Any ideas or suggestions for my front 'area'?

HeyRoper
by HeyRoper

I just purchased my first home! I don't even know what to call the front area. My detached garage is in front of my townhouse. I have a nice walk way to my front. My stairs are a hot mess. I'm willing to do the work, I just have no ideas and I can't figure out what this area is called, to look up ideas on Pinterest 😁 any ideas or suggestions? I'm thinking of concrete? Maybe not a deck as there doesn't seem to be any sunlight to the front.

Behind my garage, in front of my home. I thought to add a grill to this area since my dining room is behind those patio doors.

The hot mess that is my front stairs. I had to add the wood to the bricks because the step was just too high for me to manage. Those bricks will be gone sure.

Nice little area that I'd love to add seating

I can't wait to find out what will come back.

  13 answers
  • Robyn Garner Robyn Garner on Apr 19, 2020

    Congratulations on your first home! How very exciting for you.

    The first thing to address is the safety of the steps. It looks as though you need to extend the walkway area from the concrete steps into the house to the wood steps down the garage level. You may want to leave the bricks if they are already level as a platform to put some decking wood. This needs to rise from the wood steps to where you've placed the wood in order to make that first concrete riser not so high. Do the best as possible to make each step the same rise in height - this makes walking much safer/easier. Do put some exterior stain/sealer on the wood steps so they look nicer, stand out and last longer.


    Next on my list would be to make the privacy fence look nicer. If you can afford it, replace it as it looks very worn and crooked. If you have to keep it, power wash it and as with the wood steps, apply new stain/sealer. Power wash the walkway while your at it. 😏


    Pull out the wood lining the walkway. Dig back the soil and replace the wood into a trench or with new garden edging to keep the soil off the walkway. Rake out all the dirt areas.


    If you want a seating area up at the higher level, rake it all out and level it where you'll sit. It really doesn't look large enough to handle much more than maybe 2 chairs and side table unless you want to pull out that bush. Put down weed barrier if you just want pavers up there or you can level it and put in some "walk-on ground cover". It's just what it sounds like - ground cover that doesn't need to be mowed and you won't kill it by walking on it. You need something that is for your growing zone (google your city + growing zone to learn) and appropriate for the amount of sun that space gets. Or, pavers with ground cover between them. Examples you can look at are here

    https://gardenerspath.com/how-to/lawns-and-grass/flowering-ground-covers/

    https://www.houzz.com/magazine/so-long-lawn-6-walkable-ground-covers-to-consider-stsetivw-vs~95482236


    I would make the entire side of the walkway my garden! Plant taller, skinny evergreens against the wall at the side with various grasses, flowers coming to the sidewalk. Remember to basically put the taller things in the back and shorter ones coming forward. Think about if you want a wild flower look, formal look, etc. and if you want various color flowers or a certain color scheme.


    I always plant perennials, which return yearly. I also like adding things that self-seed so they continue to spread. This keeps me from the high cost of replacing flowers every year. Add some good garden soil and compost to amend the soil and once you've dug out all the weeds, sprinkle Preen throughout as you mix in the new soil to discourage weeds. Personally I detest weed block as it interferes with flowers spreading. Top your new plants/soil with 4" fresh mulch. Personally I prefer black mulch as I feel it look much more natural (like rich soil) and it makes flowers pop.


    Be patient - it takes a couple of years for a garden to fill out and mature. Above all, HAVE FUN! 😎



  • Congratulations on owning your first home! How exciting! We recently transformed a dirt patch and awkward spot (and hot mess) in the front of our house to a super cute conversation space (and a great place to read a book!).

    It may not be exactly what you are looking for, but I hope this helps with some inspiration. Hugs, Holly

    https://pinkfortitude.com/conversation-space/

    PS - We have a FREE Back to the Basics Frugal Living Guide with more great ideas and tips. You can download it here --> https://pinkfortitude.com/thank/#Frugal

  • A cheap and way would be to out decorative stones down. You can also add some pot plants for some colour.

