How can I inexpensively add some 'wow' to my very brown/tan house?

Question

My house is 100 years old and rock solid but it is bland. It needs someone's creative suggestions!

Lagree Wyndham · Answer

I think you just need a color change, bright colored front door and change the trim color, and hanging flowers from porch and plantings in front of porch to draw the eye in. Its a great looking house.

Katie · Answer

Plantings and shutters! Burgundy/deep green shutters perhaps? Maybe only the two top floors? Planters on the sides of the stairs and hanging over porch. Bright pillows on chairs by front door. All should be inexpensive and can be done slowly as sales occur.

Kathy alfke · Answer

Need more ideas!

Mehartgallery · Answer

Absolutely agree with the shutters idea,,,, wine color, on all the windows. 
Paint the front door the same color.
 Then on the ground, at the bottom of the brick posts, a large planter on each side, with pink flowers. 
 On the sides of the covered porch, (left side and right side), a wooden latice type trellis.. either hang it, or attach permanently onto the railing and roof (even if it's just a 2 foot wide strip), that would cozy up veranda, (Oh, I sooo love verandas).... 
 Then throw fabric on the chairs I can see there (In the pink color family). 
 Attach a large wooden sign for the house number, in the same chosen colors. 
 Hanging planters in the openings of the veranda. 
 So same color scheme for everything: Burgundy wine for the shutters, pink family for 
 flowers and fabric on the chairs, (thrift stores are a great place to find a large bedspread or comforter that can be cut apart to make slide on covers), and same color flowers in hanging basket planters.

Lola · Answer

I hate burgundy and I think it would clash with your brick. Mossy green trim or dark blue with contrasting trim and definitely shutters on top. Change out your light fixtures for larger ones or maybe one large light fixture that hangs down. Also, bring in some color in front by using annuals.

Samantha · Answer

I've always felt that really great landscaping can take a 'nice' house to a 'wow, stop the car!' house. :) Maybe planter boxes for the sides of the steps, some brightly colored flowering shrubs, or some annuals that you can put in with the green bushes? I second the idea for bright cushions...and for the wine/burgundy color scheme. I think that would go beautifully! It looks like your picture has a filter on it that is making everything look a little bit yellow?

@Mehartgallery has some great ideas! I hesitate with the shutters because of the double window you have on the right side on the second floor. I think adding shutters would make that area look cluttered. Maybe not though!!

Beverly Cady Cabaday · Answer

Paint the body gray with white and black trim. Love that combination.

Krista · Answer

I would add colour with planters, bright fabric on your porch chairs, and definitely change out the lights for something bigger and brighter. I wish I had a front porch! :D

Dottie · Answer

Beautiful house. I agree with the comments about landscaping. Add flower beds along the sides of the sidewalk to create a grand entrance. A small ornamental tree in the grassy area with a flower bed around it. Dogwood? Can't see what the fence is but maybe plant vines and train to cover or a semi 'waddle' fence, i.e. weave flexible sticks through it to soften it? Colorful pots on a few of the stairs. More pots on the ledge with plants that will drape over the side. Paint your furniture a color that will draw in some of the garden color. Add new cushions or recover the existing ones. Paint the storm door to match the door trim so it is less visible. The lights around the door are small but if they're original and you like them, maybe paint them to coordinate with the color scheme you choose. That will help them pop out a little more. Your house colors are nice so maybe pick two colors to add to the overall color set. What a fun project. Be sure to plant some spring flower bulbs this fall, especially around the sidewalks, with perennials planted over them that will come up for summer. Hope this helps.

Country Design Home · Answer

Hi Kathy! It is difficult to tell from this picture the true colors of the house because it has a green tint to it, but I am thinking it is cream and dark brown with a brown roof? When you do the 'squint test' what you see is all the dark brown, including the trim and all the brick in the front which creates a dark linear effect. It makes the trim appear to be quite thin and not substantial compared to the heavy brick columns. So I would paint out the trim in a bright creamy white, then add shutters to the lower windows in a third contrast color (with the brown and tan and the orange in the bricks I would be partial to a blue but that's just me : ) Those two little windows on the top look like dark holes, so I would paint them to match the others. Not sure of the scale but they look like they might be too small for shutters, but perhaps add some architectural detail above them in the matching blue color? The same with the front door-paint out the trim around it so it blends with the storm door, then hang a pretty floral wreath on the outside of the storm door to pull all the colors together. Replace the small lanterns on either side of the door with something larger and brighter and paint the porch ceiling a pale blue (keeps away the bees : ) Then I would clean all the brick and the front concrete steps, add some brightly colored pots with flowers on the steps and plantings along the concrete walk and in front of the shrubs. Good luck!

Ellen DeVilbiss · Answer

Congratulations on being the owner of a beautiful example of the American Foursquare style.  It's so quintessentially American I'd go with a patriotic color scheme.  House body white or light cream, trim a grayish blue, and a red that coordinates with the brick on shutters for the second floor and attic windows.  Possibly the front door too.  Clean up the brick and take some of these other suggestions for brightening up the decor on the step & porch.

Nancy B · Answer

A red front door, blinds or curtains on the inside of all of the windows to unify and soften the look.

Lisa · Answer

Add some color by painting your front door or adding some window boxes with colorful plants

Upstater · Answer

How about adding shutters on the top floor windows and maybe diamond muntins to the top part of the windows to add some charm? Also need larger light fixtures and updated mailbox (all matching- maybe bronze). Paint door deep vibrant red.

Lee Cunningham Green · Answer

I love the house and it truly is able to stand on it's own, however when I look at it, I think of old world flowers, classical climbing roses, Peonies, Lilacs, and Iris, so I would add some flowers or flowering trees. You have a lovely home may you have many years of happiness in it.

Dorothy Yates Jackson · Answer

Paint that house white with green trim. Add the flowers, flowering shrubs and a new bright color for the front door. You will love it.

Leslie · Answer

Paint the trim around all windows and doors white. If possible, also paint the now brown trim area above the porch in white. New larger lights on each side of front door, and a pot of colorful flowers on the brick ledges on each side of the steps. Oh, just saw you don't live all that far from me!

Janice · Answer

What a lovely home you have! Some colorful plantings of several pots along the porch ledge could brighten the home considerably. Also perhaps a bright color you like for the dark trim around the windows & doors....maybe aqua? The pots would provide some extra privacy if you wanted it. You've got lots of suggestions, so hope that some strike you as worthy.

Dee · Answer

I would paint the storm door a bright color, I would put shutters in and get some pretty hanging plants. You could also paint the brick posts. You definitely need to add some color.

Annie · Answer

Some shutters would be a great way to add visual interest!

Annie · Answer

There are some tips here that might help out as well: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YCoXyuX0pEM

Johnavallance82 · Answer

Shutters or Window Boxes or both.

How can I inexpensively add some "wow" to my very brown/tan house?

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How can I inexpensively add some "wow" to my very brown/tan house?

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