XP:Curb appeal for unique home PIPs

Christy062009

So I posted on G&L and I'm hoping they can help with the plants but I'm wondering if you ladies can help with the other aspects of curb appeal.  Of course let me know if you have plant ideas.  I just want to give the house more of a personality!

Last fall DH and I purchased my parents' house. My dad built this house when he first started his construction business 20 years ago and it is the house I grew up in. We are in the process of residing (the left side is not finished), shingling and replacing 90% of the windows. Since this process started before we decided to buy the home, we did not have any say in the colors.  It's all so...brown!

Our door is currently light blue.  It's a steel door so I plan to have in professionally painted, I'm thing navy blue. We'll also replace the plexiglass (the rectangular area on the white all).  It will have our last name and address.

I'd also love to hear ideas for the patio on the left side of the house. 

Thank you for your help! Oh and we are in ND so things need to be able to hold up to heat, wind and snow!

egs_sweetness

 I would do large pots with lots of color, a seating area and a table and chair set on that patio.  

 I have no experience with planting where it snows  but I know my Grandma, who lived in Billings, had good luck with roses, lilac and delphinium.  When I was a little kid we lived in SD and I remember helping my mom with tulips. 

i got some region specific gardening books and Ive also had good luck at my local nursery getting advice. 

 

hippie4yahweh

Sorry I have no awesome advice, I think a darker door color would work well and definitely agree with egs about a patio set out there! I'd go for rich colors with your plantings, though. Maybe a whole row of burning bush around that cool curved wall. And pots of vibrant annuals on the patio! Is the porch going to be redone in the brown as well? I think it would look good painted a much darker color (dark dark brown, blue or green?), the white is too..... picket fence (kwim?) for the rest of that house

That's a super cool house, though. I enjoy the curved wall of windows! 

Christy062009

I'd definately like to put a patio set with a coffee table that has the propane fire in it.  I use to have a little seating area with cushions but I never remembered to take them off before it rained and they would stay soaked for days plus they faded quickly.  Would higher quality cushions not absorb so much water or maybe a different material?

I've never heard of burning bush.  I googled and love the color!

Would you paint the wall, pillars and awning? There definately needs to be more contrast.  Maybe I could play with photoshop to get an idea of what it would look like.  I have a hard time picturing things with this house since I've lived in it for most my life!

 Thanks ladies!

xmaryrickx

http://www.ag.ndsu.edu/mg this is a link to the master gardners extension for your area. It should have a lot of information on what to plant for your particular climate. It should be able to help you figure out why planting zone you are in and fin resources for plant suggestions. For the patio I would do a bunch of pretty planters and make an herb garden with some flowers scattered throughout and maybe build a trellis and do a climbing come of some sort, roses, clematis, wisteria, morning glories, etc. Then add in furniture and lots of ambient lighting. Maybe a flower box on the front porch and a hanging basket on the side of the front porch, to add some color.

xmaryrickx

Also. I am fascinated by your house! It's so different. I feel like I saw it on Hgtv or something. I would love to see pics of the inside if you ever feel like posting. It's so unique!

DownToEarthGirl

Can you grow hops/ivy/vines up the super tall area in the middle of the house?  That would break it up the brown a lot.

 

Christy062009

Thank you for all the ideas!  This will definately be a work in progress for the next couple of years.  It's funny you mentioned the NDSU website since that's where I went to college! I'll definately have to check out their website.

 I may try to grow a couple of different things that have vines.  I know there is a great grape vine on the outside of the patio in the front.  Maybe some I'll try to grow something on the back wall on the inside so that your eye draws back. 

Off to google all the plants mentioned that I'm unfamilar with.  Thank you!