We are just a week from the one year anniversary of closing on our new home and the inside is almost where we want it and I want to do a few projects outside this summer and fall to boost the curb appeal and soften up the stark lines of the house.
On the right side of the house there is a (poorly done and very annoying) brick patio that we are going to pull up and restore the flower bed that was originally there. I want to plant a tree (some sort of dwarf/small ornamental tree) that will be safe that close to the foundation, add a few bushes and then a lot of day lilies for low maintenance gardening.
Long term we want (need) a new garage door, but that will probably be a few years down the road so I want to paint the garage and the wood above the door. The two colors don't work together and I'm not crazy about either shade. I would love to replace the wood with vinyl siding for super low maintenance and there isn't a lot of area so it probably wouldn't be too expensive but again, it might be a few years before that happens. Other future projects are to put in a new sidewalk (larger with a sweeping, graduated curve from the stoop to the driveway) and replace the light fixtures.
What color(s) would you use in this space? The neighborhood is about 25 years old and fairly traditional. I love craftsman style exteriors.
Here is the house before we moved in.
Here is our front door color after it was painted last summer. It is a soft navy blue.
Re: Help Me Boost Curb Appeal!
As for painting the garage door and the wood siding above it, with the red brick and navy accents, what about a green like this?
(I hope that resizes correctly, apologies if not.)
ETA: Are window boxes an option? I think that would also help soften the front of the house a bit and add in more of the Craftsman nature-y vibe. Definitely like the plan to restore your landscape beds. What about big planters on either side of the garage? Something along these lines?
And also in addition to the Japanese maple, maybe a nice specimen tree for the front lawn. Something that won't necessarily block the view of the house, but provide some visual interest (and as it grows, some shade). Maybe a larger maple species?
http://ohioline.osu.edu/hyg-fact/1000/1082.html
Something about the part above the garage door bothers me. It looks dingy. Maybe if that were white like the trim, closer in colour to the brick or something completely different.
I would also put some plants along the driveway, or a little garden in that small square of grass by the garage/sidewalk. It looks like the downspout goes there, so you can get water without having to actually water it.
I love the planters at your front door. And I think the house is lovely!
If you want more advice, you can also post on houzz. There are lots of designers/experts there that I found very helpful when building
I wish we could have japanese maples heres =( Winter gets too cold for them.
I LOVE the way that sidewalk looks! So homey. Ours meanders around the front of the house, and the old house had a meandering sidewalk too. I remember being a kid thinking how adventurous a windy front walk was haha.
I was maybe a weird kid.
Etf your sidewalk plan does not look honey. Fat finger syndrome.
Zone 5? I'd kill for that. Were like 3b or some shit like that haha. I live near a nice local plant nursery that offers 1 year warranty on ALL their plants. Except JMaples. Winter sucks.
eta - I just checked and I'm 4a. i wonder if I cover it in the winter if it will last... Theyre so pretty!