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decoenthusiaste What happened to your previous post a while back. Know I commented on the little roof extension. If you still have access to that post, you might just want to comment on it and continue the thread there rather than starting a new one when people have already given input elsewhere. Thanks.

Edward Beck Sorry but I preferred to broaden the question here, rather than the other post for various reasons. But thank you for your advice.

mveasey Is your roof brown or gray/black? What do you mean "trim the roof"?
I would take of the decorative trim on the roof lines and take of the squiggly flowerbeds around the walkway. If your roof is dark gray or black, I think your slate idea for the walkway would look great. It looks pretty modern with the side shelved look.
Is the brick in good shape? I am not sure on installation of slate over brick...sorry.
The other idea would be to replace the windows with the decorative lattice inserts.

Edward Beck Hi mveasey - yes you are correct in what I meant on trimming the roof. decoenthusiaste advised to trim that back as well and cut the eaves off a bit.
The roof is black. I agree with what you suggest on the flower trim, as it is not only dated but a pain for the gardeners to cut around. The brick in the walkway is in good shape, as is the inlays in the driveway. They are the real pain point. I can replace the walkway bricks, but wanted to get ideas on the color and perhaps how to deal with the driveway inlay. The windows are fairly new, so am stuck with the lattice for now, though I very much dislike it!

thank you

mveasey You might not have to replace he window, but a window shop might be able to take out a pane, remove the lattice and put in one new piece of glass?
I would add modern house numbers, placed downward on the right side by your door and remove the flowerbox by the left window of the door. Put some boxwood, sculptural bushes in a large colourful pot by the front door. I like your coloured entry door. Paint the garage a lighter gray roof type colour and place two more boxwood pots to the right and left of the garage. Perhaps have the large tree trimmed a little to look cared for and more round. It looks a little wild right now.

mveasey If you want a tuscan theme, I can picture a more rust/ mustardy colour for the house with some more artistic wrought iron style house numbers...

mveasey Here a few colour schemes...

mveasey And lastly... How about inserting some special tile in your driveway, to replace the brick...very unique, but maybe i am crazy...it is getting late, I better go.
Good Night and Good Luck

Susan Jacobs Gosh, that really looks like my old neighborhood. Are you in the Valley?

Edward Beck Thanks for the ideas. Agree on the colors so far

Edward Beck Hi Susan. Yes it's the Valley!

Susan Jacobs Near the Northridge mall? (I promise, I'm not trying to stalk you!)

Edward Beck Somewhat - further west in West Hills

Precision Door Service of Hampton Roads I would recommend changing your garage door to a more intriguing style - it appears to be a single size door, so I'll share a few ideas. If you go to www.precisiondoor.net and enter your zip code, you may find a PDS franchise near you.

Susan Jacobs Definitely change the garage door. A harmonious color on that part of the house will lengthen the horizontal line and make your house look larger. Also, I think your tree needs to be trimmed and "laced". Can you put a pergola around that front left window?

Edward Beck I was thinking the garage door, but didn't think it would help much. Now looking at the samples I may need to replace that ugly brown thing.

I like the pergola thought - I have seen a similar nearby house with one, but off of the whole entrance and over to the window as a walkway entrance. We don't seem to have much room for that though.

mmilos I'm in the Valley too. These houses are called Storybook or Cinderella ranches. It's a shame people are removing all the charm and turning them into ordinary stucco homes.

Check out this article:
http://www.midcenturyhomestyle.com/styles/storybook-ranch.htm

Edward Beck Ha! Well I've banged my head one too many times on that window roof/eaves and it just isn't looking good these days to sell. Besides, I have enough Cinderella charm inside with a little princess!

mmilos I live in a Cinderella ranch myself and banged my head on the eaves too... :)

If your design asthetic is more modern, I would do a few things:
1. Have a pro shorten the eaves over the window and install cleaner fascia board.
2. Trim the front tree.
3. Remove the shutters
4. Eliminate the brick planters along the walk way and along the front.
5. Paint the house trim white and the siding/stucco a darker beige.
6. Hire a landscape designer to draw up a landscape plan you can implement.
7. Install a plainer panel garage door vs. the corrugated.

