A Bungalow Makeover

Design expert dresses up bungalow with new personality.

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Filed under: Bungalows, Curb Appeal, Makeover, Home Staging, Home Types

Before

Homeowner Judy Rubin loves her two-story bungalow, but she feels the exterior needs sprucing up. The previous owner turned the garage into a guest room, leaving the exposed garage wall as a blank concrete wall. Rubin wants to add some character to the house starting at the former garage facade, continuing out onto the porch and the yard. She asks architect Carolyn Walker Davis to help unify these changes.

The Makeover

Architect Carolyn Walker Davis begins her transformation of Judy Rubin's home with some detail work that will unify the home's style. Here's how she does it:

Continues a scalloped trim motif around the roofline that previously existed only over the porch.

After

Designs a faux front storage shed to camouflage a blank concrete wall. The shed has carriage doors and will be used for storing camping gear and garbage cans.

Replaces the X-shape in the porch railing with 1 x 4 balusters.

Utilizes the home's existing color palette — keeping the cool paint tones to blend the new design elements to the house with a fresh coat of paint.

Replaces old brass fixtures with nickel fixtures, continuing the theme of cool colors.

Integrates the front yard to the house by adding a gray-toned flagstone path from the driveway to the front porch, allowing a view of the newly pruned and planted garden.

Plants orange and white flowers at the median, giving a bright welcome.

Places a bench and plant containers on the porch, providing a spot to sit and enjoy the home's cool new personality.