*
I’m doing some fix-up on this 70’s contemporary house and the owners would like something done to the front entry area just to make it ‘not so ugly’.Add a covered area around the entrance maybe, but I haven’t been able to come up with any reasonable ideas. Any help or ideas would be appreciated…….The house is already scheduled to get new dimensional roofing, new cedar shingle siding, new front door w/sidelites,new front windows maybe, etc……..a picture is attached (I think)……..thanks.
Discussion Forum
Discussion Forum
Up Next
Video Shorts
Featured Story
Fine Homebuilding's editorial director has some fun news to share.
Featured Video
Highlights
"I have learned so much thanks to the searchable articles on the FHB website. I can confidently say that I expect to be a life-long subscriber." - M.K.
Replies
*
Sorry the picture don't work and I can't figure out what I'm doing wrong.
*
Here is a more readily accessible copy of your pic as an "attachment" -- it was readable except for the c: at the beginning -- have i ever mentioned i don't like PC's? I took the liberty of adjusting the brightness & contrast, plus reducing its kb size to Breaktime standards
No great suggestions for the entry, except maybe demo'ing the house around it. (Sorry, not my style ... too SoCal.) :) And lose the ADT sign, I hate those things.
*Hello David, First of all, the picture was in a zip file. The file would have to be unzipped before it is easily accessible here on the forum. I believe this is what Andrew did. Anyway, three very important questions: 1. How much of a budget do you have to work on an entrance?2. Is the shrubbery (yuck) and the sidewalk going to stay?3. What is the climate like where this house is located?The owners could maybe get rid of the home security company (notice the ADT sign out front) and use the money they spend on this security for improvements to the home. I don't think a home burglar would intentionally pick this house to rob. (just kidding)Anyway, design will have to be based on climate, what stays and goes, and how much you have to spend. Get back with us, and we can come up with some great ideas.James DuHamel
*Andrew,I downloaded both pics, you do good work.Rich Beckman
*
Some answers to your questions.........Budget is somewhat flexible, but let's assume $7500....this is actually a high end home with approx 6000sq ft that spreads out more to the back. There are hips, valleys, and ridges all over the place behind that one ridge that you can see from the picture. In it's day back in the 70's it was about 'the cream of the crop' for around these parts, although is doesn't look it from the picture.......
Shrubbery and Sidewalk can certainly be removed if necessary. The sidewalk in the foreground with the gravel filler will be changed for sure.There is more sidewalk running lenghtwise across the entire front just before the one in the foreground......
The climate is fairly mild with relative short periods of harsh winter weather(East Tennessee area).We usually have a few days and night where the temps drop into teens at night but rarely below zero...footings are usually about 12 inches below grade for frost purposes.
Hey....I said it was ugly......haha....real 70's with little to no updating by previous owners. The new owner intends to make it nice again and budget is open within reason. We'll probably spend $100,000 + or - to do everything they are wanting. More can be spent on the front if necessary since 1st impression ya get upon arriving is important to overall feel of the place, I hear. The surrounding grounds with it's 'park like' atmosphere do alot for the place eventhough you can't tell it from the picture I attached.
*
david,
You might consider hiring an architect.
Ed. Williams
*Whoa, you don't hear that here often! I agree, this house needs major but delicate surgery. i like the idea of covered walk -- provides sun and rain shelter ... or maybe an arbor ... just my 2¢ (worth less than half that). Maybe a split-rail fence with an arbor entrance. Anything to hide the house!
*
Hey....don't ya think an architect is the reason it was built like that the first place?......Whoa is right, only as a last resort, but the thought had crossed my mind. The solution lies out there in some creative mind......that's why I'm asking here first......James...where are ya?
*
Just a W.A.G.
1. remove all vegitation.
2. Fill in "missing" roof with open rafters or beams. Match existing roofline on both sides of entrance.
3. Place large Stainless Steel sculpture to the right of the new sandstone walkway.
4. Place fountain/pond around sculpture.
5. Plant low but bright red and or yellow groundcover to the left.
6. add some low voltage lighting along walk and spots to set off the accent features, such as the open rafters and sculpture.
7. rip out all of the above and consult a professional.
:) Scott
*I second the motion for an architect. I try to do as much design myself as possible, but that is limited to designing around the existing building and using repeats of features already there so the new blends in with the old.Problem here is there doesn't seem to any features to work off of.Usually I'm pretty good at this , but the blank facade leaves me with no clear impression.There, how was that for Architect Babble.
