alicia_williams3884

Buyers Remorse

Alicia Austin
9 år sedan
senast redigerad:9 år sedan
Oh Houzz gurus. We bought a house. It was a bidding war. (I hate those). And it needs so much work I woke up in the middle of the night questioning my sanity. Because we paid top dollar for it (gulp...) I would like it to not look like a scary old lady cat house. We may have to replace some big ticket items (septic etc), so my budget is tiny. What would you do to make this place look... I dunno... good? (Thank you so much in advance! I really appreciate it).

Kommentarer (78)

  • ouggie
    9 år sedan
    I agree lighting would be good. Designers use to light homes like this with outdoor lighting that shown up and shown down at the same time.
    . One light every few yards in the front . Lights shaped like two cones/ one mounted on top of the other. Made the shape of an X. Still available/classic. mount 2/3rd up wall. Makes this style come to life like no other lighting can. Lights can also be a tube with one globe shining up and one globe down.
    Alicia Austin thanked ouggie
  • Mary Dillon
    9 år sedan
    Ooh, check Ciscomo's upper right photo and same for Thos. Baker. You can totally do this. Doing it before adding pergola/landscaping will simplify everything.
    Alicia Austin thanked Mary Dillon
  • rocketjcat
    9 år sedan
    Please don't be tempted to succumb to a quick 'fix' like shutters. Your windows were not designed for them to look right or for the style of the house. To look more than just decoration, shutters should look like that they're actually functional,,, each should be wide enough to cover half the window, which would make yours very wide. Also awning windows wouldn't have them. Notice that cicscomos and th. bakers beautiful inspiration photos do not have shutters. Wow I hadn't even noticed your great chimney! What a treasure! That stone is beautiful. :-)
    Alicia Austin thanked rocketjcat
  • taylorbuildingdesign
    9 år sedan
    Ändrades senast: 9 år sedan
    I would paint the front door with a burgandy red color. The white windows stand out too much. I would go to your local garden center and have them design the front with new plants etc. You could buy and install plants when you can afford to. The front of your house looks solid and just needs a face lift of colors.j
    Alicia Austin thanked taylorbuildingdesign
  • pcmom1
    9 år sedan
    Ändrades senast: 9 år sedan
    Lots of good ideas here. And I think your home is quite nice looking. Start by picking out a front door color that makes you smile. Start an idea book for landscaping, etc. Remember, Rome wasn't built in a day.

    Once you start building memories you will feel differently, so plan some parties, decorate for the holidays, etc.

    Maybe start off with adding some landscaping to the other side of the door. There is a lot to be said for bringing in a good landscaper (knock on some doors of yards you admire) to draw you a plan.
    Chastain Park Remodel · Mer info
    Alicia Austin thanked pcmom1
  • pcmom1
    9 år sedan
    Now, this is a scary house!
    Between Naps on the Porch · Mer info
    Alicia Austin thanked pcmom1
  • PRO
    Defined Design
    9 år sedan
    Paint, paint, paint! I would do the upper portion a lovely, mid range putty, taupe or tan with a lighter color below - say two steps lighter on the same paint chip? Not near my Benjamin Moore paint chips right now, but look at the Classic Colors, Pick two of the tones that are in the chimney to the right. Leave the chimney if you'd like, but paint the garage door the deeper color. Window trim could remain white (they look like newer windows, so vinyl?) or be painted a soft off white to coordinate. Put your accent on the front door only to make the entry stand out more from that very large LR window. Ditch the monster shrub and the metal railing - height is not an issue, so keep that area open with planters filled with seasonal plants, add some landscaping to the left of the front, smaller plants to the right, and viola' - home, sweet home!
    Alicia Austin thanked Defined Design
  • 2leftsocks
    9 år sedan
    Ändrades senast: 9 år sedan
    Your home is gorgeous - a classic mid-century dream house so many love. All it needs, immediately, is a good exterior power washing, esp. the roof, and removal of the front iron railing. Temporarily mark the entry with a large simple planter filled with flowers or an arborvitae, which can remain, later, or be planted elsewhere. (And remove the rear chain link fence - not pretty). Start with this, since your budget is so tight. Later add a stone patio or front terrace that ties into the wonderful stone foundation/facade. Even inexpensive gray pea gravel would be just fine. From here, begin your plant landscaping to soften the home's sharp angles and to break up the glaring expanse of lawn. I'd even keep that big shrub - it works beautifully with the low lines of the house. All this takes time so don't panic. You'll get there. Right now just be happy that you bought a solid, spacious lovely home that gives you so many creative opportunities!
    Alicia Austin thanked 2leftsocks
  • jen046
    9 år sedan
    Very nice house! I would skip the shutters...doesn't go with windows or house. I would paint the upper part a mellow, but bright tan. Careful about punk undertones. It will go great with the white trim.

