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landscape design Design Dilemma Exteriors

Updating an 80's Contemporary Home

6 years ago

My husband and I just bought this 80's contemporary. We love the interior, but the exterior needs to be updated. Any thoughts on what changes would bring it into todays mondern scheme? The first 2 pictures are from the street.

This is from the

Featured Answer

crystalpea

6 years ago

Definitely could use paint. Maybe two tone with some wood accents?

You could use a wood door and/or wood garages instead of wood cladding on the house to bring in some wood elements. Or I've seen corrugated metal siding used depending on how modern you want to shoot for. Do those three staggered walls of siding serve a purpose? If not I'd get rid of them when updating your landscaping. If you wanted to replace them and keep your house numbers there you could do something like this.

You could do a warm gray or a deep gray blue would be really pretty with trim that is a few shades darker. Sloppy :) mock-up below.

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Comments (18)

apple_pie_order
6 years ago
What do you think is wrong with it? Do you have a budget range in mind for changes?
PRO
Color Zen
6 years ago
A new color scheme would be everything. Consider having a designer explore new palettes... Good luck :)
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housegal200
6 years ago
last modified: 6 years ago
The color isn't ideal, but really it seems fine. Or you could go this direction:

Add some wood elements if they make sense:
sonni1
6 years ago
Oh I love your house, too!! And yes, I think painting it would make all the difference. I can't tell whether the windows can be painted or if there are parts of the windows that must remain tan and I don't know whether you plan to replace the roofing shingles. I would suggest a gray/white/black, but not sure it works with the shingles and windows. Look for photos on Houzz here and find a color scheme you like, then note that or take the photos and a shingle to a paint store. There you can see the many colors available and how they will look with the roof. I have much faith that an experienced staff member of a long established paint store will be able to assist you. Plants in modern planters placed around would look nice and perhaps a bit of work on the landscaping.
hamamelis
6 years ago
last modified: 6 years ago
My main focus would be adding charm and function through much better landscaping, and I'd love to see what a good landscape designer would do with your new home.

The car area could visually be both minimized from the street and separated from the entry so that the view was of your home itself rising from landscape, rather than pavement. I'm guessing the deck area on the other side of the garage could also lose its association with the driveway to some benefit. :)

Perhaps a gracious entry terrace that looked good from both views of the house could be created where the front walk is crossing currently. Even a couple shallow steps up onto a terrace would create an important transition away from the utility of the drive and garage to the welcome of your home.

That graduated wall detail would be considered at the same time if you chose ,of course. I'm guessing it addressed more than one issue, but that they could be handled better.
Kim Stephens
Original Author
6 years ago
We are thinking a new color scheme, and maybe adding wood elements as suggested above. The window trim can be painted, it's all hardiplank siding and fairly new. The roof is only 3 years old, so we are not replacing that, and will need to work that into the color scheme. The landscape will also need to be updated, my brain hasn't even been able to go there yet.
houssaon
6 years ago
I like your house as it is. When it need painting you could think of changing the colors. I like much of what has been already suggested. The shrub near the garage needs to be pruned by one third and the small ornamental tree need some pruning to improve its shape. There seem to be a few tall spruces on the side of the house that are not doing too well. If so, they should be removed.

Congrats on your noew home!
Kim Stephens
Original Author
6 years ago
Love the two tone w wood accents! That looks amazing. Thanks for the renderings also. This really helps me, as I'm not the best at envisioning things.
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Yardvaark
6 years ago
Thinking about everything outdoors in a single thread is overwhelming. You might break it into separate threads starting with the front.

In order for people to really understand your landscape prob lems, you've got to show complete scenes -- how your house looks in the setting of its surroundings. We should even be able to see what's happening in the neighbor's yards. The best way is to locate the camera in line with the center of the scene and then take slightly overlapping pictures that pan from one end to the other. If the house is tall, it might work out to hold the camera in the vertical format. Since it looks like the entrance is well off center of the house, you might also need to move the camera toward that end of the house (in line with door) and take a couple of additiional shots to make sure it's seen well.

The wall in front of the wall in front of the wall should be removed. It sucks majorly.
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Dig Doug's Designs
6 years ago
last modified: 6 years ago
some ideas
Bette P
6 years ago
One of my favourite contemporary 'color blocked' homes. Here are the colors noted in the photo comments:

The front door is Sherwin Williams 6885 Knockout orange. Dark colored siding is SW 7047 Porpoise. The trim around doors , windows, and the gutters are SW 7049 Nuance. The panels are SW 7044 Amazing gray.
Kim Stephens
Original Author
6 years ago
The landscaping on the side of the deck makes a huge difference. That's incredible. It brings out the homes architecture, and hides the ugly bottom deck - that I didn't even realize was that ugly until now.
Angela Mattia
6 years ago
It is funny, for some reason I always tear out all the landscaping first so I can really see the house. Then I decide colors and what needs updated. Then a put the landscaping back so it looks good with the new look.
Angela Mattia
6 years ago
I love contemporary designs. Your house is great. I really like shades of grey to break up the box look. Wood on the small side wall and the same wood color on the front and garage doors.
kroche70
3 years ago
Kim Stephens would love to see what you did. We are facing similar questions with a recent purchase.
builderguy2341
3 years ago
Does anyone know the siding company etc of what someone posted earlier?? See pictures attached.
Reena Barber
3 years ago
I'd love to see pics!

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