Dear Homework,
How is this for front yard ornamentation? The pillars, attached to each other by chains, are starting to show their age, but my husband and I are not sure how to proceed. Do we remove them or maybe shorten them? All these options and more have been suggested. If we remove the pillars, what can we do to add interest to the front of the house? If we keep them, how can they be updated—and is that even possible?
— Unchain My Colonial
Dear Unchain My Colonial,
I, of course, agree with you that your brick piers are not working. At the moment, they look like a series of tombstones, and the draped chains are ineffective at visually connecting them. At the same time, I often suggest to readers that adding an extra layer to the façade’s architecture can add depth and interest. In this case, a line of clipped yew bushes between the piers turns them into one ‘complete thought,’ while simultaneously blocking the bulky lower half of the parked cars from view. An element like this also helps step the architecture into the landscape, allowing the two to work together.
Beyond this, there is a need to break up the ‘horizontality’ of your home. I have planted two tall evergreens to visually break the existing façade into three parts. A raised portion of the façade draws attention to the entry and gives the long elevation a sense of composition.
To me, your house now looks more balanced and updated … without changing much at all. Hope this is useful,
—Homework