Exterior Revivals: Before and After of Home Facelifts

Who doesn’t love a good Before and After photo, especially when it comes to homes. For nearly 10 years, I found my passion in restoring and remodeling homes in our neighborhood. My business, Picket Fences, would breathe new life into older homes. This concept was long before “flippers” came onto the housing scene. With every home, I would take great care to renovate with integrity.

While I was in high school, my parents bought a 1771 historical Colonial home that needed extensive renovation.  Mom and I would spend countless hours discussing this restoration project. I felt so grown up knowing that Mom bounced ideas off of me, but in retrospect it was probably because Dad wasn’t as interested in the details. However, that was the beginning of my love of historic home remodeling.

The photo above is my mother who stripped off numerous layers of wallpaper and found the original wallpaper in our front hall. We assume the design was from the late 1770s as it was hand printed. She carefully removed a full repeat and sent it to Schumacher. Schumacher reproduced it and called it “Norwich” after our hometown. I think there may have been a few free rolls given to us. My mother was very resourceful.

Our Own Home~Bella Terra

Bella Terra, built in 1910, is the 4th renovated home for us.  I have also purchased, remodeled and sold 6 others.  In looking through old photos, I thought you would like to see some Before and After shots.  Granted some of them are before digital cameras, but for the most part, you can see the improvements. To read more about the restoration of our home, click here.

The Berridge Remodel

Curb appeal and the attractiveness of the exterior of any home creates a lasting first impression.  If it doesn’t catch your eye at first glance, then you can anticipate that the rest of the house is probably subpar.

Here is the original entrance of a long brick ranch-style home that I remodeled in 2008. An unattractive security screen door, unsafe sidewalk, deteriorating rafters, and small scale light fixtures add to the ugly entrance. But being a brick, ranch-style home on a large lot on a very pretty street, made me excited to take on this project.

In order to create a wider entry, custom double doors are fitted.  We then add an overhang to break up the long, low, linear lines of the roof of the house.

Notice the improved walkway, the fresh paint and the well-lit entry. Here is the street view…..Before…

And After…Notice the new windows, siding, roof, house, landscape lighting and the addition of shutters. This was one of my favorite remodels.  It has 5 bedrooms, 4.5 baths and the most amazing mud/laundry/craft/office room with a gorgeous back yard. A new family just recently purchased it and they love it as much as I do.

The Myrtle Remodel

This sweet small ranch has such potential but is obviously dated and in a state of disrepair.  Here is the front entrance before.

Here is the after.  The colors were inspired by a home on my favorite street in Stonington Borough, Connecticut.  Since the windows are single paned, I replace them with new energy efficient casement ones. New wider shutters, a batten barn siding, a new asphalt roof and weathervane give the home a fresh appeal. The oval window provides some curves to a rather angular house. Adding a custom shuttered front door provides security and ventilation at the entrance.

In this remodel, I create a new master bedroom and bath out of the original garage. Closing the existing carport provides off street parking for two cars.

The Central Avenue Remodel

Here is another long, low brick ranch from the 1950s. The front door is a cheap, hollow core closet door.  Odd stacked stone below the brick facade is a bit of a visual distraction. I am not wild about the roof, but after some research, I discover it is a very expensive composite with a lifetime warranty.

It takes some creativity to mask the stacked stone and do so using a wainscoting technique. Once painted white, it gives the house a more formal traditional look.

I am a big window person. To me, windows are the eyes of the house. If the windows are cheap or the wrong style, the house feels off. New windows provide greater energy efficiency, which is important during our Phoenix summers.

Black shutters, paned windows, a new front entrance and pretty landscaping, the entry looks much more appealing. The roof is no longer an eye sore because your eye is drawn down to more attractive details.

The Willetta Restoration

This 1920’s Jeffersonian gem requires a massive restoration. Behind the main house is the guest cottage. There was an apartment attached to the front of this building, making it an awkward space. 

When we demolished the building we discover the original garage and barn doors.  Unfortunately we could not salvage the hinged doors as they are too damaged.

Here is what it looks like now as a newly converted guest cottage. New windows and doors, siding, landscaping and a custom built arbor, increase the curb appeal of this sweet structure. To read more about this Willetta home restoration, click here.

The main house, built in 1922, had been vacant for over 20 years and was in a state of disrepair when I purchased it.

Finally it has been brought back to its original grandeur.  Removing the aluminum siding showcases the original clapboard. A new roof, repaired columns, appropriate lighting and a new 2 story addition on the back makes this a historical charmer.

I love any and all Before and After pictures~~ of people and makeovers, homes, just about anything.  As I sort through the thousands of photos, I will continue to share other remodels with you.

To see another post on Before and After pictures from the internet, click here.

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This post shared with Between Naps on the Porch Metamorphosis Monday #645