Hi All,
There is not a big chance it will happen this summer, but I'm looking at what I can do to the front yard...I've put some ideas I was thinking about together with Photoshop below.
My goal is to dress it up a little more, but not take too much away from the house, since I feel it does have a lot of character on its own. I'm hoping by introducing more flower beds I might reduce the amount of lawn, which I have a hard time keeping alive. In the summer the front 3ft of yard gets very hot and full sun all day long.
We're not too fond of the brick work above the window, but I'm quite sure covering it up would be considered sacrilege from the longtime street residents. I've been reading that Brown/Green are the more traditional Arts&Crafts-style colors...we did paint the existing color a few years ago, but not sure if it was what I was hoping for.
Does anyone have any further suggestions, or alternatives to what I have presented? Your feedback and critic are encouraged :) Thanks!
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gosh from home i was searching for the right term for the shape of the door, found a custom storm that used the term "arched angle"...popped that into google at work and low and behold..
[URL=http://www.archangleohio.com/customstormdoors.htm]Arch Angle Doors and Windows[/URL] in Ohio...which isn't really that far away and we might be going for a vacation later on this summer...has the image below, another quick search gave me an estimate---YIKES!
Tempered glass is standard as is charcoal fiberglass mesh. Optional extras include welded hinges, brass kick plates, and custom colors.
Expect to pay about $2,000 for a door with a round top, and $2,600 to $2,800 for an arch top door (October 2006). Supplier: Arch Angle Doors and Windows
OH gee forget the invisible screen with dogs if the dogs like bumping into it to see out. UNless they have figured out how to do it (I asked about it 2 years ago), the dog proof screen is too thick for their rollers or some such thing so can't be used.
You might be better to see what sort of screen/storm doors are out there that suit the house. Two reasons, one is sometimes it's really hard to give up the option of opening a door to get air in (at least it is for me and I totally missed it when one house didn't have a screen door) and the other is the door you have is probably original to the house which means it probably offers very little in insulation value in the winter. Right now you have a bit of an air pocket between doors so that supposedly helps.
For me, I'd paint out the screen door the same colour as the main door rather than removing it but you really have to decide what you need in the way of function and how you use that door.
I do have to say i would love to see your house without screen door as you have a FAB shape wooden door there that would add even more CHARM to your charming house :)
eys...when you say classic dark, are you thinking the dark green, as others suggested? or a dark brown? the neighbor on the left has dark brown and DH loves it and would instantaneously agree to that :D
just like i posted...dark like carbon copy ben moore or really drk brown..just like the mock up.
yay! more ideas, suggestions and opinions :D thanks everyone i really appreciate it! haven't been on in a couple days cause with the nice weather on the weekend of course i overdid it in the garden and ended up giving myself tendonitis in my wrist :rolleyes:
eys...when you say classic dark, are you thinking the dark green, as others suggested? or a dark brown? the neighbor on the left has dark brown and DH loves it and would instantaneously agree to that :D
i was reading about window boxes being common for that style of house and had considered it, although i was reading also that they recommend you keep them in stone/concrete...as opposed to wood and definietly not any type of plastic
puddlejumper...i do like the idea of the invisible screen, and i do think it would work in concept for what i want to achieve, the problem may be my two little devils (or Jack Russell Terriers :laugh: ) and i've heard if the screen rips then i will have to return the entire thing...it's one thing for a $10 pair of sheers but a $180 retractable screen, i think i read that there is some pet-resistant screen i could check with the manufacturer and see how much more that would cost
If you're really just wanting a screen door and not a storm door, have you looked into "invisible screens"? I'm looking at getting one for my front door. They are basically a retractable screen that rolls to the side and out of the way when not in use. You don't need to take them down in the winter (they roll into a thin, narrow case. They're not cheap, but if you've only got to buy one, they seem worth it to me.
[URL=http://www.homedepot.ca/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/CatalogSearchResultView?D=947100&Ntt=947100&catalogId=10051&langId=-15&storeId=10051&Dx=mode+matchallpartial&Ntx=mode+matchall&recN=112206&N=0&Ntk=P_PartNumber]http://www.homedepot.ca/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/CatalogSearchResultView?D=947100&Ntt=947100&catalogId=10051&langId=-15&storeId=10051&Dx=mode+matchallpartial&Ntx=mode+matchall&recN=112206&N=0&Ntk=P_PartNumber[/URL]
I would play up on the style of your house and go with that...classic dark on the trim (carbon copy ben moore) and forrest green bm on the front door...add the thick trim around the door and a window box....looks like a beautiful tudor house.... :) eys and looks amazing compared to the neighbour's typical blend in boring look..
actually after discussing the stormdoor with DH, he totally agrees that it should really come off
i do think that just having a screen would be sufficient, we were thinking that another possible solution might be to have a custom wood screendoor made that is in the same shape as the original door which would likely be a little costly (but i might check it out anyways)...attached a pic so you could see the shape of it
i didn't even think about the rollout screendoor, in fact i saw them for the first time last year when one of my neighbors got one for his backdoor....great thinking, i'll definietly check that out
DBD I remember your greens....BEAUTIFUL
Mutanstar: If a storm door is a must, opt for a full glass door. Paint the frame the same "future" colour of your main door. Some full glass doors can be interchanged with a screen when needed. If all you need is a screen then you can purchase one of the role out screen versions. * your present storm door muddles the appeal to the main front door.
