Ideas please to help improve look of old red brick home on a budget
HU-309674150
2 years ago
last modified: 2 years ago
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Putting a range in an existing brick chimney?
Comments (14)Hi there nicndrew -- wondering if you ever solved your venting issues if you went ahead and put your range into the fireplace. We have a similar issue - 140 year old victorian and the only realistic plan we can come up with for a new kitchen design is to put our range into an existing fireplace. Our floorplan is constrained by a stairwell as well as a couple of weight bearing walls so we need to work with what we have...I am hoping we can vent up and out the side of the house -- four flues in this chimney but the kitchen flue is closest to the exterior wall. The contractor is coming to take a look on Saturday but would love to gather some suggestions before then....See MoreA suitable topic to share ideas for projects on a budget
Comments (77)I won't bother with lattice, barrels are partially obscured from the street by fencing and if I put it up I would have to work around the lattice in order to turn the valves for water. If I can just make better use of collected water I'll be happy. We are at the end of our growing season so I should be cleaning up the garden and putting it to bed for the winter, just can't seem to get motivated. We had our first frost last week. Usually, our average early frost date is 1 November. I got almost no produce from garden this year, but there is always next year. Chookchook2 I've seen some of those decorative metal panels and they are gorgeous, sure hope your budget will allow you to get some before too long. Most of our state has been on fire for a good part of the summer. The closest is across the river from us and they have been battling it for almost a month. Some friends have had to evacuate repeatedly. We've only been concerned once, a small grass fire on our side of the river on a day we had wind gusts up to 65mph. Fortunately, it was put out quickly. Australia and New Zealand have both sent firefighters to help with the blazes. I can't begin to tell you how appreciative we are. The closest fire was fought for almost a week by local volunteers only as there were no other resources available. They were all on other fires. The Army National Guard (reserve troops) were called out to help with support duties and for the first time ever the federal Department of Natural Resources (DNR) asked for civilian volunteers to help with non firefighting tasks, cutting fire breaks, moving supplies etc....See Moreexterior help please
Comments (4)Like your house! I think the verticals in the window on the left are vertical blinds - get rid of these - they are very dating. Paint the horizontal safety bars to match your other window frames. I think the house just lacks privacy - and this then necessitates curtains and blinds at all the windows, giving the house a closed off look. I would get rid of all the very solid and 60s era conifer shrubs and replace with softer planting and one or two taller trees. Perhaps a fence or hedge to provide privacy so those windows could be opened up to the sun and garden. Or you could plant a row of spaced standard trees (fluffy heads on trimmed trunks) (eg robinia, or a weeping standard poplar or willow) you'd only need about 5 along the street frontage, creeper round that letterbox, a few pretty plants next the house. Then open the blinds and curtains. You could add a screened courtyard outside the glazed area on the left. Talk to your local garden shop for ideas. I cant tell whether the walls are brown brick or brown Summerhill stone (thats those rough concrete bricks, also very 60s). My house is Summerhill stone and has been painted cream - looks fine and certainly removes the 60s look. Hope this gives you some ideas - good luck with your new house....See MoreStreet appeal facelift for brick and block monster? Send help!
Comments (8)It is a pretty 'basic' look , but unless you spend big dollars , that is going to be the base you are working from . the first 2 things I'd do , is buy a waterblaster , blast everything especially bare timber ; and secondly , do every fence in a charcoal stain . Personally , I wouldn't paint the bricks , and I'd even hold off painting the block too . That brown peak has to change , I suspect I'd go a mid-Orange , to be reasonably 'sunny' . Red or yellow too bright for the cream and the style ; blue or green too old and too cold ; grey too boring ; black or brown too dark . I the short term , I'd leave the terrace panels , but do the top rail in a bright Orange , and the base timber that can be seen , in a charcoal . The stair railings I'd do in white with the same bright Orange top rail , the actual stairs in charcoal ( you may have to add a white bit at the front of each to meet Health and Safety regulations ) . Windows etc are okay IMO , but add a detail or 2 -- 2 matching $100 letterboxes ; your street number in a nice style , painted bright orange or even apricot , made from ply , and screwed or glued so it is 30mm 'out' ( protruding ) from the downstairs wall between the 2 windows ( maybe off-centre by 30cm for impact and interest ? ) OR maybe on the front fence . Then your idea of plants in big bright pots will really add too . There you go -- $2500 and some labour and some fun and it will look quite a bit better ....See More
dreamer
2 years agoThe house looks good, it’s the driveway and lack of landscaping that I would improve. I suggest to build a retaining wall as per attached photo. (Not as high) It will make a nice walkway entrance to the front door. Replace or paint the cement walkway if it doesn’t clean up well. If your budget doesn’t go that far, clean the driveway and paint. Use a lawn edger to tidy up front grass. Or even just install a flower bed on lawn side of walkway.
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2 years agobigreader
2 years agoAn all green garden would bring an element of modern to the house and give it an update.
HU-309674150 thanked bigreader
dreamer