Kerb appeal challenge!! 1970's bungalow

3 years ago

Hi. I've just completed a side extension to our 1970's bungalow. Can anyone please provide advice on how we can now improve the general appearance of the front of the house and garden space please?
I would like to change the colour of the brown front door and side gates to brighten it up. What colour would work with the stone facia?
Always wanted to add a porch over front door but don't think it will be possible due to roof configuration?
I would also like to landscape front garden but not sure what would work? Garden was left bare due to extention works so its a blank canvas.
I'm open to any ideas at all - small or large.
Thank you so much.

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Comments (42)

Carolina
3 years ago
Maybe?
User
3 years ago
I actually quite like it as it is. I don't think it needs a porch, I find having an open porch really handy. Maybe the white cladding needs replacing. Some clever people on here may be able to mock it up for you with different options.
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Jo Foden
Original Author
3 years ago
Thanks very much Carolina for the mock up. It's so helpful to see landscaping added and an alternative idea for cladding.

Thanks Sarah for the comment, that's really helpful.
E D
3 years ago
Where did you park the car, Carolina? 😊
E D
3 years ago
last modified: 3 years ago
I quite like your 1970s bungalow. It does have the midcentury flavour.

Maybe embrace it rather than try to hide it.

As in Carolina’s mock-up.

Painting the brickwork of the extension in the same colour as the cladding may be worth considering.
Jo Foden
Original Author
3 years ago
Thanks E D. That's really helpful. I will look at that option. I was looking at climbing plants to potentially soften the left join to the extention aswell.

Could I please also ask your opinion on colour options for the front door and side gates (far right of photo). Really would like to get away from the existing brown and go for a green? Thanks in advance.
E D
3 years ago
I’m not the best in colour advice but yes a lovely sage green could look really nice.

Carolina?
Carolina
3 years ago
last modified: 3 years ago
In my mock up I used a cream shade for the front door. Picked it because it was close to the colours that are in your chimney. Which is also why I used that warm grey for the cladding. I would personally not add another colour and would keep it close to the colours of the chimney, so it ties it all in. With the oranges and yellows, the chimney looks a bit alone.

If you look closely at the mock up, I even painted your fence the same colour as the cladding.

If I have some time, later today, I'll try to mock up some different colours and show them to you.
HU-290967725
3 years ago
I think black would look nice for windows and door.
Jo Foden
Original Author
3 years ago
Thanks so much for that Carolina. That makes perfect sense. See what you mean about the chimney stone cladding wall. I know what you mean about more colours being added. Due to the different stone treatments, I am wary of complicating the house appearance further.

Thanks very much HU. I like the black, which is not something I had considered before. This is another good consideration. Thanks for taking the time and trouble. Black certainly adds continuity.
HU-290967725
3 years ago
I think the orange windows just make it all to orange. You could maybe get them painted if they are good condition.
Jo Foden
Original Author
3 years ago
HU, I know what you mean. I think landscaping will cut through this a little, but completely agree with you that a change of frame and door colours will bring greater contrast. Thanks for that.
Carolina
3 years ago
I like the black or anthracite windows.

Here's a mock up with a sage green door. I don't like it :-)
Jo Foden
Original Author
3 years ago
Carolina - no, neither do I! Thank you very much for doing that.
Carolina
3 years ago
Cream front door and cladding
Jo Foden
Original Author
3 years ago
Yes, much better. I like the cream and black options. Thank you.
kazzh
3 years ago
The mock up of the cream looks like a winner... the dark brown really pulled the door back and darkened the area, so am not fan of black as an idea as again I think it will bury the door into it's alcove. So cream is getting my 'like' as my feeling is that it will brighten the door alcove and be a welcoming entry point.
Jo Foden
Original Author
3 years ago
Thanks kazzh, that's really useful feedback. I agree the door needs a light colour to bring it forward.
E D
3 years ago
Hmm, crème voordeur. Beetje saai.😐 ☺️
Jo Foden
Original Author
3 years ago
ED - 😂 cream boring? Perhaps, but could be classic, especially if backed up with a lovely front garden. Thanks to you all for really helpful mockups and feedback 👍 😀
HU-290967725
3 years ago
What about a nice rose creeper on the chimney?
E D
3 years ago
Haha Jo, nothing gets past you! 😊
Jo Foden
Original Author
3 years ago
Love that HU, brilliant idea. Thank you. we are going to resurface the front path/ drive so planting pits could be easily incorporated to enable a climber.
HU-290967725
3 years ago
I would have to say I agree with ED on the cream door. It makes the house look a bit like bland soup! But it's your house... and that's only my opinion! Beauty is in the eye of the beholder!! :-)
Jo Foden
Original Author
3 years ago
Thanks HU. My original intention was have a colour of some description on the door and side gates, but I've tried to keep an open mind and welcome options I'd not considered.

