Wednesday, August 30, 2017

Improving Curb Appeal for a 1960's Rancher

Okay.  So look at it.  Would you even slow down as you drove by??  Is this a house you'd want to make an appointment to come see when it goes on the market?  It's kind of bland and blah.....and seems stuck in the 1960's.


We need to improve the curb appeal of this house.  It looks tired, a bit disheveled and is hidden behind the big trees out front (Seriously, tree branches shouldn't be touching the house!).  Since the exterior view is the first thing future buyers will see, we need to jazz it up a bit!

Here's the plan:

With so many ideas, I put together a little mock up, to try the out  (I know I know,  it would have been a good idea to do it on a day when no one was working on the roof....but you get the idea!).


We started working through the list pretty quickly.  The new front porch really gave the front facade some character.













Next, we started putting in the new windows.  I know people usually replace windows to get more energy efficiency (and we certainly need that).  But look at the difference of the new 2 over 2 windows on the right side, compared with the old window on the left.  See how much it changes the look?  And inside, the new windows bring in so much more light!!

New windows make a HUGE difference, compare right to left!
Next, we did some pruning on the trees, to let some more light in.  We are really lucky to have an elm tree in the front yard.  Dutch elm disease nearly wiped out most of the elms in the US.  Our tree guy was so excited to see it and pruned it up into a classical elm 'vase' shape.


This week, Richard and I power washed the house and applied a product called Vinyl Renu - it's pretty amazing.  We got off all the old oxidation and it brings back the color and sheen to the siding.  It's supposed to last 10 years - nice!


Left side with Vinyl Renu - right side without
I just ordered this Pottery Barn mailbox (one of my favorites, you may recognize it from another project).  We'll be adding it and the new light fixtures soon.

But for now?  Well, we think the curb appeal is already improved....but we still have some more work to do!  


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17 comments:

  1. This looks fantastic! I think the windows really brightened it up. It has a much cleaner look. I love the new porch. The new look is a quaint cottage look compared to the worn out frumpy lok. Great job!

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  2. When you choose your plantings, consider native species and plants that attract pollinators.

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  3. This is so fascinating!! Our home is bigger than this one but still a rather small ranch. I love watching what you are doing as I have had ideas swirling in my head for the last few years on updating the front of the house. I love the changed roofline. That's exactly what I had in mind for our home. Also, we have an elm in our yard and I would like to see a better view of the vase shape of the tree and a before pic. Could you show a before and after? Thank you so much! Am loving this renovation!!

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    1. You have an elm - how cool!! I feel like they're such a treasure!

      It's such a big tree, I can't figure out how to get a good photo of it!! Let me try walking around the property a bit more, maybe there's an angle I haven't thought of!!

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  4. Much improved already! I wish the porch was a bit wider, but that's a quibble!

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  5. Amazing what beautiful windows and a sweet little porch front will do for a home! Absolutely love it all - can't wait to see it with the window boxes. Also, so glad you trimmed the trees and didn't take them down completely - so much better!

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  6. So adorable! Could you tell me the kind of windows you had put in and what manufacturer? They are the type I would love to replace mine with. Thanks!

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    1. Thanks! I bought windows from a company called MI. They make both new and replacement windows and I've been happy with the quality. But you can order 2 over 2 windows from almost any company, depending what features you want in a window.

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  7. Looks great!! I have been thinking about trying vinyl renu for a while on our black shutters which have faded to charcoal gray (not horrible but I miss their shininess!). Going to get some today!!

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    1. Thanks! I like the Vinyl Renu a lot. But if you're just doing shutters, you could also try Rejuvenation. They sell it at Home Depot in pouches for small projects like shutters (there is a micro cleaning cloth in each pouch). It would be prohibitively expensive for a whole house, but I did a test patch with it and it worked great!

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  8. I know this is an old post, but wondering if you can tell me where you got that front door? Thanks!

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  9. What a beautiful renovation! Would you happen to know the paint colors you used? I love the blue on the main house as well as the shutters and front door!

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    1. Agreed! I would also love to know the names!

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  10. Love this! Where did you get the window boxes from?

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  11. What color did you use to paint the door and the shutters? Also, where did the light fixtures come from?

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