Dear Homework,
My husband and I just purchased a new home. I am interested in getting some ideas on how we can update the exterior and the landscaping.
Thank you,
—Excited for Some Ideas

Dear Excited for Some Ideas,
Since you asked for ideas, I’d like to spring a change in architectural direction on you. Currently your home features a columned portico typical of more traditional styles, yet all of the home’s other features feel more midcentury contemporary. I would like to investigate the possibility of removing the portico and intensifying the more modern aspects of the property.

To do this, the first step is to make the façade’s near symmetry more obviously asymmetrical. Therefore, I would suggest raising the height of the living room windows to create the façade’s most prominent element. New roof gables at these taller windows and the front door reinforce the new balance.

An updated look also is possible for the property’s landscaping. The current smattering of plants is reimagined as bolder arrangements of simple elements. Groupings of birch trees, ornamental grasses, evergreens and flower beds create a new composition that works well with a new entry garden and a reshaped circle drive.

To my eyes, these changes bring a new clarity and confidence to the property as well as reveal some concepts that you might not have considered.

Thanks for asking,
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.