Architects Input Needed for 80's contemporary facelift!

last year

I am looking to update this 1980s style contemporary home into something new/fresh. It screams 80s. Was thinking of tearing off the second floor and squaring off the home in the front (install a 3rd garage stall).

See below for my thoughts. I was thinking of tearing off the 2nd floor and moving the entire front wall of the home where the arrows are to line up (square off the front of the home) with the portion of the home sitting furtherest most to the front (the part circled). I would gain full first and second floor in the area of the home extended forward. As well as a third garage stall and a full second story of the front room in the right of the picture (angled ceiling) that is just first floor space now.

I was thinking of something similar to the home below but on the left hand side it would be different as I would extend the master bedroom above the 3rd garage still (on the front end of the home) as the master is currently above the garage.

What are your thoughts/ideas?

Below are pictures of the home currently.

Sort by:Oldest

Comments (44)

freedomplace1
last year
The current/existing house is much more interesting and ”updated” than anything you are planning to do with it and to it. The current house is a classic. A treasure.
bpath
last year
Oh good lord. Either embrace it or tear it down.
Related Discussions
Need help with open plan kitche/living/dining layout...
Q
Comments (76)
Hi jonathandb1972, yes our architect suggested and prefers accessing the ensuite via the changing room too, but I'm not convinced. It will reduce usable wall space in the changing room and walking through one room to get to another just feels wrong (if you know what I mean!).
...See More
Extending and can't match bricks.. shall we render the whole lot!??
Q
Comments (24)
If you can match the bricks do and then paint the window frames. Man About The House painted his (I think) UPVC windows a lovely sage green which would brighten the whole thing. He has posted some pics somewhere- it looks really lovely. Hopefully he can advise. I’ve totally copied his idea and the new windows are arriving in a couple of weeks. Can’t wait to see the difference it’ll make to our tired exterior!
...See More
Help needed to update 80s Bungalow
Q
Comments (17)
Please do live in it for at least 6 months and get to know your new space before making any drastic changes. You need to see how the light works inside and out, which rooms you like and which need a re-think, if the plumbing/kitchen/storage space/electrics or garden space need improvement or enlargement. Then employ an architect to help with plans if the budget stretches. Money spent on professional help is a very good idea indeed and cheaper in the long run.
...See More
Help! Advice wanted to change 1980s house exterior. Suggestions?
Q
Comments (21)
I would suggest as others have, a bigger porch, will allow you more storage as well,particularly when it's wet outside. Also, perhaps render or paint the extension and porch to tie them together, but to do the whole thing might be too blocky and monolithic. Do the windows work for you from the inside? You might find that if, for example, you do the porch and extension in white, the windows aren't so obvious. If they don't work for you, look at making them larger and more symmetrical. They seem quite small for the house.
...See More
cpartist
last year
You're not going to be able to turn an 80's contemporary into what it isn't. Well yes you can if you have a 7 figure budget. The best house renovations are when you work with the style of the house to make it what it is but better. Not to try and make it something it isn't. That's called remuddling.
decoenthusiaste
last year
Call a good real estate agent to list your home and help you find what you're dreaming of.
cpartist
last year
BTW: The home you linked that you like? That's pretty bad in terms of design. Too much not working together.
PRO
Mark Bischak, Architect
last year
You are coming HERE for this kind of project???? You need local professional help.
Jennifer K
last year
Are you serious or just trolling? If you're serious, give your head a shake. Remodelling would be far more expensive than rebuilding. Though why you'd want to build a generic McMansion, I can't compass.
User
last year
You want to take something interesting, with character, and turn it into hideous badly designed pasteurized vanilla rice pudding? And lose your shirt doing it? Is burning money and defacing displays at the art museum other pastimes to fill your days as well?
bpath
last year
Definitely a joke.
dan1888
last year
Since this is an exercise in imagination. Make a posterboard scale model of your house and start playing with it. You can move walls and roof lines to start to see what you like.
worthy
last year
last modified: last year

I was thinking of re-constructing this mish mosh.

Suggestions?
Jennifer K
last year
@worthy, add motors to make the sails flap. Maybe it will fly away!
M Riz
last year
That is a super unique home, embrace it and all of the possibilities. Id be focusing on the landscape.
PRO
Mark Bischak, Architect
last year
You could hire a painter that smokes heavily and make sure your fire insurance is paid up to date.
PRO
Mark Bischak, Architect
last year
"I was thinking of re-constructing this mish mosh."

Do not use that same architect.
millworkman
last year
"@worthy another worthless keyboard warrior troll"

That'll help you get advice, well that and your 69 posts versus worthy's' 11,000 plus....................
PRO
HALLETT & Co.
last year
Short of landscaping tweaks (don’t touch the maple) and a more interesting paint job the house needs nothing in the way of improvements.
PRO
Mark Bischak, Architect
last year
last modified: last year
Outside of a pure 'discussion', the best advice you can get here is to hire a local architect that specializes in single family residential projects. They will not only help you in any design work that needs to be done, but they will be able to help you in the decision process in the best way to alter things or the best way to preserve things. They may even have you lay down on a couch and talk about your early childhood while they take notes.

