Shortly after my clients purchased this small cottage in the heart of one of the most desirable neighborhoods in town, I helped them to substantially enlarge it by adding a large master suite, screened porch, and lower level garage. A few years later, we did phase two--enlarging the kitchen and improving the layout. With the interior of the house almost where they wanted it, they decided to start phase three--a facelift to bring some curb appeal to the unassuming facade.
The existing cottage has a small wooden front porch that is quite literally falling apart...and even if not for the sagging roofline and bowed floor, it did nothing to bring style to the house.
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| The "before" picture with the poorly detailed front porch. |
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Drawing inspiration from the Craftsman cottages typical of the neighborhood, I re-imagined the house with a larger front porch with tapered columns on stone bases. The front gables will be clad in shingle siding, and the vinyl shutters will be replaced with board and batten ones. While it wasn't practical to replace all of the vinyl siding, the prominent front face will be re-clad in board and battens painted to match the existing siding. and stone veneer will be carried to window sill height. Finally, a new front door with appropriate detailing will complete the makeover.
