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Design Dilemma
chesterfrench

Make me pretty...

11 years ago
Hi everyone. I'm looking for ideas on how to make this nicer without breaking the bank. We have some thoughts...warmer colour cladding, putting the odd placed window central in the wall, planting and relaying the drive, changing the garage door colour. We are debating removing the porch (I think it looks odd?). Do you know if we would need planning to change the front window?
Thanks for your ideas
Featured Answer
  • 11 years ago

    Firstly, you do not need planning permission to replace, insert or brick up an existing window as this is permitted development presuming you are not in a Conservation Area and there is no Article 4 Direction in place.

    It all rather depends on how much you are willing to spend really but perhaps:-

    1. The driveway actually looks okay, pressure wash it to lighten it. I would put a decent sized evergreen tree in that area which is loose slate with box hedging round it. This would provide a new focus from the road instead of the house and soften the large hard area and hide some of the house. I would do the same with the other two raised beds you have. This would make an enormous difference and be cost effective.

    2. Put two large plant pots either side of the garage door with something large growing in them to soften the edges.

    3. The bow window is odd and totally out of keeping with the style of house. I would replace it with something flush and with a slender frame. If you are going to centre it and make it larger this would be great but will add to the expense. You need to consider if it is worth it when viewed against the benefit for whatever room it serves.

    4. There is too many different materials going on, two colours of brick, white cladding, roof tiles, garage doors and plastic windows and doors make it very busy and they all look cheap. I would try to keep things simple and go for one base colour with everything else to match. If it were me I would aim to render the entire facade and get rid of the cladding (if this is too expensive simply paint the lot the same colour). I would paint it taupe or dark grey then go with grey or black windows and doors to blend everything in. If you don't want to replace the doors and letterbox windows above them you can also paint the UPVC. Get some modern uplighters attached to the exterior whilst you are doing this. Lighting can make a world of difference.

    The beauty of using a darker colour is it will hide a multitude of sins and look great against greenery (which you will have more of if you follow 1 and 2 above). If you also paint the cladding on the dormer dark it will blend into the roof rather than jarring as it does now. A dark colour will look instantly make the house look like an expensive scandi-designed house then rather than a 70s box. Don't forget to also paint the electricity /gas meter cupboard the same colour as the render /walls.

    I hope that helps.


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