Design Crew
Sat, 3 Sep 2011
Got a problem? Need some help? Just standing there shaking your head? Don't know what to do? You're not alone. Send us a link to photos of your design quandary and let the Desire to Inspire design crew help you .... that's you lot ... the readers! A few weeks back Chase emailed me.
Chase - I have a new home I'm purchasing and its needs some help! Could you post this house to see what the readers think about ideas!?
Jo - If I put it up as a Design Crew post is there anything in particular you want them to "discuss"? Anything that really has you stumped? Warning though. Some of our readers are starting to play tough and may hurt your feelings :) If you are fine with that then I can't wait to see what they come up with.
Chase - The front of the house is what I would really like some help with. The inside is pretty much a blank canvas so any ideas for design would be great. Overall, just what readers have in mind. I would like to come back once I've finished to show the final product. As far as getting my feelings hurt goes, it's the Internet... Peoples opinions are all over the place! I appreciate it :)
OK you heard Chase. Go for it.
Reader Comments (26)
I have to say I love this house.... I would start with the outside. The garage door needs to be replaced or depending on it's over all condition at least the window panels ( do I need to say lose the fan windows for something more liner ). You have a great opportunity to do some interesting modern lighting at the front courtyard, have to loose the carriage lights. While the electrician is there see if all of the wires at the back of the house can be redesigned to look more streamlined. I like the color of the brick. I would replace the front door with a wider one and perhaps a full length fixed side light and paint the wall with the door in the same tone as the brick but slightly darker and darker again for the window trim and roof line. Lose the shrubs. Are you or a trusted friend good at landscape design? If not hire a landscape architect to design a plan for the front and back of the house
( lose the pitiful porch cover at the back of the house) if you have the money do it now if not you will have a plan to work on over the next few years. This house deserves an outstanding yard. As far as the inside.... 59 gallons of a neutral paint and paint everything! It will freshen up the inside if you have to live in the house now. Then tackle one room at a time and make it spectacular! Good luck with time and money this place is going to be great!
Aside from what's already been covered in other comment, I would suggest growing a vine on the right hand outside wall and painting the woodwork inside in a fresh white (shelves in the living room, wardrobe doors, etc). I would also as a first, rip out the old carpet and replace with some beautiful hardwood flooring or alternatively, some fresher lighter carpet perhaps a sisal?
This house looks so nice and it would've been nicer if the interior of the house has been painted. The room would definitely look beautiful with some wall art to it. Light colors would do. The back section of the house would do with more green plants. I love the brick details of the house.
Awesome house...my imagination is going crazy with ideas. The first thing I would do is pull up the carpet and see what's underneath...hopefully gorgeous floorboards. I'd also remove the cabinetry in the kitchen and closets in bedrooms and replace with something mid-century oriented or classic Scandinavian....lots of white and pale timber. If you're on a tight budget, the I'd start with a coat of fresh white paint on all the walls and doors. Have fun!
What great potential here. First, the too small clipped shrubs must go. I would create a group of tall trees with undershrubs in front of the big outside tall wall. Not too near though but the idea is that it must form a group (not one here, one there, etc.). Then I would enlarge the "landing" to the line we can see in the driveway. I would then put low shrubs around that landing. And a bench. This would be welcoming and at the same time reduce the big big bare lawn.
Inside, I would rip the carpet and replace by wood floors. And paint, paint. As in another post, paint everything then go one room at a time.
Great bones to work with here!
It's bit hard to decipher the layout of this house, but overall it seems you need to find ways to open up the spaces. Take out walls and add windows wherever you can. I agree with the previous poster about getting a new garage door - something really pretty that will be a feature, that will balance with the vertical of the right side of the house. A two tone paint scheme on the exterior to enhance the long lines and the brick. I like that somewhat strange tall brick wall in the front, and would not cover it. Landscaping is needed, but with a light touch: streamlined and modern. There is something grand about the exterior that does not seem to be reflected at all inside. I'm hoping you have a huge budget, and will come back and knock out socks off in a few moths with an amazing renno!! Cheers!