*anD,Yeah, I've had my beef with architects. But they do provide a great service.....well......the good ones do. Too many times I've haave turned an architects "concepts" into 3D without even a thank you. It seems that the new ones just want to "design" and that's all. Forget that what they draw won't work.....that's for us to work out the details. But all in all......we need them as much as they need us. They spent years learning what they do just as we have. We don't do what they do and they can't do what we do. We need each other.My opinion,Ed. Williams
*I'm still here David.I'm doing a little creative designing, and when I get a few designs, I'll post them. Shouldn't take too long (a few days at most).I have a question for all of you that may seem kind of stupid, but here goes anyway (no disrespect intended).Why don't you builders do your own designing? I keep hearing about how architects and designers are learned and trained for this trade, but think about it for a minute. Most of the architectual designs rely on the builder to make them work. The architect doesn't know squat about how to tie in beams, or make a roof zig zag, or anything else. They rely on the builder to make it work. Well, as builders, you know how all these things fit together, and you know what will and what won't work. Aren't builders creative anymore? (Engineers are a different story here). I can understand the need for an architect on a large scale building, or maybe even on a mansion like Bill Gates', but what I want to know is why don't the builders just design their own stuff? This would definitely eliminate the architects and their silly little problems (and a lot of your frustrations). I design my own work in most cases, and I wouldn't even consider a kitchen or bath designer, architect, etc... I don't trust them. None of them can actually build what they design, so why should I build what they design? My clients usually know what they want anyway, or at least there are pictures to look at. Sometimes we put several different pictures together to create an idea. I am pretty creative, and I know what will work and what won't. If I need help on a structural issue, I ask, or get an engineer to help. Just my two cents worth.James DuHamel
*I have done plenty of design, but I am never happy with toh compensation I get for. Satisfaction doesnt put food on the table. There are several good architechs i work with. They are reasonable, honest and dont have their heads up their asses. They send me a lot of work. If people are willing to pay for them they are willing to pay for me. On the house, Fill in the missing roof with an arch, change the windows, and create a front porch. Bring the entrance out in a bay. If there is enough room perhaps bring it out enough to create an entrance foyer/mudroom. 2cents more for you.Rick Tuk
*I'm Thinking a squared toewer with an angled roof sloping toward the existing roof. Bring the top over the existing roof line. Sort of like a battlement on a castle.
*James,How much do you charge for your design work?Ed. Williams
*Hello Ed, It really depends on the size and type of the job. For custom baths and kitchens, I charge a minimum of $200.00, with a max of $400.00. If I get the job, I apply 1/2 towards the job. I always make up that half during the job. If I am designing an entranceway, family room, or something that doesn't have a lot of fixtures, the price will depend on how long I have to spend on it. I usually charge $40.00 per hour, with a cap at 10 hours. I have never actually spent 10 hours yet, and I almost always get the job. Right now I am designing a bath for a customer who has been through 3 different contractors, and still has a gutted bathroom. One got arrested for molesting his daughter, one died, and one was a shyster. I am working with her, and I know I will get the job. She is a nice lady, and her husband is a saint. These poor people just want a bathroom that is fairly elegant, and finished. Since she has lost faith in contractors, I will help out as much as I can afford to. I will charge her $200.00 for the design work, but will apply all of it toward the job. I will make it up during the job, so I don't sweat it. Remember, I am a small outfit, and I don't do large projects. I do not do add ons, and I do not design and build houses. I do the small scale remodels and repairs. I get a lot of kitchen and bath work due to termite or water damage to framing and sole plates. Once a bathroom has been gutted, it has to be remodeled. This is where I make my money. Add ons and change orders make up a large percentage of my work.James DuHamel
*David - Just my 1 cent worth. I agree with the guys who suggested and arbor, or some form of pergala. Definitely one option. Also someone suggested sculpture, it definitely could use a fair size free-form sculpture, something with curves and no straight lines.If you go for a covered entrance, the first thing I would ask is whether the four small windows above the door are staying. If they are you don't want to block them, so maybe bringing another set of four windows (maybe taller, but similar) out into the same plane as the wall. This would also help bring light into a tall and dark entrance. Then maybe a shed roof coming out from below the windows, not too far, maybe 8'. Probably the same pitch as the other two. Maybe alter that by giving it two small pents wrapping around the sides, widening it and giving it the appearance of some upward thrust. Some subtle but noticable detailing to separate it from the rest of the house, like maybe exposed rafter tails with some simple decorative cuts. That won't stick out too much especially with cedar shingle siding. Just enough detail to draw some attention to it and make it more distinct than the rest of the house.Of course, I could be completely wrong.