I know the landscaping of the front garden will have a big influence over the overall look of the house and am tempted to do the garden first and house facia second so the two blended. The garden is important to us.

Through my struggle to visualise house colours etc, I was wondering whether a lighter, rustic oak door with nice hardware would work to stick with the modern cottage vibe. Then let the flowers/ shrubs/ climbers add the texture and colour.
Karenza Roy
3 years ago
I agree with ED the cream is boring... I'd go for a sage green door and sage green cladding
love that rose idea too
User
3 years ago
Saw this and thought of you 🙂
Juliet Docherty
3 years ago
last modified: 3 years ago
Totally disagree about sage green (sorry). To me that belongs on a period property, this has a 70's almost mid century vibe that needs to be brought out. I also wouldn't plant anything on the exterior, it looks a bit mumsy, (sorry again). I love the black, it really outlines the roofline. I would stick to a palette of black and stone colours with massive architectural planting. A flash of acid yellow is always good on a house a bit like this.
E D
3 years ago
Ya, I suppose sage green is a bit boring too. 😊

Agree about ‘70s en midcentury style. As I said before, embrace it. 👍
HU-290967725
3 years ago
That's a good idea to live with it and do landscaping first. I remember about 4 years ago I asked for some mock ups of my house.... and it took 3 years for it all to materialise whilst we lived with it and sorted out the front garden area. And we are in the lovely bungalow camp too!
Jo Foden
Original Author
3 years ago
HU: good advice. I think was all out of ideas and inspiration after using my energy up on the extention and over hauling the interior decor this past year. Homeschooling 9 year old twins has also zapped my energy! You have all been so kind and helpful and opened my eyes to a few things.

Ed - you've given a name to our house style in terms of midcentury. This is a game changer for me as I didn't realise! It gives me a greater idea of what to look for from a design perspective.

Colourhappy - thanks for the advice and images. I get completely what you are saying and can see the black enhances the strong lines. The flash of acid yellow has already caused some hot debate with my other half 😂. I love it by the way!
Carolina
3 years ago
Colourhappy mentioned yellow, but I thought: orange!
Carolina
3 years ago
And here's yellow...
Carolina
3 years ago
Lime green?
Carolina
3 years ago
A warm red?
Juliet Docherty
3 years ago
Love the orange!
Juliet Docherty
3 years ago
These houses are angled and God, dare I say (I might get shot) quite masculine looking. I think the ideas of architectural planting is to balance the strong lines of the house, pretty has no place in this sort of set up.
Jo Foden
Original Author
3 years ago
Thanks very much Carolina for taking the time and trouble to do the mock ups. They really help. I like the orange, green and yellow. Would you do the side double timber gates in the same colour as the front door or match them instead with the oak window frames?

Colourhappy - yes the house design is that way. Its ok to say it 🙂. In terms of the front garden, I'm thinking along the lines of a coastal gravel garden scheme with structured shrubs combined with herbaceous flowering/ foliage plants.
Juliet Docherty
3 years ago
I love houses like this, I think it's going to look lovely.
Carolina
3 years ago
last modified: 3 years ago
You're welcome :-) I wouldn't match the gates to the front door. I would paint them either the same as the cladding (if you're going to paint that) or just anthracite grey or something dark like that. I don't think they need to stand out :-)

Sorry for the boring front door, but I don't have much time now and this one I had ready to copy and paste :-) (I do still like it though) Which is why I didn't do the garden either.
Jo Foden
Original Author
3 years ago
Thank you Carolina. That's great.

And thanks everyone- I've got plenty of ideas now.
E D
3 years ago
Having the gate the same colour as the cladding is a great idea.

I still feel the front of the extension needs something too.

Kerb appeal challenge!! 1970's bungalow

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