How to make our ugly 1930s terrace look pretty?
We just bought our first house! It’s a doer upper, which we have no experience in, but in our dream location so we decided it was worth it :-)
It ticked so many of our boxes but unfortunately is seriously lacking in exterior charm/character.
Although it’s not top of the list of things that need doing, we’d like to make the front of the house look a bit more appealing. I am thinking we will need to change the door (perhaps to something stained glass) and the windows but I am not sure what would look nicer? The second photo is of the strange vestibule inside the hall, we love the yellow glass, shame its not on the exterior.
Also would like to paint over the horrible beige paint - or maybe re-render it?
Does anyone have any photos of this style of house done up or have any inspiration ? please let me know! I’d be grateful to hear your thoughts
Comments (28)
bristolbased
3 years agoI was wondering that too but other houses on the street dont so I am not sure. None of the other houses on the street are particularly nice.
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Comments (14)Hi Ben, I am inclined to agree with Design Bi-folds but it is tough when you are in a row like that as it is nice to take into account you surroundings too and not make it stick out like a sore thumb against its back drop.. although sometimes this is what people want. What do you want? Have you looked at the other properties? have any had their windows redone or pulled up the slabs to make way for a garden area at the front? What style do you have in side? If your budget is fairly small I would consider painting the cladding in a contemporary colour and some foliage in the front and especially up the side of the wall would make a great difference to the feel of the property. If it is larger then replacing windows and doors plus creating a small front garden area and if it is even larger then rendering the front with aluminium windows and door is definitely your best option. You have lots of options so do not lose hope. If you require any further assistance with anything, please do feel free to drop us a message. All the best, Gina...See MoreTired 3 bed 1900's terrace. How can I make the exterior look nice?
Comments (18)Hi I’m also a developer/PRL, and the best price of advice I was given when I was starting out was to remember that on low to mid range profit projects (if not all projects) controlling your spending is the most important thing to remember, and every £ you spend is a £ less profit. I too hate uPVC windows and would not have them on my own home, but many people do like them and see them as a positive when it comes to buying/selling – just look at the houses either side of your house, and I assume along the whole of the street; people do like them! With my developer head on I would suggest that you try to work with what you already have - clean the uPVC frames inside and out with a solvent based professional cleaner, these really shift dirt and marks, and to a certain extent make scratches less noticeable as it removes the ingrained dirt. Replace the interior handles – new ones can be found online at around £1.99 each if you bulk buy. Replace any worn seals with a new universal fitting seal (approx £16 for 20m). If any of the windows are blown/misted, look at replacing the sealed glazed unit instead of the whole window, again the sealed units can be found quite cheaply online. With regards to your porch, it looks like it is integrated with the front window, so removing it would be a time consuming and costly job, so I would leave it as is and possibly look at just replacing the outer door, ideally one with a glazed panel to give a bit more light. I know you said you don't like uPVC doors, however, composite doors are more expensive. As you won't be living there does it really matter if you install a white uPVC door, as long it is the most tasteful and least offensive one you can find. An alternative would be to install fully glazed French doors with both sides opening, which would possibly mean that the doors can open inwards. All of these can be bought online and be fitted yourself – however, you will need to check if you will require a FENSA certificate issuing for the work, otherwise this could cause issues when you come to sell. I wouldn't advise painting the uPVC, as it is really difficult to obtain a good finish, and nothing looks worse than poorly finished paintwork either inside or outside. As others have said, remove the nets, put up some nice curtains (these can be removed and reused on other projects), don't worry regarding privacy, as again you will not be living there, and it will allow more light into the room. If the privacy angle does bother you, you can always put a plain white voile (costs around £2 per m, and a couple of £ for the rod) up at the window with little or no fullness, which gives a more modern, less fussy finish. I would move the dustbins to the rear of the property, and put a couple of large pots in the front garden – I tend to use Olive trees as they can be shaped and don't mind too much if they aren't watered regularly – these can also be removed and used on other projects. Hope this helps – and good luck for the future!...See MoreExtension and remodelling, ground floor, modest 1930s end terrace
Comments (22)I think making the extension smaller will work, but you've thrown something extra in to the mix by way of a music room and a separate lounge. The designs above are good, but none of them have room for dining. ( except for Jonathan's ) I think as Jonathan suggests that you need a definitive list of items that you have to have, and items that you'd like if it were possible. I fear you will not fit all of them in and something will have to give. You barely have enough room for everything ( excluding the music room ) with a full width extension, if you make that smaller you will have to do without something. Maybe the office could treble up as the office / guest room / music room? Or dining could be dining and music? Therefore, a concept planner is a must. As you can see, it is possible to have the rooms opened up like this ( bearing in mind a supporting wall has been taken away to make extra room - so extra cost ) - however, the furniture placement isn't in my opinion favourable - so that's where a concept planner comes in - They know the sizes of the objects and what can fit in where. They can also 3d the plans so that you can have a look round them. Your plans are ok, but they haven't taken in to consideration the furniture and what you might be able to fit in the spaces, thus they don't work so well i'm afraid. This is the whole thing made smaller - As you see the downstairs loo went in favour of a hallway to the downstairs bathroom, the loo becomes a utility cupboard. You have a bench dining area with table etc This is it made a little larger:- The extra metre makes a big difference!...See MoreHow to make our tired 1930s terrace look pretty?
