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Help.. curb appeal needed

Emily Mc
4 years ago

We've purchased our bungalow a few years ago. In an ideal world we would flatten it and start new. Unfortunately that is not in the cards.


We aim to give the front a modern makeover with a low maintenance rock garden, expanded drive area to the front and update the look of the house with new windows and repositioning the front door in the future. The house faces south west and gets a lot of sun through the 3 large windows facing the street; too much sun in the summer time making the 2 bedrooms at the front very hot.


Our house when we bought it.


Our progress:

- replaced the 2 windows at the front as the seals were blown. replaced with anthracite framed windows with better double glazing to help minimise the solar effects

- stripped the front of all vegetation and accessories on the house

- new drive area prepped and waiting black/grey tarmac

- path bed prepared and awaiting porcelain pavers

- rock garden awaiting soil backfill, ground cloth, stones and plants

- we will put a metal framed wooden gate across the drive to give privacy to the back drive area. likely to be painted in anthracite, but considering hardwood

- awaiting delivery of a Cor-ten steel flower bed to extend under the front 2 windows and deal with the slope. It lies just below the damp proof course. I wanted a pop of colour to give the front interest.

- given the windows are not equally spaced we planned to put a 9 foot Trachycarpus fortunei palm for impact and balancing... between the edge of the new planter and front left edge of the house.


in the future...

- we aim to move the front door from it's existing location hidden on the side, to the location of the 3rd window facing the street. Putting in a modern anthracite door with glass side panel to the left.

- we would also like to put a modern upside down "L" shaped awning over the entrance.. in Cor-ten if we can manage it.


We need help on a few items..

1 - The front 2 windows are very exposed to the street and don't given any curb appeal to the house. I would love to not have lace mesh curtains.

  • I initially though Bermuda shutters would work, giving some great curb appeal, needed solar shading and privacy for the bedrooms... but with the extortionate price tag and the design of the windows I don't think this is the solution.
  • Could privacy film work? I've seen some silver striped film that can be applied to the bottom half of the windows.
  • Simple sheer roller shades?
  • Bris soleil or pergola placed over the windows? doesn't help the privacy but can improve the solar impact.
  • Laser cut screens fixed outside the windows ?
  • Any ideas / suggestions?

2 - For the path I'm looking at large format porcelain pavers in a light beige colour. I was considering either 600 x 1200 or 300 x 1200. Between the pavers I will have Scottish pebbles.


A photo of our progress, and a pic of my gardenPlanner file I've been playing with (I haven't figured out how to show the pebbles/cobbles in the rock garden so it's currently clear). The file depicts 300 x 1200 pavers for the path.




My husband and I (as well as our friend with a digger) are trying to do as much work by ourselves to keep the costs down. Any help and advice is greatly appreciated. Thank you fellow Houzzers!

Comments (2)

United Kingdom
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