    A new door--or just painting your current door--would be great. I had my beloved apple green door on my former MCM house until the real estate agent made me paint it a boring burgundy color. A bonus about the door is it embarrassed the heck out of my then-teenage children!

    Flesh out the landscaping when you have funds.
    Alicia Austin thanked jen046
  • jen046
    9 år sedan
    "Pink" undertones...and punk ones as well!
    Alicia Austin thanked jen046
  • PRO
    sstarr93
    9 år sedan
    Here's the look with lightened and less-saturated brick tones, and dark grey doors/eaves:
    Alicia Austin thanked sstarr93
  • taylorbuildingdesign
    9 år sedan
    Ändrades senast: 9 år sedan
    This building needs in time a front entrance roof possibly built out of Douglas fir timber. In other words you would be protected from the elements while at the door plus high lighting the entrance.
    Alicia Austin thanked taylorbuildingdesign
  • Rob N Dawn Ponsford
    9 år sedan
    To me, the current design looks like 3 long bowling alley-ish horizontal lines. To remedy, I would paint the inner door black & attach some type of black stone vertical "pillar" effect to each end from top of the house to ground. & add some black planter pots. I like the existing colors, especially w/ black. This would be very cheap to do. Best of luck.
    Alicia Austin thanked Rob N Dawn Ponsford
  • pcmom1
    9 år sedan
    Ändrades senast: 9 år sedan
    Eventually you could add some sort of pergola/overhang at the door and have a few wide stairs and a pathway either straight down to the street or curving into your driveway:
    Exterior · Mer info

    Goose Farm · Mer info
    Alicia Austin thanked pcmom1
  • doctornancy
    9 år sedan
    Ändrades senast: 9 år sedan
    Great house - just needs a bit of tweaking to update it: a new door color (I like dark gray/black), wide landing in front of door, remove railing, a bit of landscaping, new light fixture and house numbers.
    Alicia Austin thanked doctornancy
  • pcmom1
    9 år sedan
    Ändrades senast: 9 år sedan
    Really nice picture, Doctornancy! I agree, just giving front door more emphasis by removing the railing and adding a landing/stairs/ pathway and more landscaping on the left side will make a major difference.

    The second picture reminds me a lot of this house. I do like the drama of a path that heads straight down to the street!

    Miller's Meadow Farm Entry · Mer info

    Chimney Corners Remodel · Mer info
    Alicia Austin thanked pcmom1
  • PRO
    Dweller
    9 år sedan
    I would update the door and windows and paint/ replace the garage door to a darker color. Basically remove all of the white because it makes the brick look dated. Remove the shrub and gate and add a nice walk way with better landscaping. It actually looks like a nice house. I would not paint the brick. Leave it alone.
    Alicia Austin thanked Dweller
  • pickyvicky
    9 år sedan
    Really nice house! All you need is a little landscaping. You might be able to find some cheap, little plants now. I bought box woods for $6 each. If you can dig with a shovel, go for it! With so much on your plate, don't stress with big ideas.

    Paint for the front door would be cheap, too.

    We loved our house when bidding on it, only to hate it after moving in. It's been 15 years and realize we paid way too much for it as we had many costly fixes as the previous homeowner was a jack-of-all-trades, master of none. Still waiting to get to the roof & interior carpeting, knowing all our big ideas will never happen.....BUT, it is finally looking like our space. It's not our dream, then again it is real & ours & that is what owning a home is all about.
    Alicia Austin thanked pickyvicky
  • Jennifer Neal
    9 år sedan
    I would paint the brick Navaho white and the trim what I would describe as a "sage-beige". Front door in a dark stain or walnut color paint. The garage's brick can be painted the color of the trim or a nice shade to bring a little contrast and design.
    Showcase some trees ( in planters) at sides of garage.
    Choose your favorite foundation plant along with some confederate jasmine or other vining plants to accent and frame the front door and soon this home would have a very welcoming entrance. If the budget allows, finish with outdoor lighting. It would look amazing!
    Alicia Austin thanked Jennifer Neal
  • groundflrup
    9 år sedan
    Does not look like a scary house. The grass in the yard looks great. Remove the over grown bush. Take your time. Take time a look at all the ideas on Houzz and have fun.
    Alicia Austin thanked groundflrup
  • Alicia Austin
    Författare
    9 år sedan
    Wow- I am feeling the love (and genius) from the Houzz gurus. thank you so so much! you have taken a lot of the pain out of this. i will keep you posted. we have a few more hoops to jump through (another huge gulp....is water "portable", is septic kaput, and what exactly is the cause of that tiny crack in the poured concrete foundation. once these are jumped through this mid century dame (may) be mine!
  • pickyvicky
    9 år sedan
    Good luck!
  • PRO
    Mark Bischak, Architect
    9 år sedan
    Ändrades senast: 9 år sedan
    Make two lists.

