How can I spruce up the exterior of my unlovely 30s house

[30shousecat]

Been living in our 30s detached house for a year and a half. I wouldn't say I have ever particularly loved 1930s houses and unfortunately the house has had much of the original character stripped from it - new pvc windows, a garage extension etc - but we could still see the potential to improve it and could see it would work for us long term. We are saving up to do a big project internally and while we do that we aren't really doing any of the 'nice to have' stuff. That said our porch (or maybe it's a vestibule?) is really looking quite grotty and also also the wood is almost bare where so much of the previous finish has worn away. I would really like to at least give the porch a lick of paint but I am struggling to visualise what colour would look good and whether to paint it all one colour. Ultimately we will hopefully replace it with something a bit less boxy and ugly but it will be with us for a good few years. Any suggestions welcome even if they are ones for the 'one day' pile. Was wondering about a climbing rose or something.

Forgot to add that I know the bushes etc need a good trim/weed! The bushes are to some degree grown like that because they block the view of the road but they definitely still need a good hack back.

I think a relatively easy thing would be a new smarter looking door and weed the front and add some pots with lovely plants.

Paint the render (off) white and the porch dark grey or black. A good tidy up and a couple of pots of flowers or a hanging basket would make the world of difference.

Get rid of the weeds, paint that peeling brown wood work black, trim the shrubs and move the bins. It'll look a lot better.

Yeah the weeds obviously need to go, been too busy digging out the ground elder in the back garden which had been left to run rampant and neglected the front!

Do you think painting all of the wood black would make it stand out more? Was wondering about painting the door a different colour.

I like the idea of a hanging basket, could be easier to sort than a climber and quicker impact. Will have to work out something not too high maintenance.

Paint doors grey/black to match guttering and fascias. Weed front, add pots/hanging baskets or maybe a window box on the bay with trailing geraniums etc to soften the brickwork. Can the bins go anywhere else or add a binstore?

Yeah the bins aren't an issue - easily moved. They are normally pushed back further- probably should have done that before taking the photo

Can you change the windows? Rebuild the front porch, give the whole outside a lick of paint, landscape the front garden. Build a bin store if you can't put the binds at the back

New door.
Nicer windows.
Weeding.fresh paint on render
Nicer window dressings.
Drastically decrease the size of the bushes in front of the window.
Pots and hanging baskets.

as well as painting the door and frame black I would get something like this to put in the glass above the door

Not sure if i can justify the cost of replacing windows though i'd love to!

Looking again at the photo, the thing that will make a big difference when you do replace the windows at some point in the future will be a more traditional style with the smaller panes at the top of each panel of glass - there's probably at least one house locally with the original windows and several with uPVC windows in the traditional style.

I had those same thoughts Wow. There's a similar house down the street, which I like the look of a lot more even though it's still white pebbledash and although it's also just a bit more freshly painted and smartly presented, I think the windows in the style you describe is the clincher. Maybe it would be worth replacing them after all I am just imagining £££.

Weed the front.

Paint the porch a nice pale green or wedge wood blue

Cut shrubs right back

Get blinds for the window for privacy and to break then up a bit

Jet wash drive

Paint fence too if that's yours

Put bins elsewhere

Get an outdoor light fitted

Put a house number up in the wall

Pot plants along the front

I agree about the windows but that major £'s

Windows should look more like this right? This is just a random image from Pinterest.

We have a mix of window treatments going on. Some rooms have curtains that wouldn't look out of place in the 90s but they went all out in the lounge with these monstrosities....

All good points above, there are definitely some easy tidying/maintenance bits to be done. Perhaps I can get the 3 and 5yo involved, at least in the planting bits....

Whoops, forgot to attach the delightful blinds pic behold the majesty of blue and gold....

Is there any similar house on the road/locally that's done up nicely?

You can have the windows spray painted a different colour, rather than getting new windows- I like the idea of charcoal grey. You could then strip the paint off the wooden porch and paint that. I’d also paint the white front door so it coordinates with whatever colour you decide to go with.

I’d agree with sorting the hedges.

I quite like the idea of a window box, which would be nice - this could be in a really nice wood (and if your front door was stained in a similar colour would look amazing).

Those blinds are something else! Yes - the house in the photo you've posted has windows much more in keeping with the age of your house.

I don’t think you need to spend all that much to make a massive difference tbh.

• Thorough weeding and hedge/bush trim
• Hide the bins
• Pressure wash the front slabs/drive
• Paint the brown door
• a few large nice pots with flowers in front of the window

The brown door is the main issue - I don’t even think it matters what (dark) colour you paint it as longs as it’s clean and fresh - i’d go for navy or dark grey.

Please come back and post an after shot op whatever you do!

Oh yes and a nice house number for the front. I always think a nice house number/plaque makes somewhere look instantly more inviting.

Firstly, pull up all the weeds. Secondly, hide the bins, either at the back of the house or, get a wooden bin tidy. Buy a couple of bay trees in pots for the front entrance. As the house is stone coloured with brown trim, follow that theme when painting the door. Paint the red bricks to match the rest of the house.

When you can, get the windows and doors replaced, (dark grey)?