Before & After: Cottage Curb Appeal

What a delight and surprise to get an email from a client of mine who shared these amazing before and after photos of the exterior renovations of her home. I worked with Lainie earlier this year helping her update her "ugly room" with a Room Rx. Her master bedroom transformation was confidently completed with my plan and her efforts and interpretation, including several DIY projects which she undertook with enthusiasm. So it was no surprise that she did her homework to update her "contemporary" looking exterior to one with a more "cottage" look. A huge hail storm wreaked havoc on the roof and siding of her home, so with some insurance money in hand, she and her husband decided the time was right for completing the renovations.

Before:

After:

I love the details she chose, such as the new peaked roof over the doorway and the copper roof over the front window.....

The addition of stone to the home's facade and the filled in, beefed up roof over it.....

The colors she chose are perfect, as is the addition of a little bit of shake shingle.

Here is what she had to say about it all in her email to me:

I started a few years ago with an architectural designer I found on Craigs List who came over to look at the exterior and give me ideas on how to make it less contemporary and more charming/cottage like.  She drew some GREAT pictures for me, with different ideas & I used them to show to our contractors and figure out a plan.  It was kinda a long term vision, but then....thanks to a hail storm..... it became a realistic makeover.  There were some super cute things I wanted to do that I just couldn't afford (like do much more or all of the house in shake which I love or put an eyebrow window over the garage- or put in a new cottage looking style garage door) but oh well.  :)  

Roof  - we put up  GAF Weathered Wood.  They took out the front rafters that looked a little dated and extended the roof line instead.  

Siding & Carpentry  was Waunakee Remodeling.  They also had a designer as part of their service who helped me think through the color options and coordinate the door paint...I was a little nervous about committing to the green at first.  Took a while to decide.  I had samples nailed on the front of the house for about 6 months.  I'm sure my neighbors were thrilled..... We did end up with Alcoa Lakeshore Fern horizontal vinyl siding & the shake is also vinyl- 7 inch shake.  The trim is Alcoa Linen (kinda dirty white.  Our windows are white but naturally a little dirty, so I thought it looked ok.  I didn't want bright white and anything cream didn't look crisp enough...in my non-expert opinion.  :)  We kept the wood as the trim and have been repainting 'cause I like how the wood looks over the aluminum even though it's maintenance free (and we ran out of $ anyway).  The door paint is Red Oxide from Benjamin Moore.

We had them build in an angle/arch over the front door to loose the very very contemporary high roof we had before.  We also had them do a new hip roof over the front window and bend copper sheeting to look like a metal copper roof.  The carpenters from Waunakee rocked.

We had Fass Masonry do the stone.  Peter was great.  The stone is manufactured stone veneer- Dutch Quality in Sienna Ledgestone.  I think it looks great and totally "real".  I wouldn't be able to tell the difference & it was the only thing we could afford anyway.  :)  

Lights from Mennards.

And there you go!  :) 

Great job Lainie, your homework paid off, your home is transformed!  Thanks for sharing all of the details with me and letting me share with my readers, nice to know that there are "shake shingles" available as a vinyl product. Interestingly, Peter Fass of Fass Masonry is a friend of mine, our daughters have played basketball together for the past 4 years.  How fun to see his work and hear the wonderful feedback from a happy client!

Does your room need a “prescription” for a change of decor, function or design? 

If so please contact me, I would love to help your room feel better with a Design Concept Board or a complete Room Rx.