    The first list are the things that need to be done to make the house function properly, such as sewer/septic, water, electrical, plumbing, structural, etc.

    The second list are the things that will improve the house aesthetically, such as painting landscaping, replacing front door, adding a porch, etc.

    Prioritize the items on the first list.

    Prioritize the items on the second list.

    Now throw the second list in the trash and do the things on the first list, because if you don't do the things on the first list the second list will become trash anyway.
  • lucindalane
    9 år sedan
    This is a great MCM ranch, so congrats on your acquisition of such a great find. I do hope that you will enhance its great lines. I'm not a great fan of painting brick, but this might be a rare exception, as it I think it would make your house look really nice to paint the trim a darker gray/charcoal and the brick a color that would be more monochromatic as well.
    I'm posting my favorite MCM pergola photo, which adds so much to this mid century house in Oregon.
    Portland Mid-Century Modern · Mer info

    There are some great ideas posted here, so I hope that you can get your problems with the septic system, etc., solved to your satisfaction so you can start really making the house your home in every way.
    Alicia Austin thanked lucindalane
  • pcmom1
    9 år sedan
    Love that front door and the pergola!
  • lucindalane
    9 år sedan
    It's so attractive, isn't it? What makes it even more attractive is that it doesn't seem like it would be too expensive at all, compared to a lot of other things or ideas. If the OP likes the idea, and a planter was built, then the porch could be expanded out that way, or else just a set of very wide steps out toward the driveway.
    I also would remove the railing on the current small porch, and get a MCM style door, if it could be worked into the budget eventually. New ones can be rather pricey-it's amazing when people realize that other people are interested in an item, then what was on the way to the trash dump suddenly becomes worth a mint, or there are suddenly a whole bunch of expensive reproductions(just google MCM furnitiure.) However, there are still those that think the style is "icky," so I'd look at some place like Habitat for Humanity to see if they have any old doors that had been discarded in a "remodel." I happen to live in somewhat "eclectic" house that has a couple of the MCM type doors that have the "diamond" shaped window at the top. I live in Texas, and there is this new place, I believe, in Austin that produces doors. Just out of curiosity I looked up the style we have, and one door costs at least $1000. However, it is completely wood-not veneer, and not hollow-core. So, I think we will just keep ours. So, if I was on a budget, and wanted a MCM style door, I would certainly try the salvage route.
    Another thing about a planter like the one shown is that, if it was built high enough, it could help to hide the fact that the stone siding on the right side is shorter than the one on the other side
  • Joanne Maurer
    9 år sedan
    What a great house. Is it Mid century? It's classic ...it looks like a famous architect's work
    Alicia Austin thanked Joanne Maurer
  • weatherwife
    9 år sedan
    Alicia Williams, I was wondering if you had made any changes to your home. Please would you share it with us and post pictures and updates? I am sure it's going to be amazing! Good luck and enjoy the process.
    Alicia Austin thanked weatherwife
  • Alicia Austin
    Författare
    9 år sedan
    Hi Houzz - We have about 5 more sleeps until we get our new home. We have bought a new front mailbox, light fixture and numbers for a start. September I am hoping the espresso gods are with me because if so, I will be posting lots of our DIY updates. Thanks again for all your great ideas. Hubby and I pouring over them (and our budget).
  • Margo
    9 år sedan
    Ändrades senast: 9 år sedan
    Whooo HOOOO- the adventure begins;) Congrats!!
  • Rina
    9 år sedan
    Congratulations Alicia. Happy landing! I love the "espresso gods"; so many of us depend on them.
  • PRO
    Mouldex Exterior & Interior Mouldings
    9 år sedan
    Your home definitely has the foundation for great design and it could all be done in a reasonable budget.

    Staining your stone and brick to your colour tastes is an inexpensive alternative to re-cladding. It will change your home completely giving it a fresh, updated look.
    And it's definitely a DIY endevour.

