How can I make my Edwardian house front look nicer?

5 years ago

Hi guys. I really hope you can help me. I really need some ideas for the outside of our terrace. It was built in 1905 and so should look lovely, but Ive always hated the front of it. Theres just something out-of-balance about it, but I cant put my finger on what. The white uPVC porch is awful, obvs, but i dont know what to replace it with. All the other houses in the terrace have a transparent-roofed porch, but I dont know what would have been there originally? Ive tried to research, but I cant find any other houses that look quite like ours! Im also not keen on the pebbledash section, but again, as the rest of the terrace has this, I think it would look odd to change it. So basically Im stuck between making it nicer, taking it back to its original 'look' (whatever that was) and keeping it like the neighbours' houses. Any thoughts would be very welcome!

Featured Answer

Laura Thomas

5 years ago

I think the suggestions about the windows and painting the sills are spot on, love the look of the original porch would be great if you could re-install.
I agree with Jonathan that the issue with the pebbledash section is that it is a large expanse of nothing. Not sure if this suggestion would work, but it would be cheaper than adding a window. Have a memorial date plaque with the build year put up. Would be good if the neighbour agreed so it could be centred.

Sort by:Oldest

Comments (16)

A B
5 years ago
Do you know the history of the terrace? Why it ended up with the pebbledash. I wonder if the porch would have originally been open?
anon2005
5 years ago
What about painting the pebbledash white
To match the woodwork? Window boxes at all four windows would look nice too and you could make sure there are some evergreens in there for the winter.
Related Discussions
How can I make my bay/bow window look better?
Q
Comments (24)
I have similar dilemma with the small window Which to me looks like unfinish. For addition the window sill that the window is put on is very thin and without insulation. I am attaching 2 pictures of houses that I saw in BrIstol. I like a lot how they finished the small bay window. I attached as well Picture of finish between two big bays
...See More
Any ideas on how to make my house look a little less drab?
Q
Comments (8)
Agree with others that’s there’s too much concrete which needs to be broke. Up with some greenery. but I disagree with others re the porch. I think I would put a porch in. The current entrance doesn’t look very inviting. you could put a modern twist on it and use wood cladding. The cladding could also be used to surround the garage door
...See More
Can I make this ugly 70s house front look better?
Q
Comments (2)
If it was me I d knock the porch down then build a new one with tiled roof that goes across the front window like a canopy so it ties in together. Not sure if you want to involve the front room as well but you could make that a bay window
...See More
How can I maximise usage of my porch (whilst making it look pretty) :)
Q
Comments (8)
My first thoughts are: 1. Create a full height built-in cupboard with doors around the boiler/electric, with a couple of shelves and potentially a rail to hang coats. 2. Relocate the dryer (is it blocking the electric meter cupboard?) or sell and get a washer/dryer combi? 3.Plaster the walls. If you're on a budget and handy, you can dry-line the walls (battens or dot & dab some plasterboard to the walls) then tape and fill the joints and paint (popular in America) without the cost of paying a plasterer to skim. 4. Can't see what's on the floor but a good coir entrance matt to fill the whole space would work.
...See More
imranhkhan92
5 years ago
Paint the window sills and top of the window a bright fresh colour (cream/off white - more maintenance but looks nice). You also have a concrete strip going through the middle of the house which after a lick of paint (same as the window sill) would look lovely. On the small front area just add a low/small wooden fence which adds a bit of privacy but will also take it up a level.
mcpeeple
Original Author
5 years ago
Thanks for your suggestions so far - yes, painting the sills, adding window boxes: all great ideas . In terms of its history, I dont know much and have only had it 3 years. But I do have the plans for the original proposal - it didnt quite end up like this (no pointy gable) but it does look like some sort of porch was intended (also marked off in the cross-section, second pic). But not sure what kind of porch would work now?
kwg kwg
5 years ago
Hello, painting the pebble dash white like the other comments would definitely help.

If there is budget -

Replace the transparent roof in the porch with tiles?

Changing the windows to a style similar to your neighbour on the right side of the photo?

Change the door colour to a grey colour?
Angie
5 years ago
Looking at the drawing it looks as though your neighbour to the right has original styke windows. If you had those and matched them on the porch it would be how originally imagined. Not inexpensive of course.
Angie
5 years ago
Typo, original style windows.
Keith Jayne
5 years ago
windows like 2doors to your left . nice new coloured door.. window blinds
AMB
5 years ago
As much as pebble dash is awful, I wouldn't paint it. At least not any time soon. I think the best thing you can do is take it back to the original style based on the plans you have. It might be pricey, so shop around. New windows would be ideal. A new front door, in the style of the original plans - this is a must - you don't want an old style door that is styled for a different type of house. Same goes for the windows. And put in original railings.

In the short term, make the front garden glorious with pots, planting and window boxes.
AMB
5 years ago
I would also replace the porch and have one created in the original style. Appreciate these are pricey options so if you are on a budget do some garden styling and save for new front door.

I think once you have done that, consider it you still want to paint the pebble dash. Remember, you have to keep painting it if you do. It might look odd if just your house is painted so maybe speak to your neighbours and see if they will want to do it?
kwg kwg
5 years ago
Perhaps your neighbour may also want to do their porch - if you did it together I think it would look fab, the other neighbours down the road might start copying you :-)
Ian Weatherson
5 years ago
Replace the windows to match your neighbours box sash windows, replace the front door (see if there are any other original front doors in the area you can copy), paint the windowsills and landscape your front garden (box hedge would look good).
Jonathan
5 years ago
Personally I think that the issue is that the pebbledashed section is too plain and this is exacerbated by the fact that the roof here is higher than the original plan. In my opinion the solution is to create some visual interest in this area. If both you and your neighbour is replacing the porch a taller version might help. Personally I think the pebbledash looks like a lower quality product than the rest of the house and painting it would help lift it (as long as the neighbour also want to do it as half done would look worse).
Ideally I would put a tall thin sash style window in the pebbledashed section but I recognise this might be inconvenient inside the house- but it could be faked by adding a window surround to the outside to match the stone on the bay.
anon2005
5 years ago
Just looked again and notice that further up the street where the original windows have been kept, the lintel above the windows have been painted white. So if you dont have much money and wanted a less expensive fix, painting the pebbledash and the lintels and other bits white together with window boxes would make a huge difference.
It also looks like the modern windows and porch addition have taken away the character of the house but if you dont want to spend on replacing, I would try these simpler options first. You could also make the small garden space very attractive but that is another subject....
PRO
The Sash Window Workshop
5 years ago
last modified: 5 years ago
I would personally replace the windows with a similar style of timber sash windows as the original windows had. Below is a photo of timber sash windows that we have manufactured and installed previously.

Edwardian sash windows · More Info

Please feel free to view the gallery pages our website or contact us if you would like a free quotation.

The Sash Window Workshop
www.sashwindow.com

How can I make my Edwardian house front look nicer?

Laura Thomas

Comments (16)

A B

anon2005

Related Discussions

imranhkhan92

mcpeeple
Original Author

kwg kwg

Angie

Angie

Keith Jayne

AMB

AMB

kwg kwg

Ian Weatherson

Jonathan

anon2005

The Sash Window Workshop

COMPANY

BUSINESS SERVICES

GET HELP

CONNECT WITH US

How can I make my Edwardian house front look nicer?

Comments (16)

Related Discussions

mcpeepleOriginal Author

COMPANY

BUSINESS SERVICES

GET HELP

CONNECT WITH US

mcpeeple
Original Author