Hi there! A while back we shared our design direction for the interior of the Murray Bungalow (catch it here if you missed it). This same design direction -- what we're calling, "modern bungalow" -- perfectly guides our design thinking outside as well.
We believe in the notion of interiors & exteriors working together to create a whole that is greater than the sum of its parts. Thoughtfully-considered outdoor living spaces, fluid indoor/outdoor transitions, exterior aesthetics that complement interiors, hinting at what can be found inside ... when attention and care are given to the exterior, there's a synergistic magic that kicks in to make for a property that feels truly special.
Today, we're revealing our plan to update the exterior look of the Murray Bungalow including the front elevation or "curb view". There's more to come on our plans for the outside with a follow-up post on landscape & hardscape plans in the works.
BACKGROUND
We believe in the notion of interiors & exteriors working together to create a whole that is greater than the sum of its parts. Thoughtfully-considered outdoor living spaces, fluid indoor/outdoor transitions, exterior aesthetics that complement interiors, hinting at what can be found inside ... when attention and care are given to the exterior, there's a synergistic magic that kicks in to make for a property that feels truly special.
Today, we're revealing our plan to update the exterior look of the Murray Bungalow including the front elevation or "curb view". There's more to come on our plans for the outside with a follow-up post on landscape & hardscape plans in the works.
BACKGROUND
We talked previously about our appreciation for the home's prairie bungalow roots (read more about that here). At some point in the past, the Murray Bungalow was treated to a bold, multi-yellow color scheme. While a colorful approach like this can do a great job of highlighting architectural details, our view is that given the scale of the house and prominance of its roof-lines, the yellow-on-yellow scheme makes for a busy, "chopped up" look. Moreover, the condition of all of the yellow paint -- peeling and fading -- necessitates a comprehensive re-think.
INSPIRATION
Our design vision for the exterior aligns directly with that for the interior: a fresh, clean, pared-down look with lots of warmth and natural touches, elegant in its simplicity. In combing through inspiration imagery, we fell in love with the idea of a clean, sophisticated, all-white exterior. When paired with a natural wood, either on floorboards and/or ceiling, a pretty accent color on the front door, and contrasting hardware, a crisp white exterior simply cannot be beat. See below for some beautiful examples.
SOURCES :
|1| White Lane Decor, |2| Little Living Blog, |3| Modern Cottage,
|4| Making Modern Home, |5| Studio McGee.
|1| White Lane Decor, |2| Little Living Blog, |3| Modern Cottage,
|4| Making Modern Home, |5| Studio McGee.
DESIGN PLAN
Armed with our inspiration pics, here's our playbook for the Murray Bungalow exterior:
CONVERSION TO OPEN AIR PORCH | The conversion of the existing screen porch into an open air porch (covered in our main level floor plan post here a while back) is truly a game-changer for the exterior of the home. It makes for such a smooth and welcoming transition between indoors & out, giving a huge boost to the home's curb appeal. And maybe most important, it's a change that feels 100% natural & true to the home's bungalow roots. We weren't able to find the original architectural plans, but wouldn't be at all surprised if the porch was always intended to be open-air with the screens added later. Our vision is to build out the railing along the porch's perimeter to match the style of the existing stair rail.
ALL NEW PAINT | We'll paint the entire home -- all siding and all trim -- a crisp, clean white. This bold all-white approach we hope will have a modernizing & unifying affect, shifting the focus away from color (yellow on yellow) and toward the charming shape & structure of the house.
MODERN ACCENTS | All white does not equal boring. We'll warm up the look by returning the front porch floor boards and stair treads to a natural wood tone, and install natural cedar v-groove ceiling paneling overhead. We'll make a subtle statement with the front door by refinishing in a soft grey paint color. Last, we'll use matte black accents via door hardware, wall sconce, and mailbox for a modern, contrasting effect.
LANDSCAPING | To finish the house up and provide soft texture, natural color, and freshness, we'll install all-new landscaping along the front of the house. More specifics to come in a follow-up post.
CONVERSION TO OPEN AIR PORCH | The conversion of the existing screen porch into an open air porch (covered in our main level floor plan post here a while back) is truly a game-changer for the exterior of the home. It makes for such a smooth and welcoming transition between indoors & out, giving a huge boost to the home's curb appeal. And maybe most important, it's a change that feels 100% natural & true to the home's bungalow roots. We weren't able to find the original architectural plans, but wouldn't be at all surprised if the porch was always intended to be open-air with the screens added later. Our vision is to build out the railing along the porch's perimeter to match the style of the existing stair rail.
ALL NEW PAINT | We'll paint the entire home -- all siding and all trim -- a crisp, clean white. This bold all-white approach we hope will have a modernizing & unifying affect, shifting the focus away from color (yellow on yellow) and toward the charming shape & structure of the house.
MODERN ACCENTS | All white does not equal boring. We'll warm up the look by returning the front porch floor boards and stair treads to a natural wood tone, and install natural cedar v-groove ceiling paneling overhead. We'll make a subtle statement with the front door by refinishing in a soft grey paint color. Last, we'll use matte black accents via door hardware, wall sconce, and mailbox for a modern, contrasting effect.
LANDSCAPING | To finish the house up and provide soft texture, natural color, and freshness, we'll install all-new landscaping along the front of the house. More specifics to come in a follow-up post.
With most of the interior work now nearing completion, we can't wait to turn our attention to these exterior changes. Assuming that our beautiful spring weather streak continues, the painters will be starting in next week. Hooray!!
I'll do my best to post progress shots on Instagram as we go -- be sure to follow along => @dailyhomeco :).