The amazing Cindy is at it again. We’ve seen her house, her bathroom remodel, her Amtico kitchen floor, and her new pinch pleat curtains, and now she shares the new, welcoming entry way to her 1963 home. I love the long, low lines, and the integration of a favorite mid century surface material, random multi-color slate tiles. She also helped design the custom made planters. Read on for more of Cindy’s vintage Sunset-inspired front porch makeover –>
Cindy writes:
I’ll start with before photo of the front of the house — wild overgrown yews that were surely original to the house.
After all the work, above and below: The new front entry.
It was entirely rebult, the stoop area is slate – my favorite material and so appropriate to a mid century house. I then had a concrete slab poured around it. inspired by a photo I saw in a 1960s landscaping book from the library. I think it was one of those Sunset books….
The inspiration for the planters came from a restaurant I went to in the Azores last year. I searched your site, local garden centers and googled wooden planters numerous times, but found nothing that satisfied me.
So I had them made by a local cabinet maker friend. They add a bit of Asian feeling I wanted for this front area.
Great job, Cindy — I love the new expansiveness of the entry way. You can sit out, have a cocktail, and watch the neighborhood go by — but the landing still has a strong geometric feel that totally suits the modern design of your home. Interestingly, I have read that midcentury ranch homes were designed in a way that they would be “open to nature” — but that generally meant open at the back. I like that you have added this friendly touch to the front of your house, but in a way that is harmonious to the front facade. The landscaping looks “friendly”, too. I have several of those hydrangea trees — a very satisfying cultivar in our part of the world, it blooms all summer long.
I have a photo of Cindy on her old/original landing (above> from when I first visited several years ago. You can see that the random multi-color slate tiles were original to the era. Cindy has replaced them, including with a tidier squared-off design on two levels. Random multi-color slate tiles are abundant in Massachusetts – and they are relatively affordable. The concrete platform below, which Cindy designed, kind of “mirrors” the shape of the garage roof adjacent (nice touch, Cindy, you have “the eye” for sure!) and adds visual contrast. The concrete is also reduced her cost (compared to laying more tile), I assume. Be sure to work with professionals or to really know what you are doing if you attempt to do this kind of job yourself: Up her in northern climates, we can get cracks in concrete due to freeze/thaw heaving if the underlayment and binding (?) of the concrete is not done properly. You also will want to talk to a professional about the pros and cons of sealing concrete.
Maureen says
What an improvement! It is a nice blending of contemporary (planters) with retro design!
Gracie Manasco says
I must say that I like the before… the after is too contemporary for my tastes… but I do like the after as well… I’m just more of a purist I think.
Andrea says
This is gorgeous! Perfect proportions make the “new” entryway look like it belongs to the house entirely. Love the Asian flair, too.
John Hedge says
Wow, I’m so glad you wrote about this flooring again. I was thinking about doing that on my back screened in porch. It would look so Neat there. I love the color variation and the authenticity of it. Looks Great!! These pictures look great. It looks stellar with the bricks and those planters are Sweet!
Jana (Berniecat) says
Wonderful job! The new slate works perfectly with the color of the brick. I like the clean, open space that you have provided for the front walkway. Your planters are very unique and also work well with the design. For the fall season, you might think about replacing the annuals with some perennials or some fall colored mums to keep the color going longer since you have a shorter growing season. I also like the hydrangeas. Everything looks so crisp, neat and with such a clean design. Talk about adding $$$$$$$$ worth of curb appeal! 🙂
jay says
Lovely! I did something similar with my brick ranch. The original walk from the drive passed in front of the living room window to the door. The concrete was narrow, cracked and heaved. The front door was flanked by enormous yews and the step up into the house was high. I had the shrubbery removed – the house has to breathe! and the new walk/patio was constructed from cut Pensylvania stone. The natural stone complements the red brick. keep up the good work – what great curb appeal your home shows. The planters really look good with the house’s horizontal lines.
Nina462 says
Very nice & welcoming! Clean & crisp. I have that slate in my entry way – found leftovers in the garden, which I made walking stones.
Good job!
BungalowBILL says
Love the look of the slate, and you planted my favorite shrub, the tree hydrangea.
Trina says
Outstadning! Next years project for us is the exterior of the house. Front and back, which means that I get to spend the winter changing my mind about one hundred times. I love the tile and may have to steal that one. Love the addition on the step. It adds to the long, low lines of the house beautifully.
Pam, thanks for posting a great example of an exterior renovation. As you know, we have all been wishing for more inspiration for exteriors – front yards and back.. This is great. Keep up the good job!
Trip Haynes says
I really like the slate pad but personally felt like you should have kept that large shrub.