Opinions on this house exterior, please! Ugly or not?

[StiffkeyBlue]

Could I do a quick opinion poll on the outside of this semi, please? I believe it was built in the mid-1950s.

My problem is that I've only ever lived in tall-ceilinged Victorian or Edwardian houses so I'm struggling to understand the architecture of it. If you drove past this house, what would you think?

I like the house for the location (right next to the school we want for DS1) and has huge potential for renovation - we'd put a rear and loft extension on. So we could configure it exactly how we want, and hopefully resale value should be pretty solid because of its location. It's really just the look of it that I'm questioning.

My problem is that I've only ever lived in tall-ceilinged Victorian or Edwardian houses so I'm struggling to understand the architecture of it.

I'm not sure what there is to not understand? It looks like a fairly standard house of that age, there are lots of them about

It's fine, doesn't look ugly at all.

This is incredibly helpful, thanks so much for the responses. I think I just need to adjust my expectations. I actually really like mid-century furniture so it could be a good fit.

@fabulousathome - you're right, there's an alleyway with garages to the left, could that potentially be a problem?

@ClaireP20 - sadly it's not my house quite yet, we've just put an offer in, and still need our house to sell quickly.

@anxiousanxietyous - the net curtains are just the beginning of it. It was last redecorated in the 1980s so there's lots to do inside!

@Pickpick101 - wow, you're good. It is in North London, how can you tell? The house next door have replaced the door and removed the porch and it looks so much nicer, so we'd probably copy theirs. IF we get it - fingers tightly crossed.

I'm excited to get in there now!

I think it’s better looking than eg a 1930s semi. I really like the red brick gable. I suppose it is a bit fiddly looking - lots of different materials & windows don't line up - but attractive enough.
And 1950s houses were very well built, weren’t they? (It all went a bit pear-shaped in the 60s & 70s)

Very nice. It looks solid, honest and unpretentious. A goodly family home.

@ReceptacleForTheRespectable It's just my ignorance really, I don't know anything about houses of that period, and amazingly no-one I know lives in one. (Or I've never noticed). So I'm finding it hard to work out what I'd do with it. I''ll need to do lots more research if we get it.

@JoJoSM2 It's the original roof so it may well need to be replaced, as next door have done. I agree about the paving - it's not what I would have picked but perfectly serviceable for a bit, unless by some miracle we have budget left over from the extension...

@StiffkeyBlue

This is incredibly helpful, thanks so much for the responses. I think I just need to adjust my expectations. I actually really like mid-century furniture so it could be a good fit.

@fabulousathome - you're right, there's an alleyway with garages to the left, could that potentially be a problem?

@ClaireP20 - sadly it's not my house quite yet, we've just put an offer in, and still need our house to sell quickly.

@anxiousanxietyous - the net curtains are just the beginning of it. It was last redecorated in the 1980s so there's lots to do inside!

@Pickpick101 - wow, you're good. It is in North London, how can you tell? The house next door have replaced the door and removed the porch and it looks so much nicer, so we'd probably copy theirs. IF we get it - fingers tightly crossed.

I'm excited to get in there now!

I was going to say possibly remove the built in porch. It would be nice to see what neighbours have done. Definitely have a walk up and down the street to pinch ideas.

I like it

Not ugly at all and I also prefer the appearance of period properties.

It’s bland but not ugly. I would pull up the (no doubt expensive) paving at the front. That is ugly and naff To my eye and makes the house look more like a new build than it is. Good luck op.

I’d grow a climbing white rise up the front, to soften it a bit. It’s fine.

Rose!

It’s not bad. Not my style of home, but not ugly. New builds are the absolute worst ugly. This house has some character.

Our house is this vintage ie '1950s does 1930s". I consider it the last of the period styles before 60s/70s developments. You need to embrace your mid century vibes.

I like it. Certainly no major issues that couldn’t be easily changed to suit your taste.

I like it.
Except the doors look wrong, like a back patio door

A proper front door would pull it all together

Can you post a pic of next door or another house on the street with the original door?

Like it.

@StiffkeyBlue

This is incredibly helpful, thanks so much for the responses. I think I just need to adjust my expectations. I actually really like mid-century furniture so it could be a good fit.

@fabulousathome - you're right, there's an alleyway with garages to the left, could that potentially be a problem?

@ClaireP20 - sadly it's not my house quite yet, we've just put an offer in, and still need our house to sell quickly.

@anxiousanxietyous - the net curtains are just the beginning of it. It was last redecorated in the 1980s so there's lots to do inside!

@Pickpick101 - wow, you're good. It is in North London, how can you tell? The house next door have replaced the door and removed the porch and it looks so much nicer, so we'd probably copy theirs. IF we get it - fingers tightly crossed.

I'm excited to get in there now!

Does the road start with a B ?

@Pickpick101- just sent you a PM!

Not ugly at all - some semis really are. I would think about changing the front doors but the tiles above the door look original and quite arts and crafts so I think are nice. I'm not that keen on the block paving - but other than that its quite attractive.

I love it, apart from the roof. That looks really weird.

I'm not a fan of the tiles as they look odd against the brick and what is the roof covering ? It's much nicer than the outside of my house but it's the neighbours that have to look at it so appearance is more for them.

A few years ago I went back to my old home town and thought I'd recognised my young childhood home, when I described it to my dad it was the house opposite I was describing. That's what you spend more time noticing,

I don't mind the porch. Presumably that's a parking space right outside? It needs more kerb appeal as in plants and possibly shutters in the bay window.
I think it's lovely though ☺️ 🤞

It’s a great house. I’d buy it.
However if you personally don’t like it, I recommend George clarke’s Ugly House to Lovely House for inspiration.

I like it, could do with some colour though? Big pots with bright something in? Hard I know in winter but bulbs maybe?