"Please help us recapture the optimism!" says Christy Kronberg of this once modern, now dated 1954 ranch, in Athens, Ohio, which she shares with her husband, Stephen Ragg, and their two kids. To give the facade some much-needed curb appeal, we turned to Cincinnati architect Matthew Evans.
"This house is flat, and the attached garage that almost matches its size isn't doing it any favors," Evans says, noting that it was likely a later addition. The first thing he'd do: install two separate garage doors to break it up. Adding a gable over the entry would also help rebalance the long facade. "For $5,000 or less, it would add so much aesthetically," Evans says. An arch-topped portico and stone cladding on the porch posts, chimney, and garage help ground the house and give it dimension. New double-hungs add sorely needed light. Says Christy: "These changes really give it a warm, welcoming look."
Pictured: A gable set into the existing roof helps break up the house's long, horizontal facade.
A traditional thumb-latch door handle in forged brass with an oil-rubbed-bronze finish is a handsome hardware choice. Available at House of Antique Hardware; about $393
Draw the eye where you want it with a flower-filled window box; this sturdy fiberglass version weathers all storms. Available at Hooks and Lattice; about $120
The horizontal lines of this modern frosted-glass, oil-rubbed-bronze fixture echo the lines of the house. Available at Lamps Plus; about $150
Never underestimate the power of a solidly built Douglas fir entry door to make a great first impression. Available at Simpson Co.; from about $700
