Our busy season is in full swing. I’m sorry for not writing a new blog article but I will when things slow down. The next article should be about choosing roof colors etc. If you’re thinking about painting your house please let us know soon before the leaves on the trees come out and block the view.
Remember you can help save the character of other old homes by referring our website to friends, neighbors and your local historical society. Education is the best way to save history and to keep your neighborhood looking good! Follow us and do it right!
There is a big difference between the appearance of wood windows and vinyl windows. See the difference of how they look in this house and their effect on curb appeal.
See the many once beautiful houses that have been cut in half. Read on.
Before & After Renderings
The image directly above shows the house with a light trim however the one above with the dark trim is the best color combination and what the homeowner chose for this house. Yes it is more drab but also softer to echo the slate roof and not compete with the brick. See the before photo at the top. The bright harsh colors glare at you and the color placement is random without any regard for the architecture. Never have white downspouts. Gutters MUST be the trim color and downspouts match the color they rest against. Front door will be natural. This house is going to be a B & B.
Before picture at top. I think this is a very interesting house. Not the usual two floors you see. I don’t think any old house should have white trim for it makes the house look like it has vinyl siding. If the house is unfortunate enough to have white plastic windows, then the trim must be painted white or replace the window with wood.
This is NOT a client’s home. I took a photo of this house to use the shutters as a example on my shutters page . I also used this photo as the banner on my Face Book page. Most comments were that people did not like the colors. Of course they are more orange in the afternoon sun. They are good historic colors. Notice the rounded shingles and trim. This is some great architecture from Morristown NJ.
Every old house owner must subscribe to The Old House Journal.
If you live in a town where your local government or code enforcement does not understand historic preservation, I suggest buying a gift subscription for them.
By browsing this magazine an interest and respect for old houses may develop.
Do you have Wallpaper to resemble Stone or Stone to resemble Wallpaper? It doesn’t matter if your stone-work on your house is veneer as long as it looks real. Now you may think it looks real, but your subconscious mind can tell the difference and will interpret this with an uneasy feeling. That is if you take the time to …
Decorative concrete blocks were the rage in house building from about 1890’s to the 1930’s. These decorative concrete blocks came in an assortment of styles and sizes. They could be purchased from a local building supplier but most likely made right on the construction site. A concrete block machine could be ordered from the Sears catalog for $42.50 in 1910. …
Exterior window shutters are taken for granted as an easy to install, quick fix to improve curb appeal. Unfortunately, few people understand the complexity of window shutters or the correct way of hanging shutters. What one thinks is a simple mistake will destroy a home’s curb appeal. Don’t let this happen to you! With historic wood shutters or plastic shutters, …
