Any Advice Beautifying This Unattractive House?
mysantuary
8 years ago
Would love to get some expertise on adding curb appeal to this cheap-looking exterior without spending a fortune. Planning on modernising the property and adding a large porch across the left, which will help, but it will still need some beautifying, as the brick looks so cheap and there are so few features!
Featured Answer
Sort by:Oldest
Comments (11)
Related Discussions
Please help us turn this house in a home for Christmas
Comments (45)Hi, there! What a great start to this room and a great friend you are for helping this gentleman. 1) I agree with what others have said about placing the two sofas facing each other perpendicular to the fireplace, with the coffee table in between and turning the rug. 2) I also agree that the artwork is what should go above the fireplace, not the tv. Then I think the tv could go on the wall opposite the fireplace, if there is enough room. But if placing the tv in the room with the artwork above the fireplace is difficult, then the tv could go above the fireplace. 3) It's hard to tell where the chandelier is located, but if possible, I'd swag it to be centered over the coffee table and centered with the fireplace. 4) I'd place a large tufted bench with roll arms and small side table or floor lamp in the bay window. This can easily be moved aside or in front of the fireplace during Christmas to make room for a large Christmas tree. 5) I'd go with a medium to dark grey on the walls, leaving the moulding white and LOVE the idea of the accent color of purple on the fireplace wall. I'd also paint all the radiators in the same color as the walls to "hide" them a bit. (You can also have boxes built around the radiators to make it look like a piece of furniture.) 6) If you move the artwork, you will have a blank space between the wall sconces. If those are permanent fixtures, you could place an assortment of mirrors on this wall arranged like artwork. 7) I would find a nice buffet (maybe something like this: http://www.westelm.com/products/parsons-mirror-console-g199/?pkey=cconsoles-buffet-tables&cm_src=consoles-buffet-tables||NoFacet-_-NoFacet-_--_-) to place under the sconces, then you can place the chairs to either side of the buffet. It would be a great counter to have for entertaining purposes, to put out an assortment of appetizers. And a design like this, you don't have to be too concerned with covering up or getting too close to the radiator. And the chairs can be stored to either side, but be brought out into the main area for entertaining. Alternatively, you could place a large decorative floor mirror leaning against the wall between the sconces (with the chairs on either side) and place a nice buffet console table behind the couch across from it. 8) To either side of the fireplace in the "nooks", I would put some wood console tables or cabinets (they don't have to be a matching set) in a deep rich java. On top of those, I'd place a tall buffet table lamp and place either one nice piece of art on the wall above or an arrangement of smaller art. You could also do one piece on one side and an arrangement on the other. 9) I would straighten the back couch cushions to make them look more streamlined and place the accent pillows against the back in somewhat of a line, rather than haphazardly. So, there would be one small accent pillow for each of the back pillows or at least evenly spaced out. Golds and bronzes would also look lovely with the greys and purples and I like the idea above about adding something zebra print, too. You have such great pieces to work it, I think most of it will just take rearranging and adding a few things here and there. Good luck! I would love to see the "after" photos!!!...See MoreFace-lift for exterior of 60's house. Advice please?
Comments (5)Thank you both. Unfortunately the door is uPVC so can't be painted ... Yes I can see that the path should be wider too - any suggestion for colour? Light grey or beige (don't like that word!)? Can anyone offer ideas for the garden - some kind of boundary and also planting?...See MoreBeyond help?
Comments (34)Hello all, just read through this thread. Great information and variety of comments and advice. I am interested to know how the owner is getting on with the exterior. I have had an offer accepted on a similar 1960s end of terrace townhouse in London. I am going to be changing the windows and insulating in between the windows. I thought I would update the look of the property without going to extreme. I would like to retain the mid century look and thinking of using some kind of geometric timber shingles as a nod to the 60s but with durable modern materials. Perhaps either timber (don't like silvered cedar) or hex cladding tiles or even brown zinc like scales! Ideas for cladding...See MoreParquet problem - help!
Comments (18)Hi Mandy, Thanks for your wonderful compliments - we are a bit smug with it! :-) We have parquet throughout downstairs, the hall had a varnish on it that had a yellow cast and when we took the carpet up in the lounge, the lounge part had been varnished years ago with a dark yellowy brown stain. We were originally going to go with a dark stain but when the sanders actually took the varnishes off by sanding, the wood had a lovely grey natural tone anyway and had lost the yellow look. We were thinking of just putting a clear oil on but this would give it that 'wet look' that we wanted to avoid and also consequently give it a slightly yellow hue. After a bit of research we opted for Osmo 'raw' oil which is clear oil with a white pigment - you need to be careful what wood you put it on as it doesn't work so well with dark woods but we were very happy. Our pro was good but I wouldn't recommend due to a few snagging issues - however I would recommend speaking to The Natural Wood Floor Company in Wandsworth, London for advice if you are SE based - they are a supply shop with excellent advice! I have attached photos of our floor before it was oiled (and not fully sanded back at this stage) so you can see it naturally with no product - would have loved to keep it like that but it would be marked in no time!...See More
seniordiva
8 years agoseniordiva
8 years agomysantuary
8 years ago
PROVC Design Architectural Services
6 years ago
Linsey Evans Garden Design