Dear Homework: Last summer we moved into this Webster Groves Tudor. We need help figuring out how to make it more modern and inviting. Right now, it’s an imposing stone tower, and the other parts of the house fade into the background. I don’t want to fight against its Tudor-ness, but I would like to embrace it in a way that makes the house seem fresher and brighter.
Sincerely,
—Waiting for the Big Reveal
Dear Waiting for the Big Reveal,
As you can see from my drawing, if we give the tall tree to the left a ‘haircut,’ a whole hidden wing of the house is revealed, showing that the facade is nicely balanced to begin with. By planting a pink dogwood in front of the stone chimney, this section of the elevation is softened by a tree that won’t grow too large.
To the right, a tall evergreen adds verticality to the low sunroom extension. By introducing a continuous line of base planting, one’s eye moves from tall evergreen to tall evergreen, making the facade feel wider and statelier. This always happens when a home is framed by its landscape rather than hidden or even overwhelmed by it.
I don’t know if it looks fresher or brighter, but to my eye, it looks much better.
Thanks for the interesting example,
—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.
