Exterior improvements - 70s brick veneer
We have an extraordinarily ugly house! Yes, the front looks like it should be the rear! The inside layout suits us and it was in our limited budget at purchase time. But it sooo badly needs a makeover and I have no idea where to start to make our home look more welcoming. The steps lead up to the from door which is tucked into the right angle corner. The laundry door (former front door prior to the 80s extension on the right) is in the center pic. Help!
Comments (9)
evanandleanne
6 years agoRelated Discussions
60/70’s house lacking kerb appeal!
Comments (10)I beg to differ from Melwood Cabanas - rendering your home will look nothing like their photo as you don't have the classic Georgian proportions and windows. Render doesn't improve the design and propotions into a classic look, in fact it often does the reverse, and puts an emphasis on things that aren't quite right with a design, due to the loss of texture and visual interest. If the house is big enough to have a bathroom for bedroom 7 then I would be looking to sacrifice that bathroom (on the assumption that you probably have five or six other bathrooms), to improve the appeal of the front elevation. Engage a design professional to redesign the front of the home to be in sympathy with the existing architecture and proportions, and don't try and modernise it for a compromised result. It already has a charm that has been diluted by unsympathetic styling. Just cause somebody has painted the ground floor pink, added topiary and classic timber seating doesn't make it look Tuscan. Best of luck, Dr Retro of Dr Retro House Calls...See MoreHow do we update our 70s orange-brick Brady Bunch house?
Comments (25)There's some great ideas there . The first thing that stands out is that pipe handrail downstairs -- I hate them with a vengence . Remove it , extend the step to fill the space , with 1 or maybe 2 small full-width steps . Just me , I'd do in charcol or black non-glossy 400 x 400 tiles . Most of the windows are black framed , and look okay in my opinion . Paint the upstairs balistrade in black or charcoal -- will tie it in and even though the style is dated , I don't think it would matter -- it would then look like part of the overall concept . I like the English White of the front door , but here's where I'd get colourful -- do the door jamb and the diamonds in the brightest citrus orange you can , and then carry it to the garage door ! The garage door surround ( including the 3 window surrounds above it ) I would paint in charcoal or black . And here's probably the most controversial part -- leave the awnings , but also paint them in Citrus Orange , with the ridges on them in a beige , maybe veering towards an apricot ! This will really lift everything visually IMO , the orange brick will tie in and bland in without looking overdone , the Bright Orange and mainly charcoal or black is modern but not too modern , with the English White door breaking everything while still having Bright Ornage to tie it all in . There looks to be a Butterscotch Orange gate to the left of the house -- obviously , you would repaint that in the brighter orange too , to look cohesive , but you already see how it looks more exciting than the Burgundy Red existing colours . Which leaves 1 thing I don't like the colour of -- the top fascia board or gutter . I suspect Vitamin C Orange would be too much , so probably play it safe , and go either charcoal , or a lighter greeny/grey to match the roof tiles . Probably not what everyone would do -- but that's what I would do with that pallette !...See MoreWeatherboard extension to brick veneer house
Comments (38)Hi all, I'm back again! We're almost there and just trying to decide between using axon sycon cladding or weathergroove for the vertical cladding. Would really appreciate your thoughts on whether the axon would look too modern for the house? We're keen on it for durability, low maintenance. We're thinking of the narrow board, smooth and painting it a colour similar to this https://www.haymespaint.com.au/index.php/explore-colours/colorbond/view/12/4941 I've reattached the external photos.. the plan is to replace all the brown cladding and leave the brick as is. Any help would be great. I'm very much a novice! Thank you 🙂...See MoreUpdating a '70s house exterior
Comments (6)The carport -- remove , OR try and source the same support poles as your terrace , and redo it in those . I guess you could paint it all light grey and hope everyone misses it , but what about the shadows when the sun shines -- that may freak some people out ! I do have another idea , but you'll have to get to the bottom to see that ! The sliding door that has replaced the garage door , presumably to make another room , could possibly have the door replaced with a window and maybe an infill panel , say in a cedar stain ? But here's my cunning plan -- get a heap of 40mm x 40mm battens , and staain them in a cedar or even a charcoal . Do 25 or 30 or whatever vertically mounted across that sliding door . Then do about 6 each side of that very right hand window , the same length as the height of that window . And then do 30 or 40 more along the carport -- maybe just the left hand side so you can still open car doors ? You will need to get 2 or 3 long horizontal bars welded horizontally , and presumably painted white , BUT what it does is bring in the timber tones to several spots , it ties in with the lighter brick , but probably most importantly , it detracts and also lets the light through ....See More
siriuskey
6 years agolast modified: 6 years agojuliahocking
6 years agoMelt In ACT
6 years agoHi all, thanks for the suggestions and questions. In a way it's reassuring that others also think it's challenging :) I suspect the builders have reversed the original house because our neighbors are the same. The back looks like this (80s extension is to the left). It has no street frontage, faces to a pedestrian/bike path.
The double garage plus carport belong to us too.
There is a gate in the picket fence at the front so scope to build in a path.
It's currently rented for 12 months while we are working away so I don't have access to take better pics ATM. I will dig around in the comput r to see if I can find a floor plan.
siriuskey
6 years agoWow now we can see the front, I think you should use the double garage for parking with side access to the garden to unload shopping etc.
Remove the other roller door and carport, replace the carport with a pergola,.
As previously suggested make lovely garden path access from the new front gate which would be to the left side of the picket fence,
, Run another courtyard fence off the garage so that you can plant this area and include a clothes line, this now the rear entrance to the house.
At the end of the new pathway to the lane side of the house, extend the deck and add stairs so that you come from the pathway up onto the deck on the old carport side.
All that parking drive way parking space could be a lovely out door area.
Paint the garage doors and gutters on both buildings grey to match your roof.
Use a fence similar to this with a gate at the front and between the neighbours to the left. cheers,
oklouise
6 years agoMelt In ACT
6 years agoOh I like the dark - originally I was thinking lighter and maybe matching to the red/cream of the garage.
Siriuskey this is the plan from 1995 when the extension was approved. At the blank end near the carport are 3 bedrooms that weren't reno'd so obviously weren't important enough to include!
lizzey49