*Nice disclaimer. :-)
*P.S. No point in ZIPping or otherwise compressing a jpeg ... the file may actually get larger. Jpeg is very efficient at obtaining compression (or course then your modem's built-in 4x compression doesn't work, oh well).
*Thanks, Andrew, I hesitated to make a suggestion because design is one of those things that is so subjective. Not to mention it ain't easy to talk about without being face to face.
*
Contemporary is right. Forget the gables and dormers on this baby. I do like the idea of a flat angled covered entry way, that complements the modern look on this.
I would probably recommend an architect as well. I know that I have few that could put one of their students to work on this and have some rough designs for less than a couple hundred bucks, and full scale plans for about $1,000.
I for one don't see a lot of homes like these, and would be concerned that the builder would not have and "eye" for design of this nature. The home is not my favorite sytle, and I would not feel comfortable designing something for this.
*
Hello David,
This will be two separate posts because I have two pictures for you to look at, and can only post one picture per message.
First of all, These are meant ONLY to help you get your brain kick started. The first picture is nothing more than a crude sketch, and is in no way meant to be a working drawing, or anything other than an idea kick starter. It is very simple, and has very little detail. Some people just have a hard time visualizing things until they see the picture in a different way. Then their mind gets going, and ideas start popping up.
There are way too many unknown variables for me, or anyone else to give you a detailed plan for this project. You are the only one who can answer the questions, sort out the variables, and design something practical, affordable, and appealing to the owners.
I only had time to sketch out one drawing, but it will show you that the open space can be changed. This is a simple roof extension over the area. I am guessing that you have about 28 feet in width (or somewhere around there) to cover. This will require roof supports. Anyway, I have eliminated the trees and shrubs for clarity. This particular quick idea uses cedar posts for roof supports, with lattice panels between them. Some type of colorful vegetation can grow up the lattice. Lots of low cover green plants around. In the right hand corner, maybe a stone walled area about waist high, with a waterfall, and some low cover vegetation. Accent lights all around. For the entrance way ground area, maybe some type of sandstone pavers, brick pavers, etc... Maybe even a half round concrete bench to sit on and watch the waterfall. Just some ideas to get you started thinking. Maybe even a skylight or two to bring in some light.
Once your mind kicks in, and you get your own ideas clicking, you will be amazed at what you think of. Then it will be a matter of you and the client deciding what is best for them, the house, and the budget.
James DuHamel
*Here's another thought. Instead of a solid roof, use a cedar beam trellis. It can be one large trellis, could be something like a three level trellis (high, medium, and low levels), could be an arched trellis, etc... This will allow lots of natural light, and allow the plants to flourish. A sunroom type enclosure would also be interesting here. Lets in lots of light, allows the people to see out, and keeps the weather away from the front door. I have seen these types of enclosures that have an open front for entry, and curved glass all around. Use lots of vegetation, unique large pots for small trees/shrubs, pavers, or concrete to look like pavers, for a ground surface, and lots of light. Let nature be your guide. For an area that is full of plants, waterfalls, light, and objects to look at, you could go for an entryway something like this picture. It allows whomever is on the inside to get a good view of the entranceway. Remember, these are just thoughts to get your mind kick started. I am absolutely sure you can come up with a million and one ideas for this project, and make it all look wonderful. Let us know how it turns out.James DuHamel
*James,Thank you for your answer.Sounds to me like you are doing a good turn for your customers. So many times I am asked to design for no charge( or for wages ). Design is just as important ( if not more so ) than the construction.Ed. Williams
*
Thanks guys for all your input. I'll try to send in a picture of what we end up with.........
*
I'm doing some fix-up on this 70's contemporary house and the owners would like something done to the front entry area just to make it 'not so ugly'.Add a covered area around the entrance maybe, but I haven't been able to come up with any reasonable ideas. Any help or ideas would be appreciated.......The house is already scheduled to get new dimensional roofing, new cedar shingle siding, new front door w/sidelites,new front windows maybe, etc........a picture is attached (I think)........thanks.
*
Hi David, maybe you could construct a Pergola out of 4x8 cedar inbetween both house extensions and cut the cedar beams to match the roof pitch. The Pergola would allow for plants to be hung from it as well as ivy or vines to grow on and over it. Just a suggestion.