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landscape design Design Dilemma Exterior

Curbside Appeal Help Needed - Tricky Situation

6 years ago

While we have a lovely backyard, the front of our home is DIRECTLY on the street without any sort of front yard or driveway. Also, there is a flight of steps on the left side that takes you to the front door. That means that when someone pulls up to the front of our house, all they see is the garage and a small, not-so-great- looking access door. How do I make this space look warm and inviting?

Note: This is an older image - we have since cleaned up the weeds, added hardware to the garage door and hung a nice flag, but we need advice for a more substantial improvement.

Thanks!!

Featured Answer

phuninthesun

6 years ago

Have the bottom door blend in. Large planters to guide people up to your front door.

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Comments (20)

Denita
6 years ago
Can you post more pics? Show the entire front of your home from the street so we get context. With more pics the advice will be more on point.
Tiffany B
Original Author
6 years ago
That is quite literally it. We live in an alley-way (which is what you are seeing in front of the garage.) The dirt hill to the right belongs to our neighbors and beyond the stairway on the left belongs to our other neighbors. If you were standing here, taking a photo, your back would be to the back of a house from the next street down.
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Tiffany B
Original Author
6 years ago
Here is a wider view of the area...
Tiffany B
Original Author
6 years ago
And in case anyone is wondering "Why on earth would you buy a house like that with no yard?" the view from the back is just lovely...
Denita
6 years ago
What a beautiful view! Most of us "live" in the back of our homes and not the front so I understand :)
junco East Georgia zone 8a
6 years ago
What about planting a vine or other climbing plant in a pot at the corner of the deck and let it grow through the railing? Or before doing that, install a more modern railing and/or paint the two doors the same color as the body of the ground floor. Can we see a picture with current conditions? and the access to the door.
auntthelma
6 years ago
A hidden gem. :)
Rawketgrl
6 years ago
A beautiful garage door, with healthy trim. A lovely front door with a neat surround, add lighting, and tall plants in pots on either side.

Upstairs consider replacing railing with wood posts to give some visual weight.

Painting the front of the house in light colors will make it visually expand and will be welcoming.

Garage doors:

Trim around garage doors:

Front door with surround:

Lighting:

Plants:

porch columns/rails:
irma_stpete_10a
6 years ago
A planter with vine at each side of the garage door, ideally with supports to encourage it to extend horizontally above. I grow creeping fig on my concrete block house (in Florida) and it does well in sun and shade. Vines of any kind will soften the appearance.
Kaillean (zone 8, Vancouver)
6 years ago
What is the overall style of your home, or what do you like? Lots of options.

One idea: Play up the austerity and go for something modernish. Keep the dark colour you have, or go even darker like black or indigo. I'd get a wooden garage door and replace your railing above with something modern and more private like narrow horizontal slats in the same wood tones as your garage door. Large modern house numbers and landscaping.

Or paint your railing black. Paint house dark. Garage and front door same fun color like orange, yellow, lime, purple. Complement with a couple of statement pots in same color. Concrete, metal planters would also work.

These houses are not exactly like yours, but have elements of what I'm talking about:
Tiffany B
Original Author
6 years ago
Here’s a more recent photo. We typically prefer a calming/spa-like style. Muted colors, greens, blues, greys - minimal design - plants, rocks, etc.
PRO
American Beauty Landscape Design
6 years ago
Hi Tiffany, Depending on your budget allot can be done ti improve your curbside appeal. First fresh paint will go along way. Next trim around garage door and entrance door- Check out "Fypon Products" there easy to install. Some planter box's on the railing could also help. Get some wall sconces and a new mailbox. If you have some construction monies removing the old wrought iron railing and installing some heavier corner posts and new railings- (There are so many to choose from). Installing a stone veneer would also look great! If you own any of the property in front of the garage door, pull up the black top and install a product like "Techo Bloc Blu 80" and while your doing that remove the wall on the right - dig that back a little so you can recess your trash cans and build a new wall with tumbled "Versa Loc" . If you do the pavers and wall just make sure the contractor is ICPI & NCMA Certified. Good Luck
PRO
Yardvaark
6 years ago
Since there is barely any planting space within the scene, most of the fixes are going to be architectural or hardscape. It would look a lot nicer with some pretty, decorative paving. The building could use some improvements. Garage door & windows, trim, paint scheme, etc.
tatts
6 years ago
Well, the color's ugly. Cheap fix.

The doors are ugly. Easy fix, but a few bucks.

Add a shed roof over the door with nice, plain supports. Easy fix.

The iron railings and columns have to go. I would frame in substantial corners (18" wide) on the porch that carry the corner line of the basement walls straight up to the porch ceiling. A couple of supports across the front, with a beefy railing, and unify with paint. Paint the porch ceiling a very light color so that it doesn't look like a cave.

Then go out back and have a beer.
kazzh
6 years ago
a very bad attempt at a mock up. Liking Kaileen's visual suggestions - think those would work well to bring your streetscape to match your back. what lovely views!
Denita
6 years ago
last modified: 6 years ago
Agree with phuninthesun's entire idea of blending the color of the pedestrian door on the bottom floor with your siding since your entry is upstairs and not downstairs. Right now, you have it highlighted because it is white. The wood garage door is beautiful and directs attention away from the access door. I like phun's colorful accent planters to showcase your entry stairway. The beefed up columns and railings in phun's mock up add a more substantial look to the entry porch too.

tatts has a great idea regarding painting your porch ceiling color a light color. What do you think of painting the porch ceiling a lighter blue?

Acadian Home · More Info

Don't add a roof over the downstairs door....that will continue to cause confusion with the entry.
Elizabeth B
6 years ago
Vines along the railing upstairs would be cool I really like phunin's idea
fallensnow
6 years ago
Hi,

I love houzz but everything on it is soo expensive. I've remolded flipped and built new over the years. I've found out what you love and what you need are 2 different things. Iron is in right now, and extremely expensive. So if your on a budget, here goes. Paint all the iron flat black, then paint the concrete gray, not a battleship gray.

Frame out door, and garage door. Change the entry door to match the garage door panels, paint it white like your garage. Put black hardware on the door. Above your garage put in 2 dome metal lights black.

Paint the blocks same color gray on the right side, then put in moveable pots with shrubs, large ones, 3-4 ft. Leyland Cryprus. Trellis flowers and vines create problems and are work and can ruin a paint job. This will cover the wall and the meter. Then I'd also put a potted shrub on the other meter for balance and to hide it.

If your a DIY er you can easily do this well under a couple of thousand, without breaking the bank. Even having a carpenter install the new door and trim. Good luck, post your final upgrades love to see them>
Denita
6 years ago
"Also, there is a flight of steps on the left side that takes you to the front door."

^OP, I am accenting what you posted in your original post so others notice that your front door is upstairs and not next to the garage door.

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