I love the lines of that fantastic modern exterior! I would paint the exterior, I find that pale yellowish brick very dated looking. A dark grey or charcoal-ish black would look great. A bold, modern exterior light fixture and/or unusual house numbers would be an interesting accent. Maybe a pop of red or orange somewhere? And I like the shrubs. I would prune them to a tight cube shape to compliment the modern look. Stay away from a lot of landscaping, it would be too contrary to the mid-century look.
As for the inside- it is, as the others say, a blank slate. I would wait til you have lived there at least a few weeks before you did anything. Get a feel for what layouts you like and which ones feel awkward. Surf the endless decor blogs and mags that are out there and discover your style. That's the funnest part!
I would echo some of the suggestions already made for a few things to do ASAP : replace the garage door, tear down the porch cover in the back yard, and paint over all that dark wood inside. When in doubt, paint everything pure white- it works with almost every decor vibe you might want and rarely looks as 'safe' as people fear it will. Also, if budget allows remove the upper cabinets and replace them with open shelving.
Take your time and have fun!
P.S. I love that little built in vanity!!!
Your house has amazing potential. I would think hard before painting the brick -- you would be creating a maintenance problem for the future and whatever you choose will also be "dated" in a few years. I say work with the trim/siding for color. You def need a modern garage door. I immediately thought of this one I saw in London. http://www.flickr.com/photos/suswhit/4513234394/
The shrubs should go. Not sure your climate but some angular evergreens in groups would be nice. I'd put a tropical looking BIG plant (banana palm or bamboo) in the largest pot (or better a piece of concrete or galvanized pipe) that will fit by the front door instead of the shrubs. Set a modern outdoor chair next to it in a pop of color -- orange or grellow.
In the backyard a triangular cloth shade sail to replace the porch roof. And inside I agree with previous comment suggesting pale Scandinavian. What fun!
I agree that much has already been covered. I think the brick outside needs paint, as the lighter brick feels dated. In the interest of saving some budget, the kitchen cabinets look like wood and I would paint them. There doesn't look to be a lot of light in the kitchen, so how about a creamy color? The carpets definitely need to be replaced with either wood or carpet, but I think wood has more of an impact. It appears that there are lots of wood buit ins, a nice fresh color will transform these. I would also consider a new fireplace insert- the brass is really dated, and a fresh new coat of paint or tiles over the existing fireplace surround. Unless you are significantly changing the overall design of the house, I would absolutely go for some sleek midcentury modern lighting and furniture. I love eames sideboeards, and I could picture one here!
The back yard, definitely consolidate the cables. What about a pergola instead of that old door covering? extend it out down the length of the house, tend to grass and add some comfy seating, a grill spot and some large potted plants- perfecto!!!!
Good luck- I hope you'll send updates!
love this house! all the brick on the exterior is fantastic! As far as the inside goes... if you are on a budget.... paint. Everything can be painted:) i did my fireplace about a year ago- it looks fantastic- painting brick uses alot of paint though! paint the cabinets and replace the hardwae if on a budget.... countertops can also be painted... i did in our first house with melamine paint but i wasn't super happy with it....it scratched pretty easy. the flooring will probably need replaced. love the handscraped look in a hardwood floor.... u can get it in a really nice laminate as well. the bathroom is huge! i would rip everything out and do something modern in there though- open it up a bit. play on how big it is! Love this house- so much potential!! good luck... remember to be patient too!:) we are two years into our renos and starting to get antsy to finish:) its gonna be great- please send in updates too!
Regarding the painting - the outside brick is neutral, so why not paint the timber work a darker colour for contrast? I'm hooked on Porters Paints such as 'Wet Cement' and 'Thorn'. The combination of these colours are darker yet moody and modern which could suit the contemporary look that the house deserves.
Inside, you definitely can't go past white as a neutral colour. However be careful to choose the right white. To play it safe, I like a warmer white such as Dulux Antique White, as opposed to a 'cool' white.
If in doubt, ask for the help of a Colour Consultant.
Cheers.
I love this style of house - the assymetry is beautiful.
First thought - WINDOW. That giant blank wall needs to go... I was going to read all the comments ahead of me to see what people have said, but I'll be honest, that's a tonne of reading! So forgive me if I'm repeating other people.
