As with many remodel projects, as soon as you finish one and get that area all spiffed up, it may make other areas look a little neglected. It had always been the plan to re-do the exterior of the cottage some day....."some day in the future". The home is currently vinyl-clad (they love their vinyl siding on vacation homes in the northeast!), and we assume that there is lap siding underneath, but have no idea what condition it might be in since the cottage was built in 1930.
Here is what the front looked like when we bought it.
Though the trees may appear to have added charm, they had been severely trimmed through their centers to accommodate power lines. Here is what the home looked like when the courtyard work was completed, then when the rail fence was installed.
We would like to bring some more personality to the facade, and give it a little more New England charm. The front of the house is very flat, and even though the courtyard and fence add some depth to the property, adding detail to the front plane could go along way towards dressing the cottage up. The structure already exceeds current setback requirements from the street, so nothing can be added to the house structurally. Here's a treatment that we're considering for the facade.
A shallow eyebrow roof over the front door would add depth to the front plane, and help to define the entry, and a combination of shake shingles and lap siding would also help by adding texture and shadow. Window boxes would further this, and bring some life and softness to the courtyard since the interior area is all stone and gravel. Top all of this with a raised-seam metal roof, a new front door and paint the entire cottage in a great new color (or two!), and it won't even be recognizable!
Yes, design projects can snowball, but it's always great to have dreams. Dream big!
It looks great so far and I love your ideas. And I love, love, love the red chairs with the red door. Very welcoming!
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