I just found the pictures of the green from my last house, but don't have the colour names. I know one on the chip had 'tea' in it but it doesn't really matter because I don't think Rona has those chips anymore anyway. You mentioned that HC122, so I looked it up and on the same chip are colours close to what I used. One is HC124 Caldwell Green, and then HC125 cushing Green or Hc126 avon green. Another might be topsoil CC692 used with night train CC720 and Mount Saint Anne CC710.
What you see in those pictures is the rails on the front of the house and on the fence in the darkest colour and the rest of the fence done in the next darkest on the chip I had. Initially I really thought I would use the lightest colour on the chip but once that light hit it, no way. The stuff on the rails looked almost black in the tin. Sometimes it looked very blue/grey/green, other times army green. Anyway, a cooler green than the HC122, and it really went well with my roof which was an orangy reddy brown. When the fence and all were white, that roof just poked everyone in the eye, after the dark green, it just blended nicely.
Actually I liked the colour so much I am using a mixed up version on this house (mixed up means I took all the paint I had left in both colours and some other stuff plus black and mixed them up. What really appealed to me after using that paint was how natural the house looked. It just went calm to me because it blended better with the trees and all.
Inglewood: Thanks, in all honesty, I didn't actually choose a specific green but just played with the color adjustment on the computer. I'll look through some paint colors and try a darker muddied green...although I want to be careful that I don't choose the exact color my neighbor directly across the street just repainted her place last year, I can't be a copy cat :p
Edit: I can't seem to get on the BM website atm, but found another with some BM colors...it seems like my neighbor went with something along the lines of BM Great Barrington Green HC-122...now that I'm looking at it, is that what you mean by "muddied"?
I agree with livening the front door as well, it is actually a sandcherry color right now, but hidden by the stormdoor. It's also an irregular-shaped door and deserves to be shown off but on the other hand I hate the idea of losing the breeze and sunlight during the warmer months. I have been struggling with this idea for a while but practicality has always won out...I'll have to discuss it further with DH.
Dustbunny: I like the idea of having the two tones of green, I'll have to play with that idea in my mockup (these colors are sounding very similar to what I have in my living room :D). Thanks for pointing out about colors being lighter outside...I think that is the problem we ran into in choosing the existing color.
Good point about the front flower bed, its not a very busy street but a very valid concern I hadn't really thought about. Most of the other neighbors who have done up the front have used stones/something similar to raise up the beds to be level with their lawns (like the house to the left) and don't really have much issues...was just hoping I could be a little different :) If I could cover it up with something for protection I would be willing to do that. I guess another idea that might be a little hardier would be something like a rock garden.
I do love the idea of a picket fence...especially because I really associate our place to being more cottage-like. The house you describe sounds exactly like something I had been thinking of, but after doing more reading about the actual style...couldn't decide which way I should go. I do like the idea of it being more decorative than functional. We also have to rebuild a delapitated gate across our drive and it could pick up the picket design if we did go that way. So many choices... :hairpull:
I agree with changing the tone of the green. I had a house with a similar coloured roof (didn't have the brick) and was advised to use almost a black army green combined with a lighter version (almost a dark sage). They looked great and using two tones that are close on your top would be really nice. I think if you have too much contrast up there it doesn't work as well.
there is a post from a long time ago with a picture of the colours on my old house. I'll see if I can find it. What you do need to know is any colour you pick will look much lighter than the chip once it's on the house so it pays to do a sample and take it outside.
Just wondering, will the flower bed by the walk be okay in winter? I guess it seems to me it could be in the way of shovelling or get salt on it from the road.
One house near me (all built in 1930 or earlier) broke from tradition (being nothing at all or a hedge for separation) and put in a small picket fence in the front. No gate or anything, just on the side and corners and about 3' tall. then they planted beds in the corners and along the sides/front so what is left of their grass is almost a circle. it's really a cute little yard now and gets a lot of attention. the nice part is their flowers and plants are protected from the kids on skateboards, the dogs, the postie and whoever else sometimes goes off the main walk.
I really like what you have come up with so far. It really livens up your house. I would suggest to tone down the green you chose for the wood at the top. Make the green more muddied of a tone. The front door really needs a pick me up. Remove the glass/ screen door and pick a lively colour for the main door ie: A rust toned colour(more orange in undertone) or a muddied red. I am leaning towards the rust toned....can't find a colour just yet ....should be deeper then BM Georgian Brick HC50