  • SawHorse Design Build SawHorse Design Build on Apr 19, 2020

    That space is definitely a challenge do to space constrictions. The building code on most areas would require a landing of at least 36" x 36" before you can add stairs at the elevated level. How about building a small deck that that is at the same level as the top step and then have the stairs coming down towards the sidewalk? Otherwise to be code compliant, the landing and stairs would take up most of that space.

  • Congratulations on your new home. The space on the right should be a garden. Perrenials are best since they come up year after year. Some hydrangeas under the window would be pretty, followed by some taller flowers, like coneflowers. Visit your local nursery for advice on what would grow best in your area and for the amount of light this spot gets each day.

    I would continue the brick around the area behind the garage and add some potted plants for color and a chair or bistro set, if the space allows.

  • FrugalFamilyTimes.com FrugalFamilyTimes.com on Apr 19, 2020

    What about a brick paver path bordered by low light perennials? Would there be space for a bistro table for a quiet spot to sit?

  • Em Em on Apr 19, 2020

    Pavers in approximate 1' square go on sale at Lowes for pretty cheap. I did a walkway with them last fall. Dig to the depth of the paver and level with sand. Put up a railing for the steps and hang some wooden planter from the fence. Use the kind that are long and rectangular that they hang on deck railings. Add some trailing ivy or sweet potato vine in the mix of flowers.

  • Dee Dee on Apr 19, 2020

    You can use pavers or you can level the area and put some nice mulch in with the pavers. Then You can add seating and pot plants.

    Or you can add a flower bed along the long wall, and do this

  • Cheryl A Cheryl A on Apr 20, 2020

    you could put pea gravel around the area for easy maintenance- I would spray all the area for weeds and put down a plastic barrier then add pea gravel and it will brighten the area up

  • Phaedra Phaedra on Apr 20, 2020

    Congrats on your new house. im sure it will be warm and welcoming once you get it whipped into shape. JMO. I find it a PIA to have to go up and down steps every time I step out on my patio. I would do several levels/tiers. First level could be a small deck level with the house that covers that whole area behind the garage and incorporates the area where the two sets of steps come down. Stop just past the house door and keep in line with garage edge. Paint your fence white or a color. Treat this space like an extension of you house. Hang things on the fence and the garage wall. Plants, mirrors, metal sculpture. pictures etc. Do some kind of counter with storage underneath on the garage wall. Put a counter grill there. If the hose is close you could add a sink. Run the drain under the deck and into your flower beds.


    This brings you down to the next level. Make this level your patio. Paint this fence to match the upper fence. Decorate the same as above. Now if you don't mind going up and down the steps you could just do a patio all the way across. Or if you don't mind covering up the basement window you could take the deck all the way across.


    Next level would be the concrete side walk and your flower bed. I agree you need a short wall to hold back the dirt. I would use the same stone and do a stepped wall beside the steps. I would wait on the flowers till you see what comes up. For now just clean it up and add some black mulch.



    Instead of redoing your old steps down to the sidewalk you can purchase new precast concrete steps. Get the steps before you do the upper level so that you can make the level even with the top of the steps. I would get them a little wide and add a border to the sidewalk. I cant tell from the pics but the steps you have may be precast ones. If they are you might be able to reuse one of them.


    https://www.google.com/search?q=precast+concrete+steps&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwi36KDIsPjoAhXiB50JHQRpC20Q_AUoAnoECA8QBA&biw=1093&bih=498

  • Holly Lengner - Lost Mom Holly Lengner - Lost Mom on Apr 21, 2020

    Congratulations on your first home! I remember how exciting it was when my husband and I bought our first home. I think your front area is adorable. I would add something around the steps to level off the area and add a bench and small planters. There's lots of potential on the other side of the walkway for plants and flowers. Here are a few ideas I found for you.

    Something like this would look great by the garage/fence area:


  • Morgan McBride Morgan McBride on Apr 21, 2020

    Maybe pebbles or mulch on that dirt pile