    I love the space in between your window and door openings. Consider paneling the perimeter of the brick with a subtle trim board. You could also center wall sconces in those spaces which will create dramatic lighting effects at night.
    Alicia Austin thanked Mouldex Exterior & Interior Mouldings
  • PRO
    Grown Solutions
    9 år sedan
    Hanging Garden Trellises from grownsolutions.com can be hung in front of windows, for a natural air conditioning privacy screen effect, or in front of bare walls as a lovely focal point for otherwise difficult areas. They are also portable so you can move them out of harms way during inclement weather.
  • Alicia Austin
    Författare
    9 år sedan
    Ändrades senast: 9 år sedan
    Two more sleeps!(!!!)
    And we have been packing...and playing around with some very rudimentary paint websites to see what our place would look like with a new look. Some people are gifted with looking at a colour and understanding what goes, and others not so much. I fall in the not so much camp.
    Update: We need a new roof (as I think Santa crashed hard through ours and it needs to be repaired pronto...), so we are playing around with roof colours and are leaning firmly towards a greyish colour. This house is in a country-like setting but its in Southern Ontario (1 hour from Toronto) so there are loads of trees (almost like a forest).
    We havent landed on a style (we seem to like modern/IKEA...don't judge), so we keep going back and forth on traditional, modern, a take on modern with a twist of nature.
    Please help!
    For now, I give you our 4 paint ideas. Which one do you think we should go with? #1, 2,3 or 4? (And #5 means try again). Thanks again everyone! So excited.
  • Margo
    9 år sedan
    My vote goes to #1 of your 4 choices;) Why? It seems the most warm and friendliest!
  • linjen
    9 år sedan
    One! Agree w Margo.
  • jen046
    9 år sedan
    One (which is the second one posted).
  • catlady999
    9 år sedan
    Definitely #1. Bolder, warmer colors look more confident and welcoming.
    3 and 4 look like the house is trying to hide into taupe/beige blandness.
  • makaloco
    9 år sedan
    #2 or #1. The door is the only difference, right? I prefer the red-brown but wouldn't mind the grey if it were darker. The others are too nondescript.
  • Carla Baldwin
    9 år sedan
    #1 looks the most welcoming. I like your house; it is hard to put a price on the beautiful trees that frame it.
  • mcbmd3
    9 år sedan
    I am addressing the buyers' remorse. Are you over it yet? I have had that multiple times and always got over it. I think it was the $ and the highs and lows of negotiating. Last time, my husband and I made a 5 year plan for all the improvements. When that couldn't happen, we extended it to a ten year plan and have never looked back . It will get done over time. The most important thing is that you have a solid house, despite the paint, the septic tank, etc. good luck to you on your lovely home. It's a winner.
  • housegal200
    9 år sedan
    Ändrades senast: 9 år sedan
    #1 brings out the best in your home's features and its natural setting. I'm not sure about going with a gray roof, though, if you go with #1. A brown roof with some gray in it would work much better with the red brick, which has brownish colorations. Keep it warm.
  • chuppi
    9 år sedan
    Hi there, congratulations! The house has nice proportions, the entry could be accentuated...painting the balusters in front of main door the same as trim colour,adding nice light fixtures on either side of the door will improve the curb appeal. Nice perrenials or flowering bed around the balusters will help too. The small fixes will go a long way!
  • motupeg
    9 år sedan
    I am wanting to weigh in, but I am not a decorator. I like 4 and 1. On my monitor #1 is definitely warm, but on my monitor the roof is a dark gray/black that changes how it looks with the others. If your style leans toward modern, I would go with #4, but maybe with a darker shade paint and a brighter door. On pcmom's post of Aug 2 the first house shows the top color a little darker than the bottom.
  • PRO
    LM Interior Design, LLC
    9 år sedan
    Dear Alicia,
    I haven't read through the entire thread, so I may be repeating the helpful suggestions of others.

    1st of all, congratulations on your new home! What a blessing & enjoy!
    I always tell my clients to live in their new home for a short while,
    before making major design or renovation decisions.
    Fill the house with your own energy & learn how your home "functions".
    Then, make a list of priorities, with mechanical & structural fixes at the top,
    since decorating a home that is in need of repair is putting good money after bad.

    At 1st glance, I think your new home is a lovely, mid-century-modern ranch with elegant proportions.
    At 2nd glance, I feel the need for landscaping.
    This is something you can do yourself, if you are so inclined, have the time & are on a limited budget.
    Of course, it depends upon your climate & the season, so if it's too late for new plantings now, take this time as an opportunity to plan some perennials (plants that will bloom every year) that offer color & texture & that will bring you pleasure.

    Lavender is my favorite & it comes in an enormous amount of varieties for all temperate zones.
    Search your out your planting zone & have fun with it.
    http://www.plantmaps.com/
    In my humble opinion, nothing will bring you closer to your new home than digging in the dirt on which is sits. It's both therapeutic & economical.

    The best of luck to you in your new home!
    ~LM Designs
  • happyleg
    7 år sedan

    I love Red Fire bushes! Add one!

  • Kate W
    7 år sedan
    Check out the show Fixer Upper on HGTV starring Chip and Joanna Gaines - they've done some amazing things with similar ranch brick homes! Painting the brick would make a huge difference.
  • Kate W
    7 år sedan
    Here's one from Chip and Joanna Gaines
  • SandyC.
    7 år sedan
    Two year old post :)
  • PRO
    Defined Design
    7 år sedan
    paint the upper brick a nice taupe, like Ben Moore ashley grey, HC-37, leave stone alone. garage door will be same as house, front door in HC-137, Stratton blue. pull monster shrub our and remove railing by front door. accent front corners of stoop with flower pots. no more cat.lady house, and a great beginning.
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