At Renewal by Andersen of Long Island, we love to help homeowners update their windows and doors as part of a transformative curb appeal upgrade. While we have an abundance of home styles on Long Island, one of the most common is the single-story ranch style house. While ranches offer generous floor plans and make great use of space, they often need a little extra love to achieve their full potential when it comes to curb appeal.
These tips can help you overhaul the look of your ranch, making it look and feel more welcoming than ever before.
New windows with updated grille patterns make a surprisingly big difference in the look of your home’s exterior. Choosing windows with a traditional grille pattern will give your home a warmer look and feel. Renewal by Andersen’s double hung windows with a colonial grille pattern makes a great choice.
Double hung windows are one of the most popular choices on the market today. Because they’re available in a huge variety of color options and hardware styles, you’ll be able to customize them to beautifully complement your existing decor. Replacement bay windows and specialty styles are also available to capture just the look you’re going for. Remember that side entrances and backyard patio doors may not directly impact the curb appeal, but they should reflect a similar tone and style.
One of the biggest curb appeal challenges facing ranch homes is the often blocky, shoebox-like design. With the right landscaping, you can add depth and interest without making any major changes to your home itself. A curving path lined with hardy grasses and flowers that leads to a well-thought-out entryway will draw attention to your front door, adding priceless visual appeal.
Flowering bushes and hedges of varying heights also helps disguise your home’s blocky form, especially when planting is staggered, not straight across the front of your home. Lighting can also transform the look of your home, particularly in the evenings. Try adding a freestanding lantern or lights along your sidewalk or driveway to highlight your landscaping, windows, and the front door.
If you have a porch, make sure the railings are painted an eye-catching color that contrasts well with your siding. Anything you do to highlight your porch and entry space—like hanging a porch swing, installing more substantial railings or overheads, or painting your front door a bold color—will add visual depth. Traditional touches like Adirondack-style chairs or front porch swings instantly make your home look more cozy and inviting.
Window boxes make your home feel cozier in a heartbeat, as do planters situated on each side of your front door or entryway. When choosing planter styles, go with an option that fits your home proportionately, and keep in mind that you want to keep the look balanced. Symmetry is essential when you’re redesigning a ranch style home’s street-facing appearance. A large planter on one side of your door would best be balanced with something of similar visual weight on the other side.
While the traditional ranch styling has clear, straight lines – think square or rectangular windows – you can add a bay or garden replacement window without creating visual confusion. Just remember to keep the design simple, and if you choose to install grilles, maintain a similar style on all windows. The exception is adding unique grille patterns and side lights to showcase your entrance. Some people also choose to meld a half-circle window under the eaves or above a central window unit to add height and depth.
When it comes to redesigning your curb appeal, architects and designers will tell you that rules matter, but that doesn’t mean you can’t experiment with out-of-the-box treatments. Before you make any major structural changes, it is best to get professionally rendered drawings or you can use our replacement window and door Visualizer to get a better idea of what new windows will look like in your home.
These are just a few of our favorite options to make over the exterior of ranch-style homes. Of course, our top suggestion is to consider replacement windows and patio doors to update your home’s style and energy efficiency at the same time. If you have questions about your Renewal by Andersen replacement of Long Island window options, feel free to contact us today! Simply fill in the short form on this page or give us a call at your convenience by dialing 866-609-5033.
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