Comments (19)Not sure how it works in the UK but in France if you are changing the appearance of your house that is visible from the road, you need prior permission. This is to avoid people doing things that are completely out of keeping with the neighbourhood, whether rendering, paintwork, or windows. Here you would probably have to go with cream rendering and retain the tiling, in which case choose a colour for the front door that picks up or contrasts with the brick/rust colour. My own first priority for the outside would be to deal with the garden, which you are very lucky to have, to get things in before the winter. One idea would be to get rid of the tiny patch of grass and lay thick gravel (not attractive to cats) plus a retaining path, create a simple structure to hide your dustbins (and bikes?), and invest in a couple of huge pots with some permanent planting and spring bulbs....See More
E D
3 years agolast modified: 3 years agobristolbased
3 years agoE D
3 years agolast modified: 3 years ago
Sonia
3 years agoI don’t think it’s ugly, just needs a bit of a facelift! The front door looks like a later edition - people did that with open porches for some strange reason. The internal door is beautiful and very Art Deco so if it’s original the era could be anything 1900s - 1930s. I would remove the outer door, tile the porch floor if needed (black and white tiles was popular at that time). Then paint the render off white, or any pale colour you like. That’s what I would do.
Below is a modern door in an Art Deco style, and black and white tiles for the porch/doorstep, if needed.
berrecka
3 years ago
Juliet Docherty
3 years agolast modified: 3 years agoI like Sonia's path idea, I think it would transform it. I also think it's a lovely house and has lots of potential. I'm not sure what style the windows ought to be, but if or when you do replace them I would have them white. The garden is a real feature, I would keep it really really simple with strong shapes. When I was in Penzance a few weeks ago I photographed this house because it was so pretty on a row of similarly lovely ice cream looking houses. They looked timeless and not an anthracite window in sight. What I think is particularly striking is the huge cordyline outside, a real focal point. I have one similar in my front garden that has got to gutter height in three years. I would paint it a colour such as pale pink like in the picture.
bristolbased
3 years agoBudur C
3 years agoLovely house. I don’t think you need much to do: render it in a light colour like a neighbour on the left: silicone render lasts but is more expensive. Replace the windows if they are single glazed, tile a nice mosaic path to the house. I would keep the front door as it makes the house warmer: porch acts as a buffer zone but put a nicer colourful door in whatever colour you like.
Simon R
3 years agominipie
3 years agobristolbased
3 years agominipie
3 years agoRalot
3 years agoHolly Richardson
3 years agoHanna T
3 years agoJust repainting render (if it is in ok condition) will give a fresh look. We removed a porch and revealed the original stained glass windows (and not even original door) and this made such huge different. We also planned a new hedge between us and next door and re-hung the original iron gate. After and before pictures below
bristolbased thanked Hanna T
Sarah L
3 years agoE D
3 years agoWumi
3 years agojjcg
3 years ago
Sophie K
3 years agobristolbased
3 years ago
Pamela Luna
3 years ago
bristolbased
3 years ago
Sonia