Dear Homework: We’ve tried different things at the front of our house over the 28 years we’ve lived here, but still feel it could use more curb appeal. The sunroom addition over the garage doesn’t feel unified with the rest of the house, and the retaining wall and driveway need replacing. Glendale now allows homeowners to add front porches, which can extend up to 10 feet out from the building line (in our case, the front door). The house has been completely remodeled inside, but the outside just doesn’t do it justice.
Sincerely,
—Can Repairs Result in Revival
Dear Can Repairs Result in Revival,
You will see from my sketch that I have made some architectural alterations. For one thing, the sunroom now has a shingled roof and more ‘important’ French doors with a dormer window above. These changes, combined with the new carriage-style garage doors below, take this portion of the façade from disappointing to distinctive. Additional minor refinements, like a new flower box and an attic window, finish off the existing structure.
The big change comes with the foreground of the property. The old stone retaining wall has been extended to frame new entry walks from the driveway and the street. Light piers add a note of elegance. A stone-like stamped concrete drive/walk adds texture and charm and gives guests an elegant new path to the front door.
New landscaping at the far side of the property screens out the adjacent homes and keeps the focus on your updated European cottage. Luckily, many of these upgraded areas already need attention, so making them beautiful should prove more satisfying than just repairing them.
Hope that helps,
—Homework
Homework is penned by Paul Doerner, Founding Partner of the Lawrence Group. If you would like your home critiqued, contact us at homework@townandstyle.com.
