80 's Revival - how to improve the front facade?

3 years ago

last modified: 3 years ago

Update from 2 months ago....

Hi, we're renovating this fab 80's build. We'd like to stick with refined coastal style home with a resort feel with plenty of green tropical landscaping. But how to improve the facade is the big question? We're painting the house Resene Spanish White and the roof colour and gutters will be Colorbond Wallaby. The garage is being expanded to the fence line and depth increased. The window, on the right, that currently juts out on the second storey will remain but will be flattened back in line with the wall. The window to the left will be replaced with just a long window.

There's a few design dilemmas, firstly how to balance out the window in the top right (which needs to remain) with the one below? And how to improve the look of the portico over the entry? We're keeping the columns the same height to capture the light coming through the pointed windows on the inside.

We're thinking of irregular stone cladded walls on the either side and above the garage door. Do we match the garage door colour to white window trims?

If anyone has any suggestions or photo's to offer some ideas on how I can work with what we have, that would be great! Thanks in advance!

Comments (7)

Kate
3 years ago
Carport with a small pitch element like this. Have you got enough setback for A 5.4 carport. But really it’s the landscaping you should be spending money on. Cost that before you do any work on house.
Andrea
Original Author
3 years ago
Thanks Kate, I agree, the landscaping is key. Yes we do have room for a 5.4 setback.
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Hi colourgirl3, You have good bones to work with there. I would caution against a dark colour roof - maybe Colorbond Gull grey instead. Often you can get good articulation with dark colours for gutters (charcoal) and lighter colour for fascia boards (Gull grey) and a darker grey for timber posts and features (Dulux 'Asteroid'). Greys will work with your existing face brickwork and window colours. If in doubt go to your local paint centre with a digital pic of the house and see if you can get them to give you some suggestions on their computer program or do it yourself by downloading one from a paint website.
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Hi Jaimia, I tend to agree with 12sally12 sentiments. Celebrate the house and it's foibles (boxiness, entry, colour, balcony treatment). However it's great to adapt a home to make it yours - just making the right decisions is the hard part! The extent of change depends on your budget and your tolerance for inconvenience. I've listed a few ideas that vary from 'nice to have' to significant structural (and cost) changes. These will affect the colour scheme, and therefore the way it will appear overall. Roof – dark colours appear heavier and more dominant. Your home looks to be built in the 70's, it's likely due for a new roof soon. Consider a fresh new zinc or white colorbond roof. Upgrade the gutters and downpipes at the same time. Balcony – remove the clutter (replace handrails), and extend the balcony beyond the face of the main facade. This will give the effect of elongating the front elevation of your home. The detail of the new handrail extending along the continuous balcony frontage should in turn provide a fresh new look (more contemporary). Arches – these could remain, or go (depending on your desire to keep the quirkiness). These are likely to be aesthetic brickwork only - but check with a structural engineer if these can be removed. Entrance – there are two parts to this: The first aspect is to do with the appliance from the street frontage. Prioritise making the front door the most welcoming part of your home. This can be done with a pathway from the front of the site, with garden areas and great planting to accentuate the entrance to your home. The other aspect of the entrance is how entrance 'reads' from the outside of your home. This depends a little on your location (and climate). As a guide I'd suggest revising the entry wall, including the door and windows proportions to 'open up' this part of the facade to the street. This should be designed in the context of those iras listed above, as well as benign conscious of security and protection from sun loading. I hope this helps Jaimia, (Keep in mind many of the aspects listed above will require structural design asa minimum!) Cathi
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Love the 80' house, because you have a lot of sun to deal with a pergola from just above the front door running along the garage wall (minus the furniture) you could set a clear roof on top of the slats for shelter from rain. could even consider a similar pergola at a lower level running across from the front entrance and above the two front windows, these can be built to help block summer sun. Maybe render the garage wall to break up the brick and paint same as the garage door and timber above, this looks pale beige /grey, then this colour above windows remembering that window and door frames are cream, they can be painted. please keep the 80's door celebrate it.
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This will be an exciting challenge! How about starting with which style you would like. Hop onto google and search around before and after pictures that might help you decide on a particular look you wish to achieve. Pinterest has ideas too, and just type in “house facades before and after”. Do you want modern, or beach or Hamptons? Etc. The style should reflect your internal decor style for flow and a bit of harmony. Once you have decided on style, examine which aspects of the current facade you would like to enhance and that definitely don’t work. I would enrol an architect or exterior design consultant to discuss these aspects and perhaps get ideas. Start by considering a focal point - you lack this in your current facade. Could be an entrance, a large window, veranda etc and something that provides depth to the facade. Consider balance and symmetry: you have large garage doors that would benefit from something that balances that. First impressions from me are that the windows are small and shuttered: these might be within budget to change. The house facade is very flat: perhaps features such as a porch addition might break that up. There is no entrance that invites you in and as such it looks shut up. Could you work in a welcoming entrance here? Paint would work wonders and if rendering is too expensive, a good paint job could transform the look. Timber cladding adds interest, a little warmth to a cold brick facade, and charm. Would that fit with the style you are aiming for? It’s a big job but simple tweaks could transform this. Best of luck
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dreamer
3 years ago
Could you install a second gable in the front portico. Current portico looks, in my opinion, out of proportion.
The second gable will drop your eye to the middle of the home. And this could tie in with a gable roof line in your new carport.
Andrea
Original Author
3 years ago
Thanks Dreamer, yes that's a good point. The roof on the portico looks too small for the height of the columns.
User
3 years ago
On the one hand , that small upstairs 'point' is a bit weird , but I'd be tempted to leave it as it is . I'd paint the entire place in an English Cream , leave the two tall pillars in that 'light charcoal' ( it looks slightly different in a couple of the pics , but that's what i am assuming it is ? ) or maybe a more standard charcoal , and do the gutters in charcoal too .

There's nothing wrong with the garage door by the looks of it , but that front door and side panels is great , and I'd do the garage door to match . I initially thought you wanted the carport on the left of the house , but now i think maybe you want it in front ? Either way , I'd carry through with the wooden features -- 300 x 50 or 75 beams , similar supports ( slightly red timber ) etc , and possibly even clear plastic sheeting so that the new garage door can be seen . It would tie everything in too , and with that slope , it would not make the entrance area look as tall .

Clean the paths , the entrance tiles ( or re-tile ) and then re-evaluate . I suspect with the lighter paint , cleaner or darker pillars , new or cleaned entrance tiles and the like , the front entry may look more imposing but less intimidating .
User
3 years ago
Actually , one other thought -- that 'pointy' window -- imagine the 50 or 60cm pieces below the windows done in the same toned timber as the door and my proposed garage door and carport beams -- that would really tie it all in , and really get that beach vibe as it ages !
Andrea
Original Author
3 years ago
Thanks pottsy99! Great ideas!

80 's Revival - how to improve the front facade?

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80 's Revival - how to improve the front facade?

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