Meanwhile…Back at the Ranch

Dear Homework,
We bought a beautiful 1967 ranch home in Creve Coeur this fall. We know it has a lot of potential from the handsome brickwork and new, slate-blend roof, but we would like to upgrade the appearance. The garage (originally a carport), landscaping, shutters and brown wood siding could all use refreshing.

Sincerely,
—Meanwhile…Back at the Ranch

Dear Meanwhile…Back at the Ranch,
Let’s start with the colors. With terracotta-colored brick, my go-to color is slate green. I would use it on the roof gable, brown siding and columns. Since the windows probably need to stay white, I have kept the new front doors and garage door white to match. The shutters stay hunter green to help blend with the landscape.

For the landscape upgrade, I suggest a continuous, curving bed of a variety of grasses in different shapes and colors. An upright evergreen at the middle of the façade and a Japanese maple at the right corner add vertical accents. A row of hornbeams underplanted with an evergreen hedge ornaments the left side of the property.

Finishing details include a new custom cupola, a brick pier mailbox and some terracotta-colored plant urns at either side of the garage door … the last of a series that pulls the whole property together.

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.