Hiring a good builder that has a good handle on construction costs would be a good idea. They can also help keep the architect under control.
M Riz
last year
last modified: last year
Why would you buy a house that you fundamentally do not like? Was it the neighborhood, or did you think that like on TV, its an easy fix? Most people would have passed on a home that didnt fit their style. Its a real question.
PRO
Mark Bischak, Architect
last year
I do not think he specifically said he owned it.
M Riz
last year
It would be a good move to find out how crazy his idea is before laying out the fazooles, to me tho, its an open question.
bpath
last year
I guess I shouldn’t have been so quick to judge it as a joke. We had a neighbor who converted a 1960 back-split into a northwooods/craftsman/foursquare kind of thing three times the size.
Architectrunnerguy
last year
I think he owns it. He posted an identical thread about the same house two years ago how to update 80’s contemporary house (houzz.com) Don't know why he didn't reference that thread here.
WestCoast Hopeful
last year
I think it could use some landscaping support, a clean up, fresh coat of paint and new windows. But I really think it has a lot of interesting aspects to it that shouldn’t be changed at all
PRO
Virgil Carter Fine Art
last year
last modified: last year
Well,,,as others have said, attempting to convert the house in the first photo to the house in the second photo is really not a good idea...unless you have tons of money that you want to get rid of.

If the second photo is truly your dream house, a much better plan may be selling your existing house and finding something similar to the second photo. You'll save money, and keep the good will of your current neighbors.

Good luck!
PRO
Mark Bischak, Architect
last year
I'm not sure. It may have set on the market for over two years. One thing is for sure, his taste in architectural style has changed
builderguy2341
Original Author
last year
@charlie what do you mean overgrown
decoenthusiaste
last year
last modified: last year
I'll repeat the look I referenced on your previous post; charcoal and cedar will work with your stone if you decide not to move. Board and batten will enhance the vertical architecture of your home. Landscaping that removes the big clump by the garage, the dying tree right of the front door area and the four evergreens surrounding the entry is needed. Broadening the steps and landing to be more welcoming will also require new plantings that should be kept low and low maintenance.
Boulder Ridge · More Info
PRO
Mark Bischak, Architect
last year
Do you own this house?
decoenthusiaste
last year
https://www.houzz.com/discussions/5956036/how-to-update-80-s-contemporary-house
User
last year
last modified: last year
I think it has very much cool potential. Just as Mid Century homes became crazy popular over the past decade, interesting architecture from the 80s and 90s are the next big thing. Tearing it up would be a disservice. Trying to force it into classic style would be an expensive disaster.

Embrace it - update it in a way that's appropriate for the architecture. Or move and let somebody else appreciate it for what it is.

Here are some of my favorite examples of updated homes from this era. You don't have to paint it black, it's just an example of the potential these have. I could see homes like this also looking fabulous in white, dark teal or navy.

slightly different rooflines, but I think you could make your house "feel" like these with the right updates:
PRO
BLDG Workshop Inc.
last year
I love that house in its current form.

With some good architectural design to freshen it up it could become a real masterpiece.
PRO
User
last year
last modified: last year
Hire a good landscape designer and get rid of all the badly maintained past maturity plants that are bringing it down. The maple can be underplanted with some variegated foliage ground cover, and add in a friendlier and wider off set block walkway. The rest is too hard to even see to make suggestions, other than most needs to go. Just that would make a huge improvement. The driveway also looks to be poorly maintained and in need of replacement.

The general curb appeal of the home is somewhat past it’s prime and neglected. It shows that you do not like it. And that is a shame. Because it is a great home, with great bones. I hope the neglect is not represented in the interior as well. Or that the interior has not been ”improved” to your idea of an update, that erases it’s original character. That would drag down it’s appeal and value substantially more than benign neglect.
BT
last year
This house may have a lot of potential, it does not need to be converted to something it is NOT. It could be drastically improved. Current landscaping is dated, horrid, half dead.

Moving front wall and tearing down the second floor is irrational. It may be cheaper to tear down the entire house. If you do want to improve - hire someone very experienced. A lot of additions go south because some architects / or designers don't know what they doing. You do not want stucked boxes addition. It has to have the coherent look.
PRO
Mark Bischak, Architect
last year
"This house may have a lot of potential"

I had a client once that referred to it as "the 'P' word".
scout
last year
This house has amazing potential. Why would you buy this archietctural treasure only to tear it up? Why did you not buy another house? @User suggestions are great. This home is unique, has lots of glass, great roof lines, etc. The only think lacking is the landscaping. Maybe step back and look at it again. Think about what you like about it. And look at similar homes online. Maybe you will change your mind. If not, I’d sell it and find a home that’s more in line with what you want.
PRO
Mark Bischak, Architect
last year
If I were a betting man, I would bet the OP does not own this house.
PRO
Virgil Carter Fine Art
last year
I’m betting the OP left this discussion long ago…
builderguy2341
Original Author
last year
I’m here think consensus is change siding windows landscaping 😀
jmm1837
last year
I think the consensus is to sell the house to someone who appreciates it, and buy a McMansion.
WestCoast Hopeful
last year
Fall into neglect? During a worldwide pandemic when maybe he had other things to focus on then siding and windows…wow. It’s a house, not a person, and the OP wants to update it. Yes their vision may not match what many believe should happen but it does seem they heard that.
PRO
Mark Bischak, Architect
last year
Do you own this house?
M Riz
last year
More importantly…Where YOU the goth girl? lol
M Riz
last year
last modified: last year
Also Verbo, how is it different for a woman to change her hair to blonde and body, and a goth person dying their hair black purple or green and piercing their face? You would have to realize that if the blonde isnt confident and is insecure, certainly the Goth person is also. Be intellectually honest, you cant have it both ways. I always looked at your posts as informed, but after that preteen book prologue, Im happy to realize that you are as informed as the rest of us only you deliver it nicely. Putting down women for their style choices (only one one side tho) is small.