We just purchased a house for our daughter in Francis Place. We need to replace the roof, windows and interior doors. We also want to remove the concrete walkway and stairs in the front and move them to the side. She wants a rustic/traditional house. We’re not sure how to incorporate that into the design, but we would like to do a metal roof and black windows. We definitely will remove all of the shrubbery and trees in front and around the house. Not crazy about painting the house white or gray, but it might be an option.
Thanks,
—Make It Rustic
Dear Make It Rustic,
Since the existing façade has elegant Georgian themes, we are going to need to add some rougher textures to make it feel more rustic, as the proposed black windows and metal roof will send it in the opposite direction. In this situation, some wider wood-board shutters will help quite a bit. A new projecting porch roof with wood brackets will make the front door pop.
For increased texture, I suggest a whitewash of the brick that leaves some of the original color showing through, which gives the brick an aged, informal feel. The front walk has been moved to the left side, and a new garden with corner light piers will further enhance the front door. Window boxes and lower hedges complete the look.
I hope this is close to what your daughter was hoping for; at least it will give you something to talk about!
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.
