What does the front of our house need?

User

6 years ago

Hi, something isn’t looking quite right when I look at the front of our house....

What is missing? Maybe some wall lights?

Thank you!

Featured Answer

JE C

6 years ago

I agree- landscaping, wall lights and also maybe an element in a darker colour to give some contrast - pots and/ or door perhaps.

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Comments (18)

bigreader
6 years ago
What do you have planned for landscaping? I think a garden is mainly what is needed.
User
Original Author
6 years ago
Oh that’s good to hear! Hard to see in the photo but we have a path around the house and I have then planted buxus Faulkner (very small at this stage) to eventually form a hedge. Thinking of putting in a path to the front door area too - maybe just some stepping stones between the grass...
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C P
6 years ago
A couple of specimen trees on your lawn would look lovely.
94236633
6 years ago
I immediately thought the front door needs to be much darker and like JEC said, the pots should be too. Also larger. Your landscaping will make a huge difference. Best of luck.
User thanked 94236633
girlguides
6 years ago
Hi Anna nice style of house What colour did you render the walls and what’s the colour of the gutters and front door?
julie herbert
6 years ago
Hi Anna,
Lovely house, as mentioned I think landscaping would make a huge difference, a gorgeous water feature, a large paver path to front door, silver birch trees with their white trunks would look wonderful and elegant and compliment the colour of house, dark pots on porch would add a contrast, formal hedges would complete the picture.
User thanked julie herbert
julie herbert
6 years ago
This is the beautiful silver birch and they only get better and more beautiful with age and a few path ideas , happy gardening
User
Original Author
6 years ago
Wow - fantastic, thank you soo much for your help! This is just great :)
dairy_maid
6 years ago
We have used "Flourish" in the past to give us great ideas for garden changes before selling 2 houses. She comes round and gives you sketches and plant ideas that you then implement yourself. Gardens were much improved even though thye had been designed by someone else in the past they had grown tired and needed a spruce up. She is listed in No Cowboys. Plus maybe a red front door either courageous bright or a more demure burgundy? With the buxus keep an eye that it doesn't get that disease that's going round on it.
me me
6 years ago
Definitely landscaping is needed. Also a path to the front door. I like the picture posted above of the concrete looking slats with either ground cover or pebbles between them as they reference the glass in the front door.
annb1997
6 years ago
In agreement landscaping will make a positive difference, and that does take time. I see you have a couple of trees already planted in garden. They will look splendid as they mature; may I ask what kind they are? Are there more than two (can't quite tell)? If so, possibly consider planting a third one of same species. Also good idea already suggested about tallish dark pots for entry, and I like idea of darker entry door (gloss black perhaps).

your place looks great and in time the landscaping will really enhance it. Enjoy your new home!
annb1997
6 years ago
Another thought...the paving stone pics Julie posted look great, and personally I think the longer rectangular ones would really suit your house (tie in with shape of windows). Just wondering where you want them to lead you? Is there a garage and driveway already in place?
User
Original Author
6 years ago
last modified: 6 years ago

Thank you! Yep, I agree - I love the rectangle steps to lead to the front door. Do you think the grey or the sandstone colour? We have a garage - just to the right (it’s cut out in the pic) and the door to the garage is the same sandstone-y colour as the gutters/window frames.

I was thinking of the pavers to have a slight bend as they come down from the front to the driveway...I have included a dodgy looking drawing above to get an idea

oh and the trees are Manchurian pears. There are two there but one is not suviving well :(

I’d love to put in something else in amongst the hedge, maybe some tall roses every now and then like the photo below...
User
Original Author
6 years ago
User
6 years ago
hi Anna,
your house is gorgeous, Annb and I commented on your driveway, so lovely to see the house at the end of the drive, what a great canvas to work with , the pavers would look great, I love the grey as I think it will blend beautifully, Annb suggested another Manchurian pear ( 3 always works better)
roses are lovely , also a viburnum hedge behind the buxus could look very stylish, can't wait to see what you do.
User
Original Author
6 years ago
Thank you! It’s all very exciting. Will keep you posted!
annb1997
6 years ago
I agree with Julie re grey pavers. I'm not a real fan of things matching too closely, and the raw earthy look and texture of grey pavers appeals more to me. I recommend using a water meter gauge to test the moisture level in the soil next to your M pears. Maybe the soil is too wet, as I imagine with the new turf it has received a fair amount of watering. Also if you take a close-up photo of the struggling tree AND one like you have posted here and show it to an expert at your local nursery, you will get good advice about how to rectify the situation. The ornamental pears planted in one of my garden beds are elevated somewhat so they drain freely. The landscaper did it this way, and they are thriving.
User thanked annb1997