But yes... WINDOWS. you can do something quite beautiful there.
The second thing is the board & batten style siding on top of the garage door - it drags it out and makes the garage door look more massive than it already is. The brick in a darker taupey grey would look quite dramatic beautiful.
I feel the back needs something too - did the architect have something against windeows? the back porch roof is much too stingey for an elevation that imposing and it doesn't suit the style ... the back needs some balance.
Beautiful house! Can't wait to see what you do with it!
- agata.
A great (mostly) modern home. The first thing to do is get rid of anything that is frilly and fru fru, i.e. the bathroom cabinets (I realize, they are the newest thing in the house), the ceiling fan, some light fixtures and, for sure the garage door. Replace them with modern fixtures, etc., which give a nod to the mid-century. The flimsy tin awning and the utility cables are unsightly. It will be a fun project and I'm sure you can make a modern beauty out of it :)
Hi! Congratulations on a beautiful home! Don't be in too much of a hurry, you want the home to evolve. I would start really simply while you absorb all the inspiration you can. On the outside. Paint the garage and front door yellow. On the inside rip up the carpet and paint everything white! A blank canvas is a great place to start, and paint can always be changed easily. Live with your clean open environment for a while. Avoid the temptation to fill your place up quickly with stuff. This way you can make sure you really love everything that comes in. Keep it simple. And most of all, have fun. Can't wait to see what you do. Do you have a blog?
P.S. Just to clarify - when I say paint everything white, I mean the cupboards, the doors, the trim, the walls and the floors. Everything! But you probably already understood that. There's nothing more inspiring than an all white box. :)
You have a really big (and fun!) project ahead of you! I just want to offer one thought about the exterior. To immediately update the exterior, and fix the proportion issues.. replace the vertical wood siding with horizontal siding. It will make a WORLD of difference, then I would suggest painting the exterior in two slightly darker, grayer neutrals (i'm assuming that exterior brick is already painted). A new garage door, paint the front door with a pop of intense colour and new landscaping and it will look like a whole new house! good luck!
We purchased a mid-century house a few years ago and had some of the same design challenges that you have. We have a brick exterior, but rather than paint it, we left the exposed red brick and painted the wood panelling a sage green and the doors a deeper green. I think the garage door (the one everyone else has already mentioned) would look nice if it were painted a color similar to the rest of the trimwork rather than basic white. We also had sliding doors like you have in the living room. We chose to replace them with more modern French doors with a contemporary style. Our old sliding doors were always getting stuck, and as our contractor pointed out, the old sliding doors are an easy target for break-ins. Your bathroom looks huge. Those enviable storage cabinets would look great painted white with updated door handles.
Well, I did not expect all this awesome feedback! First, I dont have a blog for the house set up but I think I will so that friends, family and the internet can keep up with my home!
I like the feedback about painting the house... I've been considering painting it a light grey color and putting in a wooden garage door... something similar to this http://topdesign72.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/06/wooden-garage-doors-1.jpeg
Hardwood floors and carpet will be replaced in the entire house
Also, I'm thinking about putting recessed lighting throughout the house.
What do you guys (and girls) think about the fire place? How do I make it not ugly?
re: the fireplace, there are 2 options i would recommend:
1: remove the millwork to the left (because it is so dark it looks unbalanced with the door opening on the right), could be a nice place for a little lounge chair. tile over the brick and remove or replace the mantle. because the fireplace is smaller, a smaller horizontal tile might be the most suitable. i like glass tiles but they are trendy so choose carefully (you don't want it to look outdated in 5 years)
2: remove the millwork and extend the fireplace to fill in the gap. it would create an asymmetry that is consistent with the front elevation. tile the whole thing. remove the mantle. you could replace it with a mantle that extends all the way across or not. if you went with this option, you could go with bigger tiles than the first option, though i would still stick with horizontal in shape.
congrats on the house!
Hi Chase!
Please let us know when you start your blog!
For the fireplace- I think either paint or the very thin multi length tiles over it. I would remove the timber mantle and not replace it. I would also either use paint the brass in the surround black( i think there is a special paint for it that is not flammable) or replace the inset alltogether, You can get a gas insert fairly reasonably. The built in on the left throws it off balance. You can either remove it or paint it the same color as you paint the walls to help it blend in.
