Dear Homework,
We love our house inside and out, but feel that the front needs some love. The door feels small compared to the rest of the facade. Additionally, since we live on a cul-de-sac, we have limited parking for our guests. Any suggestions you have for a facelift would be much appreciated.Sincerely,
—Facade Frustration
Dear Facade Frustration,
Basically, I think your house looks pretty good, but a few little tweaks could lift it up quite a bit. You are right about the front door. I have made the sidelights and the door look similar, which has the effect of making the door have more impact. I have also added some trim around the opening, but the new larger plantings and urns are what really bring new importance to this area.
The other big change is the new parking area with its circular concrete and cobblestone medallion centered on the front door. This combined with the previously mentioned changes brings all the focus appropriately to the front door.
Beyond that, there are several landscape refinements showing simple continuous foundation hedges and some ivy ground cover following the curve of the drive. A new window box and trellis on the garage add some charming details. Finally, I thought the composition had a bit of a “French” feel so I whitewashed the bricks, which I think works rather well.
Hope this is useful,
—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.