Edward Beck Thanks - for #3 do you mean on the little bathroom window next to the door? That is the only thing like shutters.

Seems changing the garage door is a common suggestion. I need a new opener as well so why not. The landscaping is a fun one. The original owner had her own little botanical gardens here. So many crazy plants and different trees all over. But painful to keep clean. The planter walkway shown is after we gutted the old smelly Dr. Seuss bushes that were all over and across the front.

libradesigneye The proper colors will send the right message without radical surgery. With those deep V eaves, I'd only try to head towards a charming cottage look and leave the brick in the drive and walkway squares (but not the edger).

You'll spend a lot trying to change brick that actually works with the house and brings a modern element to the front with the alternating squares. The edger does have to go - but you can find a different way to separate the planting areas from the turf. Raphiolepsis - flowering shrubs work well next to the foundation and plant rows of the same structural flowering element up and down the walk founded in native groundcover - pidgeon point baccharis would work well.

Trimming the disneyland scallops / replacing the fascia board for the big eaves and the shelf under the little window makes sense, but work with the charm instead of against it. Don't I see reverse board and batten full height on right and to wainscot on left and stucco above on the left?

Definitely lift and lace out the tree. Consider painting all the board and batten a warm camel tan that "could be" a real wood color - one shade darker tone than you think for it to look like a mid-tone in natural sunshine. Take all the stucco area 1 shade lighter in the same tone. Take the eaves and fascia boards 1 shade darker than the board and batten. See http://www.sherwin-williams.com/homeowners/color/find-and-explore-colors/paint-colors-by-family/SW6122-camelback/ for board and batten, baguette for eave and new fascia, whole wheat for stucco area . . .

Paint the trim around every window a cinnamon rusty red like the brick and the front door. Like http://www.sherwin-williams.com/homeowners/color/find-and-explore-colors/paint-colors-by-family/SW0040-roycroft-adobe/ If you have the $, a carriage style door in a natural wood finish (it isn't real, it just looks expensive) or brown. Consider a new front door that has cottage lines - glass on the top half, wood below either in walnut toned wood OR paint it the same red as window trim.

This is going to make an updated cottage that has great curb appeal.

mmilos Ed, yes shutters on small window and the big window next to the tree. Looks like shutters on them.

I painted my home Dunn Edwards Calico Rock on base. It's a gray green. Looks good with brick and black roof. Trim is Dunn Edwards Limestone. The pallette modernizes the home a bit.

Edward Beck libra - "Don't I see reverse board and batten full height on right and to wainscot on left and stucco above on the left? " No that is stucco above and below the wainscot - not sure if it was original or not like that. Paint is peeling on the right section, and stucco cracking all around or stained. Good ideas you have, but I was trying to get away from the cottage look. Something cleaner and refined without killing the bank. A few similar houses in the area have done this with really clean looking fronts & yards and have had great resale (I lost out on one when we were looking to buy back in 08 and found this place instead).

Anyone think smoothing the stucco and with a darker shade as suggested a bad idea? Almost Venetian plaster smooth but a little rougher?

mmilos - no shutters on the right. That's just the bad photo from Google's drive by. It's a 3 section window. I like your color suggestions.

mmilos I would also paint the vent stacks to match the roof color so they blend in better. Currently, they detract from your curb appeal.

I can't see your stucco very well. But, if it's in good condition I would just paint it and save the money.

Susan Jacobs I'm so glad to finally know that I grew up in a "Cinderella Ranch". I agree that the only brick you need to remove is all the edging. I happen to like the window box under the bathroom window. If you remove your shutters, it will add something to the front. But... I would make it chunkier/deeper with no scalloping. Anything with a hint of scalloping definitely has to go. And definitely trim away the overhanging eaves over that left window. I would paint the body of the house a warm gray color with creamy white trim. Smoother stucco is nice, but I don't know how much of a difference that would make in the look of the house. More flowering shrubs with movement along the walkway and up close to the house would update the landscaping.

