Dear Homework,
We purchased our home five years ago and fell in love with the modern interior design. While the outside is contemporary as well, it’s not as eye-catching or monochromatic. My husband recently replaced the front railing with sleek glass and iron that he welded. We also plan to get rid of the wooden overhang.
We go back and forth on keeping the rock and brick their natural colors for warmth, or painting them along with the rest of the house. We also do not particularly like the large ‘L’ shape that projects. We would love help with a color scheme or even structural and landscaping ideas.
Sincerely,
—Make It More Modern
Dear Make It More Modern,
Your house has interesting and unique character, but I think I know where you want to take ‘the look’ based on your new iron and glass railings. While I think you can leave the color of the siding and roof, I would suggest painting the brick and retaining walls a warm gray to give them the monochromatic look you want. I also would paint the existing window frames black to match the new railing.
I would suggest some minor architectural changes. Replace the existing garage door with one featuring frosted glass with black metal frames, which gives a more modern vibe and draws the eye away from the ‘L’ shape above it. Replace the existing wooden overhang with a metal one, and paint the gutters and metal roof areas black to tie everything together.
The landscaping works fairly well, but I would add some bright green grasses at the base of the railing, bolder address numbers and a coach light. These changes will cloak the façade in the type of updated look you prefer.
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.
