Minor revamp makes bungalow contemporary
Warm colours, modern touches update home
The revamping of a cookiecutter bungalow is easier than one would imagine. Warm and harmonizing hues for the walls and shutters, added contemporary elements and removal of unsightly details are just what this home needs.
I love flower boxes but since the access for watering plants could be obstructed by the vegetation of the new flower beds, it’s best to condemn it.
The inspiration for the colour choices obviously starts with the predominating tawny roof.
These mid-century constructions often had a combination of two or three different bricks. It wasn’t always a good marriage. In this case, the facades have long and narrow muddy grey as well as gingery blocks. They were paired with bright multi-coloured red bricks (not shown). The owner doesn’t seem to appreciate their distracting effect. For a more unified look, painting it with a good quality specialized product could be a solution.
The grey is our neutral so we forget about it. The use of a warm golden sandy tint for the siding along with a slightly darker tone from the same palette for the new shutters would be a natural association with the new reddishbrown door. Exterior acrylic paint in a matte finish for the walls and a semi-gloss finish for the door and shutters would work. The rough-cast should also be painted the same dingy grey as the lightest block in a matte finish.
As you may know by now, I’m not a fan of aluminum doors. They look dated and tired. A sleek new door and a bolder light fixture would contribute to a quick shift into the 21st century. For safety, a single and plain white railing could be installed on the left side of the stairs.
There is a separate garage in the back that would have to be painted in the same colour scheme as the house. Its door should not be auburn like the house since it’s a big surface. We don’t want it to be overpowering so the colour of the shutters could be a more appropriate choice.
An extensive excavation was underway this autumn. This is a good blank canvas to create a newly shaped pathway. In the past, the narrow walk was closer to the wall. The lot had a steep embankment. For easier lawn mowing, I propose a more gradual slant towards the street and a slightly more abrupt bump on the edge of the driveway.
I present the use of evergreens and persistent shrubs to anchor the composition of this maintenance-free landscaping. An introduction of orange blooms will offer a desired hint of colour.
Hedges will redefine and frame the flower bed and soften the pathway. Their stream lines look tailored and calming.
A border would be imperative to separate the l awn from the new vegetation. At the end of the bed, a Cotoneaster Coral Beauty with its all-year-round shiny leaves could eventually be used to hold and cover the slope near the driveway. In the first year, a layer of 4’’ thick dark brown mulch around this plant is a good way to prevent the soil from running onto the asphalt.
For a nice finishing touch, a large white flowered container placed between the door and the small window will greet the homeowner after a long day at work. Vegetation (from left to right):
Spirea X Van Houttei (bush, white blooms)
Potentilla Fructicosa Red Robin (hedge, orange blooms) Thuja Occidentalis De- roots Spire (pyramidalg ever- green)
Campanula Capartica (perennial hedge, white blooms)
Antirrhinum Majus (orange annuals, container)
Catharanthus Vinca Rosea (white annuals, container)
Buxus Microphylla Ko- reana (persistent shrubs, hedge)
Taxus X Media Densi- formis (evergreen, near porch)
Campanula Persifolia (perennial, white blooms)
Asclepias Tuberosa (three to five perennials, orange blooms)
Euonymus Emerald Gaiety (persistent shrub, silver)
Hydrangea Annabelle (shrub, white clusters)
Cotoneaster Coral Beauty (persistent shrub, red fruits)