Susan Jacobs Also, don't try to do the Tuscan theme. The house just isn't going to fit into that mold.

Sweet Caroline Garden Design Ever think of adding a trellis to the front and turn it into a Spanish-style stucco style with a landscape that is drought-tolerant and low-maintenance such as this one :

Edward Beck mmilos/Susan - thanks for the input. I am stuck between doing just enough to sell and doing much more to make it closer to what I want to live in. Market is just too off right now to make that choice easy.

Sweet Caroline - this was my first thought back in 08 when I bought it, but to do that well, I would have to replace the roof shingles with tile, and it's a fairly new roof. The trellis or pergola entrance was what one place in the area did and it looked great, but they had the entrance all one level. Multilevel walkway makes that tough.

So far definitely looking into:

- painting the stacks
- new garage door
- paint stucco different shade(s)
- strip the brick flower edging
- kill the scalloping & extended eaves
- remove the shutter/surround on the little window
- new shrubbery/flowers/cover on entrance flower bed
- possible trellis/pergola


So far great ideas! thank you all and please keep any suggestions coming. I also have a similar pain point in the back and the interior (family room / living room fireplace / bathrooms - they are just pure nightmares so much more to do) so please chime in on those when I get them posted!

thanks again

barb3333 What about painting the brick walkway a color similar to the roof?

Edward Beck Hi Barb- not sure about painting the brick. At least I really haven't thought about that working so well, but it might be a great idea if I can pull that off. Might be better than replacing the brick, since the ones in the drive will be a pain to remove and the chimney on the side of the house can be painted as well I assume (another pain point if bricks change). I'll have to dig into some how to's. thanks

Edward Beck Here's a better picture, with some of the changes photoshopped on. Not sure about the brick coloring, but I found I could dye and seal them. Old left, new right.

Susan Jacobs Taking the brick trim out makes a big difference! Can you carry the streamlined fascia trim all across the rest of the roof edge?

libradesigneye I don't thik people will notice and that is a lot of work for a minor change. the brick are going to look fine. I think you will do best with a pale honey tone / straw tone on the body. Consider http://www.benjaminmoore.com/en-us/paint-color/splendor. You could do something to echo the roof with a front door in this kind of charcoal tone - http://www.benjaminmoore.com/en-us/paint-color/daysend

Edward Beck I like those colors, but the door is brand new - wife's choice! Old door was almost exactly the same color as you linked. It looked kind of dreary, but maybe due to the age and condition more than color.

studio10001 I'm late coming in. Seems like you have the hardscape taken care of pretty well. I'll only add a suggestion to shore up your tree a bit more,so the house isn't covered. And to add a vertical element to the opp. side when you start to fill in landscaping. Interesting thread!

EasyTurf Edward - best advice I can give you is do whatever your wife asks :)
I like the idea of the pergola - and some of the other tasks (tree trimming, shutter removal) will really clean up the look of your home. Have you considered EasyTurf for the lawn? We'd give you a year-round, perfectly manicured yard with no maintenance or watering - saving you time and money.
Check out our recent installs ... http://www.houzz.com/pro/easyturfdesign/
Let me know if you have any questions!
Cheers!
George

jjba I love this home! I never like painting brick, but in this case I would paint the brick white. I know you like the Tuscan feel, but you live in an adorable cottage. If you play up the architectural features instead of trying to change them you might really like it. I would pull up the plants on the left side and put them under the window on the right and take all of the cute (Rose bushes?) and put them under the window on the left with the awning covering it. I would paint the part you talked about putting a stone veneer on. I'd choose a darker color keeping in theme with the cottage idea. I would also put a window box under the very short window to the left of the front door.

