebursting can cost way much less and keep your yard looking great!

Put in a picket fence 2-3 feet from the sidewalk and place a plant bed in front to soften it. This will give your house a sense of enclosure. If your budget allows, you should replace the cement path and steps with something like bluestone. You can even replace the grass with plant beds and gravel. Whatever you do, add some plants!