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Design Dilemma
Cathy Cathy 7 years ago
We have just purchased a 70's orange brick house which is in great condition which has mission brown trim in the interior and exterior.
We have been advised to paint the (brown) front door a high gloss black and to paint the (brown) exterior trim around the door, white (same colour as interior trim)
I am a bit hesitant to do this as I think black will just darken the entrance. Does anyone have experience or pictures with updating this type of house. We don't plan to paint the window frames either.
Any real life advice would be great ! :)
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Entrance to a 70's brick house RenoQComments (35)Hi JV, I think unless you are planning to do a huge facelift to the home, I would just embrace the retro feel rather than trying to mask it and have it looking too random and shoddy. I actually think the cream brick at the sides is quite cool, it looks in really good shape, I would definitely leave that! And the trellis, I just think you can't fight it as it's all the balustrade too. Replacing that with glass will just look like a 70s home with bad out of place glass added. I like your timber idea, though I'd just go a regular cladding rather than decking which will look... well like decking on the wall! Get a cladding (Even a Scyon style product), paint it a light charcoal (or even a dark olive/khaki colour) and it would look stylish, retro and actuallypretty cool as I'd expect from an IT guy. Add some plants (mother in laws tongue, a crassula, another succulent) in a few pots of varying heights (say 3), add a stylish outdoor light, maybe a plaque wiht your business name, a cool doormat, remove the screen door and I think it would look great. Look up mid century modern references, there's a lot. Even though it's not mid century, you could stretch to that. I think it would look far better than trying to mask what you've got and have it come off as looking really amateur....See MoreNeed some ideas on modernising out 70’s brick houseQComments (16)Don't try and modernise this home, it has a lovely mid-century character that you should build on. I suggest to all of my clients that they should live in a home for at least 12 months before spending big renovation dollars. Understand how your house works with the change of seasons, and the existing electrical and plumbing services. Sometimes when you are on a tight budget in an old house then boring things like gutters and hot water systems are more important than supeficial aesthetics. Elements that are not original, such as your roller blinds at the front aren't contributing to the look of the house. The right landscaping could provide the shade you need and look much better. Love it for what it is, rather than try and make it into something that it is not. Best of luck, Dr Retro of Dr Retro House Calls...See MoreBrisbane 2 Story Late 70's Brick Home KitchenQComments (12)Hi Yatta, looks like a reno will add function, value, practicality to your home especially needed right now with little people. You need to be able to see the whole are for safety. So I have a string of questions: Which way is north and do you have shade to the windows on the second floor? How many people living there? Do you or your husband like to cook? How often do you shop? What size fridge? Do you bake: would a pantry/ appliance cupboard be ideal for your style of cooking? What rooms are next to the kitchen and are their sizes convenient for your needs? Were you thinking to knock out wall between kitchen and tv space? Do you have visitors for BBQs, parties, house guests, family gatherings: ie how many do you cater for maximum? And dimensions for the rooms. Once we have answers to those and probably more(!) then we can begin to piece together an overall idea of what will suits you and go from there into how to arrange the fittings, fixtures, how the spaces will be used, where things will be stored, how the space will function day to day, week ends or for crowd gatherings! Lots might seem irrelevant but it is not. It is essential to gather heaps of information required to glean the overall running of your home. Happy to help from here. Look at my www for ideas too. Cheers Margot...See MoreLiving Room 70's Brick HouseQComments (8)I'd consider painting the plain walls, brickwork, ceiling and rafters all the same shade of white. It looks like quite a dark room and I think this would make a real difference. Painted brick in interior spaces is pretty forgiving. Are you thinking of replacing the window? It looks like the kind of space where french doors onto a little deck would be nice but that might not work if it opens onto the street. Agree that there are lots of flooring options which wouldmake a big difference to this room. After these changes think about furniture placement and zoning. It looks a bit like everything is pushed against the walls at the moment and this tends to make rooms a bit uninviting I find....See More
