The Chicago area has many homes with adequate and well-maintained exteriors, but their straightforward design can lack nuances and details to make it truly memorable. When these Hinsdale homeowners compared their house to that of the surrounding residences, they knew it was time to upgrade the look of their home.

The home is located in a lovely Hinsdale neighborhood, and surrounded by well designed new as well as meticulously maintained older homes. The neighboring houses feature unique architectural details, and the area is considered by locals to be a destination for those seeking distinctive design ideas for their own homes.

They began working with Normandy Designer Leslie Lee to redesign the home’s exterior with the goal of creating significantly more visual impact for the house. “The original front of the home was very basic and lacked notable depth and eye-catching detail,” says Leslie. “It became apparent that an exterior face-lift would bring out the home’s true character.” A new front porch created a focal point to the façade, a welcome upgrade to the pure function that the original porch provided. The shape and size added much needed drama and depth to the house while enhancing the outdoor entertaining space for the family, while still providing covered entry for guests. Stone details, tapered columns, and dark cedar decking added texture and life to the façade. A new oval window, exterior cedar window trim, a defining frieze board (the white trim piece that delineates the first and second floor), and decorative shake siding further enhance the overall look. “High contrasting exterior siding and trim paint colors were chosen in order to allow windows and accents like railings and flower boxes to really pop,” says Leslie. “In the end, this budget friendly transformation has had a very positive impact on the neighborhood and the home.”

To learn more about award winning Normandy designer Leslie Lee, visit http://www.normandyremodeling.com/team/leslie-lee/