Please help update my front porch!

Carol Jurczyk

9 år sedan

Not looking at spending a ton of money but definitely needs some TLC

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Carol Jurczyk
Författare

7 år sedan

Still a work in progress but getting there! Want to do something with the columns and paint the front door. It is white right now but looks black because it is open.

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Kommentarer (26)

User
9 år sedan
The most obvious and affordable choice I can think of, is landscaping/plants around the front door.
How cold do the winters get where you are? In what climate zone are you located? Is the soil sandy, loamy, or clay?
The two little bushes look ready to give up, and I was thinking perhaps some low-growing mounding evergreens at the front of the house, with some bulbs and annuals for color, then a nice pot of colorful flowers, might be a nice start, but your choices depend on your soil and climate conditions...
Cor
9 år sedan
I would remove the red plaque above the door - it's too small for the space and replace it with a larger decorative 'something' (that would depend on where you live and what your taste is - for instance, a hex sign if you lived in PA, or a barn star if you live in TX). I'd replace the lights with something larger and more contrast - black, chocolate brown or bronze finish (the white blends too much). I am a big fan of planters and brightly colored annuals or ferns.
PRO
Greater Dayton Building & Remodeling
9 år sedan
I would suggest painting the front door a deep red color, or any other color of your choice, and replacing the lights with new ones in a black finish. If budget allows, adding some landscaping, as mrsstem suggested, would definitely add great curb appeal. I would extend the planting of shrubs and groundcover out beyond the front porch, not have it all right up against it.
SturgeonSue
9 år sedan
I think the front step is to small for the size of the porch, it needs to be wider. If you do that then you could widen the walkway. It might look nice if you could open up the portico roof and have some beams put up there with a nice hanging light, and remove the siding on the side of the porch area. As stated before some nice landscaping and remove the street sign above the door as it draws the eye. Enjoy your beautiful home whatever you choose to do.
groveraxle
9 år sedan
Your house is already very good looking. I made a few subtle changes here:
User
9 år sedan
Ändrades senast: 9 år sedan
Grover, you could have at least planted a few shrubs while you were at it;)))...preferably with some red geraniums in the window boxes.
groveraxle
9 år sedan
I especially like Sue's suggestion to widen the step and the walk.
groveraxle
9 år sedan
Margo, I do love those window boxes, but I have to leave something for the homeowner to do.
Carol Jurczyk
Författare
9 år sedan
Thanks everyone! I live in Michigan.! Zone 5. I have already dug up those 2 shrubs--one healthy. The other not so much. The gardens on either side do fill in with plants and flowers but not until June. And red geraniums in my window boxes are my favorite.
Carol Jurczyk
Författare
9 år sedan
Sue Thompson--what do you mean, remove siding on side of porch. I'm intrigued.
millekat1
9 år sedan
I also live in MI and I had a house similar to yours. We planted weigela bushes (wine & roses) which have great dark purple leaves and had a nice pink flower. They grow rather quickly and I bought them at Lowes or Home Depot.

You could do a few small potted plants on the porch as well.
stlouisgaltoo
9 år sedan
Remove the plaque? Really? I have trouble finding the house numbers on most homes and this was genius! At first I thought that it might be a historical designation . Landscaping. That is all it needs. Love the brick walkway. Maybe paint the steps a darker color to match the brick.....or paint it black for contrast. The house is darling. Keep it simple.
Judy Mishkin
9 år sedan
but i cant read these numbers so not clear its useful. attractive but not really useful, unless IRL they look clearer.
stlouisgaltoo
9 år sedan
Groveraxle had a nice idea for the number. I would go with that. I wish more homeowners would post large numbers. I hate slowing down like a stalker looking for the address.
SturgeonSue
9 år sedan
Looking at the picture, it seems to me, that the right hand side of the porch looks as if the siding extends from the wall of the house to the porch beam, closing that section off. Could be an optical illusion though :)
calvarylove
9 år sedan
Ändrades senast: 9 år sedan
This is such a darling home and great ideas offered already. Can't tell what color your front door is but I would paint it something other than black if that is the color now. (Google Painted front doors to select color). I would move the plaque down under a light fixture. It would be great to extend the porch across the left of the home (facing it) but costly so if you are looking for inexpensive go with lots of perennials adding color under both windows. Fill all 3 window boxes with colorful annuals and vines hanging down. Put a small chair, or bench on the porch vertical from front to back of porch. Pot up a few annuals and place one on each side of porch for symmetry or place 3 of various size near/on the bench. You can add some type of garden décor to the bench or right below it. Peruse magazines, HOUZZ, to compare similar homes. Most important - do what you like, and have fun.
PRO
Lee Caroline - A world of Inspiration
9 år sedan
Your home has lots of charm especially with the shutters and window boxes. I would suggest moving the plaque above the porch, to beside the door (it is obviously significant to your home). You could replace the lights on either side of the front door with a more traditional style fixture in keeping with the character of the house.

