7 Unbelievable Exterior Home Makeovers

Categories: Hardscape, Landscape Design, Outdoor Lighting, Patios, Pools/Spas

For those who aspire to elevate their home’s curb appeal, here’s a healthy dose of inspiration. We’ve scoured Atlanta neighborhoods for dramatic before-and-after transformations that just might whet your appetite and get you started.

The first step? Identify the problem. Ask yourself what is standing between you and an appealing entrance to your home (front or back). Start small with some simple DIY touches or engage the assistance of a design professional, like these homeowners did, to completely transform the look of your residence. Either way, a few well-informed decisions about the outside appearance of your digs can take it from expected … to extraordinary!

Let There Be Light

Cruickshank Remodeling

This elegant remodel required rethinking the Sandy Springs home’s entire entrance. Remodeler Bradley Cruickshank recalls, “This home’s porte cochere was an eyesore. It leaked and was out of scale with the home. We wanted to welcome people—not cars.” An inviting covered porch with striking white wood detailing and dramatic black trim was the solution. The winding stone path from the front door allows room for colorful plantings to enhance the home’s curb appeal.

A Porch Packs a Punch

Painting Plus | PaintingPlus.com

Charlie Dallavalle of Painting Plus explains, “The goal for this remodel in East Cobb was to get rid of the stucco. And we wanted to create a nice flow between the foyer and the new porch.” He used stone detailing in the column bottoms and the new stairs to tie in with the home’s existing stone wall. Cedar columns add an organic touch to the spacious porch and new black gutters define the roofline.

Look Skyward

Renewal Design-Build | RenewalDesignBuild.com

The young owners of this 1940s Morningside–Lenox Park home decided to add a second story to accommodate their growing family. Peter Michelson of Renewal Design-Build says, “We chose to start with a fresh, gray and white color palette so that the red front door would really pop.” The new peaked roofline allowed space for a large window to match the existing living room window below it.

Restoring Her Beauty

Carl Mattison Design

Round Here Renovations

This 1909 Grant Park home’s stunning transformation was masterminded by designer Carl Mattison. “We wanted to be faithful to the original design details,” he says. “I found the front door at a salvage yard and even found a doorbell made in the 1900s.” The door’s teal paint is Mattison’s twist on a traditional “Haint” color. “A front door is like a beautiful woman’s necklace—it should be the first thing you notice,” he explains.

It's All in the Details

RSZ Interiors

“This house in Alpharetta was dated, inside and out,” says Rosa Santiago Zimmerman of RSZ Interiors. “The homeowners needed help with colors and textures to make the house look and feel cohesive.” She chose a warm brown finish for details like the shutters, columns and trim to create a bold contrast with the existing brick. New carriage-style doors for the garage and wrought-iron rails to enclose the porch add a cozy touch.

Roofline Renewal

MOSAIC Group [Architects and Remodelers]

These Marietta homeowners wanted to upgrade the exterior of their home to downplay the sloping mansard roofline. The design solution was to rebuild the existing dormers and their shutters into new, more visually appealing shapes. The architect also added a large window in the foyer to maximize natural light. The heavy cedar timbers and copper gutters and downspouts add interest to the new covered porch.

Space for Entertaining

Atlanta Porch & Patio | AtlantaPorchAndPatio.com

This backyard remodel took a very utilitarian balcony and deck to a whole new level. A new stone retaining wall to the side of the house, which is located in Canton, allowed a staircase to transition from the balcony to a garden area and then down to the lower patio. The home’s roofline and balcony were extended to create a screened-in porch, an upper-deck dining area, a covered entertaining space below the balcony and a roomy pool deck.