The primary goal of this exterior design renovation was to modernize an unremarkable ranch home and give it a "wow" factor that would make the family excited to call it "home." The homeowners also desired a pathway to the street to provide pedestrian access when cars are parked in the driveway. The challenge: the home is oddly situated, catawampus on a cul-de-sac, with the front facade facing away from the curb.

We gave the facade a fresh new look by strategically removing some of the siding, and replacing it with a combination of stacked stone and smooth stucco. (This decision to mix-and-match materials was far more affordable than stuccoing the entire home.) We added bold statement lighting, bookending a new, modern glass garage door, finished in a matching stone color. We swapped the original front door for a gorgeous mahogany door with horizontal frosted glass lites, playing off the look of the garage door. We designed a contemporary, angular concrete pad driveway and walkway that leads up to a new, perfectly-sized angular front porch with a black planter and black bench that anchors the space and balances the asymmetry. Lastly, we designed a custom fence for the side yard that keeps with the theme of horizontal lines and mimics the color of the rich mahogany front door.

View "before" pics >