This week on Outdoor Design Dilemmas with Carson Arthur, our landscape and outdoor design expert and host of HGTV's Green Force, we tackle a less than romantic cottage exterior. Say you're lucky enough to have gotten yourself a place to get away amidst the green, but, well, it's not exactly what you pictured...what are your options?
From Karl B.: "We have a cottage facing the ocean for which we would like to generate some ideas. As you can see in the pictures, the front of the cottage and the deck is not very attractive.
"The cottage is clad with vinyl siding currently. We would like to change that eventually. Our priority would be to redesign and rebuild the deck so we can better enjoy the views to the ocean. Any ideas?"
Carson suggests: I too now have a cottage and am going through the same pains that you are. I love the inside, but the outside lacks the ‘cottage character’ that we love to see in books and magazines. I’m also removing the siding and I’m replacing it with traditional board-on-board paneling complemented by faux-stone walls. This look also works well with stucco and stone depending on your budget. Because the stone is light weight, you can use it as an exterior application without having to make major changes to the structure of the cottage.
As far as the decks, I’d stain them. Use a semi-transparent stain that will bring back the colour of the wood, or add a new complimentary shade which will work with the building. Semi-transparent is best for a cottage because it penetrates the wood and requires less attention on a yearly basis. The sad part of the dilemma is that you are trapped with the size of the deck unless you want to tear it down and rebuild. I advise you to look for furniture that is smaller in scale to create more open space on the deck itself.
Have a great summer.
Carson
What do you guys think? Does Karl have anything to worry about? Got other ideas?
Previously on Outdoor Desing Dilemmas: Where to begin with a ravine?
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