a house exterior that won’t date...

[Freaking0ut]

We are planning to do a massive renovation of our house, including the exterior. We are in the design stages with the architect at the moment and I’ve been thinking about exteriors.

Around our way, smooth white render and grey windows are all the rage. I think they look ok, but quite soulless, but also that they are going to be the brown windows of the future and in 30 years time everyone will be ripping them out!

I want our house exterior to have interest and texture but not be gimicky. I’m sure when people designed their ‘modern’ houses in the 60s they were the height of fashion but now look what we think of them! Whereas the much older cottages have stood the test of time and are still attractive to plenty of people. How do you achieve a timeless look?

I dont know but if you decide please let me know. We live in a 1930s 3 bed semi which is pebbledashed. I hate it. Nobody on the street has changed theirs but ugh its awful!

I think it depends if you can change it afterwards. I have wooden windows, so they get repainted every five years and I can get a different 'look' quite easily by changing that. If you're going for something that once it's done is done, I can imagine it being much harder. I would probably go for something less 'wow' and of the times, but smart and less bold.

If you choose anything different it will date. However windows will need replacing in 20/30 years so it doesn't matter.
If think you'll have to go with original look if you don't want to date.

K rendering
Choose a classic colour - leave windows white IMO

@workhelp1 we are thinking of going for wooden windows. Or at least a mixture of wooden and aluminium. How do you get on with yours?

@mrssunshinexxx
Yes to keeping them white.

Just to show an example. I know these are two totally different houses but I’m sure the 60s one was seen as quite modern when it was built. Whereas the cottage is (in my opinion) equally as attractive now as I’m sure it was 200 years ago.

The one on the right is far far nicer imo

How about thinking of it as a finish that was favoured by the arts & crafts movement (Mackintosh, Wm Morris..) . which if done well (and assuming it hasn't been painted) is incredibly low maintenance

www.buildingconservation.com/articles/pebbledash/pebbledash.htm

I love crittal windows, you could do something modern but with a retro twist, or maybe head towards 1920s as this decade ages but very stylishly? I imagine what you do will depend on where you are starting, and suspect that amongst you considerations will be upkeep, so whilst wooden windows might be tempting, I'd consider upvc because they aren't as clunky as they used to be, but can be easier to clean (you can get ones that open in, so you can clean from inside? And no need to paint them every few years?

@c75kp0r it’s an interesting point because around our way (coastal) lots of houses are pebbledashed, including ours currently, because of the stormy winter weather. I’m not actually opposed to it as I think it could add some nice texture, but I hate the way it was done. Perhaps need to investigate a bit more.

c75kp0r you're absolutely right. I don't get the hate for pebbledash. For many houses built between 1910s-1930s it was the finish of choice and therefore should be looked at as an original feature. Houses almost always look better if they're left more or less as they were designed in my opinion.
1960s houses are often ugly by 21st tastes but their time will come, just as it has for 1930s houses which 20 or 30 years ago were not seen as aesthetically desirable. The ones which have been left with original 1930s features and not been messed around it, all the more so.

Yes, that cottage would have looked terrifically dated at some point, we are just out the other side now!
Very much agree with PP- respect the original esthetic and it will date less. A 60s "update" on that cottage would look the worst of all worlds!

OP what does the outside of your house look like now? As in, what era?

Yes what age/style is your house exterior now?

I think these transformations would stand the test of time.

This is the look a lot of people are going for now, I do like it but not sure if I would like it in 10 or 15 years as it is less traditional than the other pictures.

Im overseas and when I see houses with pebbledash painted white I think they look lovely. So I think it's cultural cringe rather than being aesthetically unpleasing.
I think the reason we like the older places is because they're old enough for us to be nostalgic about them, like when retro clothes come back. Young people embrace them because they haven't lived them already.
I'm about to buy a house and have chosen an old weatherboard cottage over some newer ones as it won't date while I own it - it already did that years ago.

@BettyBooJustDoinTheDoo

Interestingly, I know the very house in your picture, and it's coming up for 10 years since the makeover.

The company behind the work in the images you've posted have carved out a very successful business re-modelling some fairly bland houses.

Wow! I couldn't see those transformations on my phone but am on my laptop now. They're very inspiring!

A few more here:

www.backtofrontexteriordesign.com/before-after

OP, what’s the starting point with your house? It is double-fronted, symmetrical?

I agree that grey windows will look very dated at some point. However, the 60’s house up thread doesn’t look dated to me, it just looks 60’s and not that pretty.

I think the whole black window frame white render will really date very soon, unless very well done. But by the time it does something else will come along.

I'm sure the whole bifold door big kitchen diner living room will date soon too and be a bit harder to sort out!

Oh wow I didn’t realise there were more replies here, the notifications have been going into my spam folder 🤦🏻‍♀️

@BettyBooJustDoinTheDoo those transformations are incredible. I can’t believe them! I really like the quite simple way they’ve been done with the white render, the wooden features and actually I quite like the coloured windows (but probably because they are not grey!).

I also like the slightly more modern one with the wood cladding.

To answer a few questions, we currently have a 60’s bungalow, it is a mixture of brick and pebbledash which is painted cream, with very large white upvc windows. It is quite nice looking really, and I’ve planted lots of lovely flowers around it so it is has a slight cottage feel about it. We are going to be putting another storey on with a pitched roof on top. The architect has gone with a modern look but I’m thinking I’d like to try and keep it a bit more traditional/classic. We are coastal too so could incorporate something like clapboard but again I don’t want to go gimicky. Any ideas gratefully received!

I think keeping it a little more traditional, clap board etc will have better longevity.

A family in our street bought a pretty ugly sixties house quite cheaply and transformed it by making it cottagey. They rendered and painted the old brick white, swapped ridged tiles for slates on the roof, added a generous porch with oak beams and slate pitched roof and planted well. The house now looks stunning and is twice the value it was.