Long-Lasting Design
Debbi and Randy Hoffman's 1922 home has all of its original features. They bought it in 1999, and say "other than the arbor and picket fences we added, it looks just as it did in the '20s."
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Curved Walkway
Dark red brick ties in with the house's chimney and gives the front yard a tidy, classic look. A lush flower bed bordering just one side of the walkway makes it feel less formal.
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Over-the-Door Arbor
Mounted in front of the door, a simple arbor draped with 'Cecile Brunner' climbing roses provides a cottagey touch.
Garden Treasures 51"W x 26"D x 88 3/5"H resin semigloss white New England garden arbor, $200, lowes.com
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Flower Beds
Spanish lavender and daffodils lend color to the green and white landscape. A camellia shrub in the far right bed blooms fall through spring.
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Paint Colors
Siding: Agate Green by Dunn-Edwards; Trim: Swiss Coffee by Dunn-Edwards; Shutters and front door: Black by Dunn-Edwards
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Ficus Tree
Trimmed into a round shape, this tall tree adds an element of grandeur to the entry. In cooler regions, ficus trees are often kept indoors as houseplants, but they thrive outdoors in the warm California climate.
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Roofline
A steeply pitched gable has the grand feel of Tudor-style architecture. The roofline allows for two shed dormers, which bump out from the roof, on the left. Their multipane design mimics the windows on the rest of the house.
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Shingle Siding
The Hoffmans love the warm, weathered wood-shingle siding, even though it requires more upkeep than brick or stucco, since it's prone to mold and chipping paint.
Northwoods single 9" staggered rough-split shakes in sterling gray, $2.50 per square foot, certainteed.com for stores
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True Craftsman
Carrie and Eric Ancker bought their 1911 home a century after it was originally built, but you'd never know from its maintained exterior. "One of our first projects was swapping the front door," they say. "It captures the home's Craftsman style, but the color is a surprising twist."
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Mailbox
With its rugged look and hand-wrought metalwork, this antique-finish mailbox, to the left of the door, stays true to the home’s Craftsman bungalow architecture.
Harmon 17 1/8"-tall solid brass mailbox in burnished antique, $399, rejuvenation.com
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Bench and Pillows
The deep front porch means there's plenty of room for a two-seater Adirondack bench cushioned with all-weather pillows.
Polywood recycled plastic Adirondack bench, $500, hayneedle.com; solid outdoor 16" x 16" pillow in red, $29, and geometric outdoor 16" x 16" pillow in blue, $25, both grandinroad.com
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Flower Beds
An all-white scheme always looks fresh. The porch is bordered by beds filled with 'Crown White' pansies, left, and baby 'Iceberg' rose shrubs, both of which bloom from spring to fall.
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Porch Light
Hanging to the right of the front door, this small mission-style porch light is actually bright enough to illuminate the entire seating area.
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Paint Colors
Siding: Gray Pearl by Dunn-Edwards; Trim: White by Dunn-Edwards; Front door: Captivating by Pratt & Lambert
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Front Door
A door with divided-lite windows (this one has nine) is quintessential Craftsman.
Simpson Bungalow Series exterior wood door, from $700, dykeslumber.com
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Railings
Less is more for this front porch railing. It's painted crisp white to match the trim, and the simple wood style echoes the front door's geometric multipane window.
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Potted Plant
A bright red planter is even poppier with white cyclamen, a perennial that grows in many climates.
Self-watering 17" rolling planter in red, $45, gardeners.com
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Classic Colonial
Michele and Michael Downing purchased their 1923 home in 1999, but painted their front door a cool shade of cranberry a few years ago. "It looks classic, just like the house's Colonial style," they say.
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Pediments Over Windows
Made from high-density urethane (aka foam), this decorative topper won't warp or crack.
Half round sunburst 40" x 20" window pediment, $79, architecturaldepot.com
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Camellia Shrub
This pretty shrub, in the far right of the flower bed, blooms vivid fuchsia flowers from early fall to late spring.
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Brass Door Hardware
A gleaming mail slot and knocker add polish to the front door and keep with the home's Colonial style.
Brass accents solid brass letter mail slot with inside flap in polished brass, $30.50, build.com; Colonial knocker in lifetime polished brass, $74, baldwinhardware.com for stores
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Flower Beds
Red cyclamen edge the beds. They're offset by white cyclamen and 'Iceberg' roses, which give off a light, sweet scent.
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Columns
The painted wood columns, which are original to the house, make it look stately and dramatic. But they’re functional, too: They support the portico.
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Planter
Understated concrete planters hold juniper topiaries, which stay green year round.
Smith & Hawken 18" x 18" reinforced concrete Danford outdoor square planter, $130, target.com
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Paint Colors
Siding: Bunglehouse Gray by Sherwin-Williams; Trim: Swiss Coffee by Dunn-Edwards; Shutters: Black by Fine Paints of Europe; Front door: Rembrandt Red by Fine Paints of Europe
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Doormat
This scrolling design looks fancy, but it's made of rubber, which can handle dirt just as well as coir can.
Rubber-Cal Genoa 18" x 30" decorative cast iron rubber doormat, $29, overstock.com
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Simple and Elegant
Homeowners Roma and Terry Kiser bought their 1923 California home in 1972. They say, "the tumbled stone path, which we added about three years ago, gives our stucco house so much more character."
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Vine Over Doorway
A 'Cecile Brunner' climbing rose no longer needs support. After years, it's trained to climb over the door.
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Flowerpots
Round terra-cotta planters are packed with light pink and fuchsia azaleas. Bacopa, a trailing plant with tiny white blooms, fills in the spaces between the stems.
Umbria 11 1/2" x 21" cement and fiberglass bowl, $99, potterybarn.com
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Front Door
With its arched top and rich stain, the front door could be the entry to a country cottage.
Round top entry door with V-groove panel $1,995, nicksbuilding.com
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Post Lamp
An old-fashioned fixture plus modern path lights equals lighting that's both charming and practical.
Capital Lighting Fixture Company Brookwood black outdoor post, $192, lamp, $210, both bellacor.com
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Roof Shingles
The roof is topped with cedar shakes. Not only can they last upward of 30 years, but they also resist wind damage and have a textured look that adds to the house's rustic appeal.
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Pavers
Tumbled stone in different shades makes the front walkway look like it's original to the house.
City Stone III Parkway Series pavers, $2.50 per square foot, pavestone.com for stores
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Paint Colors
Stucco: Valley Forge Tan by Benjamin Moore; Trim: Glacier White by Benjamin Moore; Shutters: Smoky Mountain by Benjamin Moore