Keep us updated!
Hi Chase
Congrats on your new home. Love a house with potential. Also before I begin let me say that I didn't read every comment prior to mine so apologies if I double up. Not sure how big your budget but most if not all my suggestions are designed to help you save money.
Front yard: I would go for impact and buy a large tree which would fill up the yard and put the height of the house in perspective. So many times people buy plants which are too small for the house. Find a really 'showy' specimen with either great leaf /bark colour or beautiful blooms. Then add other plants as you get money. If you are not into gardening or even if you are, how about incorporating sculpture into your yard (both front and back). It never needs watering and always is a great talking point.
Kitchen: Many times the cabinetry is ok and its the doors and bench tops that need updating. I would paint the cupboard doors a charcoal grey (help the dishwasher blend in), change the handles. I would remove the cupboards, paint the walls and add shelves. If that doesn't appeal then see if you can find glass fronted cupboards to lighten the room. Maybe put downlights underneath the cupboards and change the benchtop. Roman blinds on the window would give if an elegant simplicity.
Bathroom: Again if the budget is tight I would get rid of all the individual doors on cupboards and try and fit floor to ceiling doors to give the room an elegant appearance. Change the cupboards underneath the sink to match the previous doors. If you can't change the basin then look for updated taps.
Lounge: Don't know if you like the fireplace. If you do then make it a feature to opening it up with a lovely mantle piece. I would get rid of the doors on the shelves near the fireplace and make it all shelves. It looks like a great little bookcase.
Backyard: Conceal as much cabling as possible and then extend the verandah out maybe using wooden posts . Pave the area and add some big pots with dwarf fruit trees such as lemons, oranges, peaches.
Bedroom: 'Bite the bullet' and make that entire wall built in wardrobes. You can never have enough storage.
Rip up carpets, floorboards are always better and then you can add lots of rugs to keep your snug in the winter. Paint the house a light colour. Most of all enjoy the act of creating a space that makes speaks to your personality. Go slow and think about what you want your house to say.
Let me know how it goes.
Elisa
It looks like a great buy, with lots of potential! :) I think this house is a great candidate for a Mondrian kind of painting on the outside due to the geometric shapes. It's a bit bold I know but it's only paint and if you don't like the result or get too many dirty looks from the neighbours you can change it again. The inside is a whole different ball game but maybe doing the outside will inspira to do the inside ... Good luck!
Here's some good ideas for your mantle :)
http://www.apartmenttherapy.com/dc/living-room/perfectly-paired-mantles-bookshelves-155136?image_id=2836904
Embrace the brick. I'm thinking californian modern styles - a darkish sandstone/camel colour to compliment the warm tones. Loose all the naff stuff i.e the lights, the shrubs and the garage door. Plant a dry garden a la Palm Springs. Paint the interior white. Furnish it with mid century, modernist or skando stylings. Light and bright. I suggest you visit thebrickhouse blog for some seriously cool ideas. Good luck - you've got a great project on your hands and with right touch it will be fabulous!
I love the lines on your house. I feel the visual perspective of the home's lines need to be shifted from the vertical to the horizontal plane to do it justice. Switch out the vertical siding inserts to a wide horizontal board, follow the lines with a simple horizontal garage door with rectangle windows (3 or 5 lites), and paint out the woodwork in a greige. The fascia and wood trim around the windows would look great in a deep charcoal to tie in with the grey brick, and the light could switch out for a dark metal vertical up and down light fixture, something long with presence. I love the sky light over the door and the planes of light it creates on the tall adjacent wall, truly lovely. Horizontal slat wood fencing would be lovely should you wish to create a feature screen, or fencing anywhere along your property, see this great blog for ideas http://lifebeginsatthirtyright.blogspot.com/2011/05/heres-before-and-during.html.
I did a quick sketch on your photo, but can't seem to attach it in this note. E-mail me at mlmclarnon@hotmail.com if you wish to have a PDF of it sent to you for curiosity's sake. Beautiful home, I hope you have much happiness there.
Best of luck.