Enhancing Curb Appeal

Before: Our clients in Sandy Springs loved their home but its facade, front porch and back deck were a bit tired. Working with the wonderful architectural bones of the house, we gave the exterior an update that enhanced its curb appeal and made the outdoor living spaces inviting. Take a look and see if it inspires ideas for your own home.

After: Out front, we built a new porch that freshened up the style of the home and provided a welcoming outdoor living space. The new porch roof made the most significant architectural impact, with its gracefully curved barrel vault portico and standing seam metal roof with a rustic copper tone. The new custom windows that follow this curve above it presented an extra challenge and fill the upstairs hallway with light.

Other important exterior design moves included:

Two new sets of French doors that flood the interiors with natural light
Swapping out the existing lap siding for shingles
Limewashing the brick for a lighter look
Replacing all the windows with clean-lined, more energy-efficient units, and some with larger units
Using classic round columns instead of rectilinear posts
Adding traditional lanterns
Installing a new roof

These changes freshened up the architecture and elevated the home’s look. Its enhanced curb appeal is undeniable.

Paint colors: Shingles: Swiss Coffee, Benjamin Moore and Trim: Dorian Gray, Sherwin-Williams

Inside, the new French doors and transoms bring lots of natural light into the entryway and add architectural interest. Other improvements here included new trim, a new arched opening to the family room with a pocket door and new light fixtures.

Wall and trim paint: Pure White, Sherwin-Williams

Replacing the Existing Deck With a New Outdoor Living Space

Before: Out back, the deck was in bad shape and didn’t inspire anyone to want to spend time out there.

After: Expanding the back deck and transforming it into a terrace has established it as everyone’s favorite outdoor living space, and the family loves spending time out here.

The renovation also married the architecture of the home to the outdoor living space — the brick walls match the limewashed brick on the home’s facade, and also tie into the new outdoor fireplace. There’s also a seamless transition to the existing screened-in porch.

The yard slopes steeply down off the driveway, so we added this new deck to connect it to the terrace. The synthetic turf surface gives this deck the appearance of a lawn. Off the right side of this photo, a wide set of stone stairs leads to the back yard.

To give the terrace surface a patio-like feel, we installed porcelain pavers with a natural stone look. Rather than using a jointing compound, we installed 4-inch-wide strips of synthetic turf between the pavers. This created a dynamic pattern and resulted in a sophisticated look for the outdoor living space.

The new outdoor fireplace serves as a focal point in this outdoor living space, and its limewashed brick matches the brick on the house. To supplement the warmth provided by the fireplace, we also added heaters that will extend outdoor living time deep into the shoulder seasons.

Wicker sofas with striped upholstery play off the diamond pattern in the floor. Party lights add to the nighttime ambiance out here, making it the favorite outdoor living space for entertaining.

While there isn’t a full outdoor kitchen out here, there are plenty of convenient amenities tucked into the brick wall. On the left side there is a trash pull-out and cabinetry and the depth of the capping on the wall provides plenty of space for serving food. On the right side there are two refrigerated drawers and an icemaker, making the top of the wall the perfect spot to set up an al fresco bar. We also tucked in a line of LED tape lights beneath the top of the brick walls and beneath the fireplace mantel.

This aerial view lends a good sense of the plan. There’s easy access from the driveway to the terrace thanks to a new raised turf deck, providing easy access for guests during outdoor parties and for the kids who like to play in the driveway. And there are two new sets of stairs that lead down to the yard off either side of the terrace. One is stone and the other is ipe.

Backyard

Before: There were two sets of stairs off two decks to the rest of the backyard. But it dropped off steeply and was completely unusable as outdoor living space.

After: We regraded the yard to create a flat area for play. This involved building retaining walls and bringing in lots of dirt.

An Unexpected Spot for Play

Bonus: There was an existing ipe deck off the other side of the screened-in porch that we refurbished while repurposing as much of the ipe as possible. Improvements included new posts, new ipe railings and new underdecking with lots of ceiling lights. A new deck skirt covers the more unsightly area located under the screened-in porch.

The areas underneath decks and raised porches are often gloomy and uninviting, and not suited for outdoor living space. That’s no longer true at this home. We installed a home putting green underneath a new deck located off the other side of the screened-in porch. The shade from the deck overhead is very welcoming during scorching Georgia summers.

Attractive underdecking and lots of overhead lights allow the family to practice their short games after dark. Part of the renovation was finishing the basement, and the green creates a pleasant area to access the yard directly from the basement. In fact, it’s located directly off the husband’s home office, and he likes to come out and putt while talking on the phone.

We hope you’ve enjoyed this tour and gleaned some ideas for enhancing your own home’s curb appeal and making your outdoor living spaces more inviting.

If you’re considering improving your home inside or out, please click on the link below to get in touch with us.