The plants up close to the front step could be removed and if it was at all possible you should extend the step the full width. However if this is out of the budget, placing two symmetrical pots either side of the short step will help balance it and fill in the gaps. Make sure they are large pots and plants. Make sure your pots and plants are proportionate for your area, go as big as you can afford. I am not sure about your climate but boxed topiary should provide year round greenery. You could fill the window boxes with seasonal plants and maybe paint them to match the shutters. Personally I would keep colour to a minimum with planting, opting maybe simply foliage with white flowers.

I don't know your budget but long term you could think about replacing the front door with a more traditional one such as the second image below. If you are keeping the house colour as is, then a dark front door the same as the shutters or maybe the red that is in the plaque.

Painting the front steps a little darker will make a difference, I am in NZ so can't suggest an exact colour as it is hard to determine the colour of your home which appears to be a beige and we don't have the same paint companies. I would suggest you use two shades darker than your wall colour for the steps but keep in the same colour palette.

Planting either side of the front steps, below the window boxes will also enhance the front entrance. As I am unsure of your climate it is hard to make a suggestion for planting, personally I love a grouping of white standard roses such as 3 Iceberg roses either side.

Another suggestion is to fill in the sides of the porch with diagonal trellis and grow star jasmine up. It will add more interest and a beautiful scent as visitors arrive in the summer.

Whatever you decide, your home already has character and it will simply enhance its charm.
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You could add a little architectural detail to the top of your posts. Not as ornate as this but a little moulding can make a difference.
Carol Jurczyk
Författare
9 år sedan
Those are all excellent ideas and very doable. Appreciate your time and talent.
PRO
Lee Caroline - A world of Inspiration
9 år sedan
Ändrades senast: 9 år sedan
I would love to see your after shot when you finish your project :)
PRO
Grusby Woodworks LLC.
9 år sedan
Some additional options are to paint the cement floor/steps (I'd go medium to dark in color), or visually warm them up by running wood decking on top of it, with white trim, and a railing between the posts and the house. Agree with the landscaping thoughts too.
teamaltese
7 år sedan
Carol, thanks for the update, it's so pretty!
Cor
7 år sedan
Love your house numbers, may I ask where you purchased them? Your transformation is impressive. You did a great job.
groveraxle
7 år sedan
It looks beautiful, Carol. Two things I'd like to see: first, widen the walk. Second: your shutters are neither properly sized nor installed, but the most disturbing are the ones on the little second story window. They look grossly out of proportion and I think you could get by if they were the proper size. (Call me a shutter purist.)
A wider walk will make a huge difference.
Carol Jurczyk
Författare
7 år sedan
House numbers are from GARDENMarx on Etsy. Gross and disturbing shutters, oh my!
PRO
Lee Caroline - A world of Inspiration
7 år sedan
The update photo looks great Carol, you have made a huge improvement, you should be proud of yourself and your house. The only other suggestion I could make at the moment is to maybe plant either side the pathway. I think it is fine the width it is but planting would lead the eye through to your entranceway. You could use either standard iceberg roses or if you wanted something that wouldn't loose its leaves in winter, standard Bay trees. I like to plant symetrically. Alternatively you could use cottage style planting in a bed either side with taller plants to the outside but this would be more of an informal cottage look.

One other thing, have you tried the pots in front of the balustrades holding up your porch on the top step? Maybe the pots are too wide but if not try one and compare the look.

I found some images to hopefully inspire you :)

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