Susan Jacobs Is there a rule that you can't paint a new door? I understand about your wife, though. I always have veto power in my house ;)

mmilos Thanks for posting the bigger pictures. Since the windows were replaced but using a diamond muntin pattern (in respect of the original windows), I'd leave the scalloped trim as-is. If the windows didn't have the diamond pattern, I'd agree with removing the scalloped trim.

Brown Bros. Masonry With your original comments about updating stucco...if you like tuscan/rustic, definitely! and a smooth stucco. (my company did not do the stucco below but we installed the natural stone caps)
You could remove brick and install flagstone walkways also to compliment your home. Once you've updated stucco a cultured stone or even natural stone quarried in your area would be a great feature to add. Either veneer the part of your home to the right of your door or perhaps a couple raised planter boxes veneered with stone under the windows. Have fun with your project!!

Edward Beck Hi JJBA - thanks. We replaced the odd shrubs with rose bushes and mint. THey've just been cut back, but are all across the front with the exception of that one plant. It blooms very nicely. This place was a regular botanical gardens with all the varieties of trees and plants/bushes. Kind of tiring keeping them all up.

Susan - you are correct, but we love the door color and pain a good amount of $$ for it (old one was literally falling apart). But maybe paint it later!

mmilos - yeah and we replaced three other windows on the side & back to match the design. I think without the scallop it still looks good. Kind of more Kentucky/ranch like.


Brown Bros - thanks for the ideas and pics. Good to know it's not an odd idea. I like the planter idea too, as that might add some charm without much effort. But I'm a lazy geek type and will need to automate the watering or they'll wither and dry up!

Great input - thank you very much everyone.

Blushirt Definitely prune your tree or take it out all together. Wasn't planted correctly. If you want to keep it you can make it work by pruning it. Take out ALL the garden edging...very outdated. You'll notice a difference with just those two things. The scale of the garden under the window by the front door needs to come out more. Curve it and put a feature tree/shrub on the corner to soften the edge of the house. The garden and tree by the driveway need to be incorporated into one. Give it a more unified look. You could make a beautiful shape. (mimic the walkway shape on the second design, Anna, as your garden shape for up by your door. By the tree the garden shape can be more drastic... beautiful swooping curves) I included a picture of a walkway that is simliar theme to your current one. The slate you were talking about would look great as the product. This one shows tumbled brick. Browse more ideas on www.blushirt.com If you want more specific help please contact us.

Edward Beck Hey Blushirt - thanks for the info and pics. I'll check that out. Which tree are you referring to though, and why do you say it's planted wrong out of curiosity?Not sure about the tree - it's been there for a nice long time and no problems with it so far other than growth. THanks for the ideas!

Blushirt The large tree against the house...in front of the window that has the brick ring boarder around it.

It competes with the house vs. complimenting it. You can probably get around that if you have it pruned just a little. The botton portion so that you can see a bit more of the window instead of blocking the house. If your not sure get a professional to do it. The trunk system on it is beautiful and the head is full. Its a nice tree. As far as the placement comment, I would have put it to the left of the house to soften the edge, keep your house and landscaping complimenting each other. Again though, you can get around this with the prune and unifying the garden. Its a cute house...I think your going to have fun on this project...whatever you decide to do.

I

Blushirt FYI the Blushirt landscape packages include Design, measurement, materials needed and costs associated to materials and cost of build (both materials and professional install)

Edward Beck Hi Blushirt - yes the placement of the tree seems odd I agree. But it provides very nice shade and less grass to cut, which in LA is a blessing! Did you see the odd palm trees on the left - two varieties. Now that is odd for me even in LA. They dont seem to be the common palm varieties for the area, but I could be jaded by all the other types around here.

I'll definitely get a pro to trim the front one and probably need to do something with the papyrus (of some type) tree - you probably can't see it well in the pic. Constant shedding and leans way over.

thanks for the info!