Handsome house!

Thank you!!

My initial suggestion would be rendering but i see you are not keen on that idea. how about adding some wooden cladding to a section of the exterior? This can really provide the wow factor.

Thanks for looking at this. I'm just concerned that even with cladding and/or render, the eye is still drawn to the busy windows? I've been searching for any projects which have done a makeover to a similar house, but less radical than the full black windows and white render update!

I think you would be surprised at the transformation that rendering or cladding could make. I personally love the windows but your eye will be drawn to them more as you view them unfavourably. Less busy windows are an option but another big expense.

Thanks again! Could I trouble you a bit more? Would you render/clad the whole house or are there just sections which would work? What type/colour do you think would work with the windows and existing roof? We have budget for windows but I would prefer to avoid the landfill involved.

No problem at all. I would clad the left hand side of the property (as you look at it) as this would work well with the symmetrical look of that elevation. I would then render the rest of the property in a white light colour (that is the actual name of the colour) as it wouldn't contrast heavily against the windows. I would consider this kind of colour combination.

If you want to tie in with the existing roof, you could also consider grey cladding.

Certainly food for thought! Thank you.

Your current window are definitely reflective of a certain era so I’d be very cautious about using the cladding and rendering example above as seems to me that this would be an unhappy mix of styles. Perhaps one of the photoshop gurus on Houzz will be able to do some mock ups for you.

I also think the cladding and render suggestion is a disaster.

We have struggled -we have used an architect who (as part of extension planning) went for render and modern windows. I had excluded them in the brief! We are going to start again but before instructing another architect I want to see if there are other options. I think it might be a matter of getting better quality windows.

Having mock ups is good advice and it's only a disaster if it's not what you want!

Could you not sell the windows? They look like 'standard' windows that could be used to fit in many other properties with beading and cladding to fill any gaps. I think it is the windows that really let the house down and no cladding or rendering will change that. You can also just replace the glass in the windows with plain glass to make it look less plasticky and this is much cheaper than replacing the windows completely.

I think that is going to be the answer. I think I'll ring the window suppliers and see if they have any facility to mock up what the windows would look like or find an architect who can!

You could just replace the sealed unit glass bit in the existing frames. There are loads of companies that offer the service - primarily to resolve "blown" sealed units with condensation between the panes.

What a lovely house! Most attractive. It seems that it’s the windows you dislike the most so maybe that’s what you should concentrate on. Loving Ribena’s suggestion - that could be the answer!

I started editing a photo and lost it - so tried on an iPad instead and my normal editing software isn’t on this one ! So did a very basic edit with standard iPad edit suite (until my finger hurt !) to show Ribena’s idea ... so apologies it a rubbish rendition ... but it’s been a long day !!!
Hope it helps - and I think it’s a cool house too !

Thank you so much! I think I’ll get quotes for replacing the panes and for upgrade of the windows and see what the comparison is.

Yes, good idea to get quotes.

I genuinely wonder wether it’s worth the expense.

If I understand it correctly the only change this would realise is to delete the faux ‘Georgian’ panes?

Just for visualising

I’m really interested in the idea of spraying the windows a heritage colour and adding a gabled porch. That would tie in with the older houses locally and a couple that have been recently “made over”. Unfortunately we’d have to change the panes as the beading is internal, but I could always get one done and see how it works.

To 1sandyh I’m a traditionalist too and I think that’s the problem! It’s the shiny plastic and internal bars of the windows I really dislike. I’ve been looking for a comparable makeover since we moved 6months ago but all 1970s houses seem to go for ultra modern or New England!

Rinq thanks so much for the visualising - helps me think I do want some character on the windows even though have too much at moment!!

Ugh, bloody spam! I wish there was a way in Houzz to report this!

There is!

Use the Houzz web version and you can flag posts up as spam.

They then usually get deleted.

Thanks ED! Looks like someone has done it for us already. :)

;-)

Thanks for all the comments - I've spent a bit of time getting the hang of mocking up the various ideas. I think we're going to try the front door change first and then look at the other possible changes-changing windows (either just the glass or switching bow to flat and reducing the bars, although I think still need some bars) and also putting gable over the upstairs window. Going to start getting quotes - discussion on here has been such a help!

I’ve recently had my windows sprayed, you can go almost any colour.

Kirst Michael - Does the spray come with a guarantee and out of interwst what was the rough cost per window? Lools fab btw.

Lovely house and with some external touches it can look great. If the windows can be sprayed they wouldn't offend me at all, if anything would prefer them to the standard ones. However im in total agreement on the rendering/cladding front and Amy newton interiors had some lovely examples. Because the windows are busy i would however mainly stick with just render and show off your door too with a lighter colour as suggested by minnie101.