If you have a ranch-style home and you are not sure how to properly make it stand out in your street, you are more than likely trying to find ways that you can create a unique ranch house look just as you want it to.
It can be hard to get your home’s exterior looking the way you have it in your mind, but whether you have a contemporary ranch-style home or a classic ranch-style home, there is always something that you can do to make it your own.
So, read on to learn more about the different ranch-style homes and how you can look at adding curb appeal that will definitely provide some visual interest.
What is a Ranch Style House?
It is understandable that you may not know exactly what ranch homes look like, or you have a singular vision in your mind about what they are.
This type of style originated in the 1920s in the United States.
The traditional features of this home are low to the ground, one story, sprawling profile, and a wide-open layout.
It combines modern ideas with the open spaces of the American West, which encapsulates a casual living space within nature, and they often bring in a lot of natural light.
The shape of these homes are normally in U or L shapes and they have large windows, devoted patio or deck space, potentially a front porch, and there is normally a basement or attached garage.
Ideas on How to Add Curb Appeal to a Ranch-Style House
Now that you are aware of what many ranch-style homes look like, it is time to take a look at what you can do to your ranch-style home exteriors to improve curb appeal and add interest to the overall flair. The easiest way to start is by getting wonderfully designed metal signs for farms and adding them to a few points on your property. This not only gives your ranch a more agrarian feel but also fits in with the old-school Americana theme.
After that, you can go on to do improvements to your house’s exterior, do some landscaping on the front yard, spruce up the driveway a bit, and whatever else that feels a bit rustic and homely.
Take it Back to The 60s
The 60s and ranch go hand in hand, and if you love the throwback to that time, you can always make your home look that little bit more classic but with a modern twist.
Using wood accents on the outside with the front door and the slat siding will add some warmth and texture to the home, and with large windows on either side of the front door, it can make the space look more open and airy instead of closed off.
You can do something similar with your garage too. The ones they made back in the 60s were not as sophisticated as the ones we see today. Instead, they had a simple and somewhat open outlay which added a touch of class to the home exterior. To do that to your own garage, you could consider having a look at the bespoke garage designs by The Oak Designs Company for some inspiration.
To bring it a bit closer to this time period, you could think about adding modern house numbers that stand out.
Only a slightly modern update is needed by the front entry as everything else can be given a 60s feel without it looking too out of place.
Energetic Exterior
Mixing greens and burgundy with the shrubbery and trees outside will add a dash of energy to the exterior.
Instead of going for something plain with minimal colors, you can line the brick walkway with brightly colored plants whilst still sticking with the American West theme, so it looks ‘busy’.
It makes it look a lot more interesting with the background of a neutral-colored wall.
Not only is the color intriguing, but it also adds texture to the home, and you might want to add a trellis above the garage doors or the double doors of your home if you want to keep it flowing.
Making it Cozy
If you want your home to look like a calm and cozy oasis that you can relax into at the end of the day, then you probably will need to include furnishings such as sofas and low-rise tables, perhaps some plants, and subtle lighting.
This can pull you even further from the road/street so there is more privacy for you. Also consider adding trees and plants to the garden, under the windows, near the door, and dotted around.
It will generate a more picturesque look and you won’t feel like there is too much going on as it will blend together.
Small Yard
If you have a home with a small yard, then you don’t have much in terms of green landscaping that you can do, so you have to work with what you have.
Think about installing a rock-boarded flower bed, with sculpture-type plants.
This adds visual interest and it doesn’t make it look too bare.
Once you have installed a flower bed, it is crucial to maintain it consistently, so that it keeps adding to the curb appeal of the property. For this, you would need to opt for regular weed control, fertilization, watering, and proper drainage of water in your yard.
If you find unwanted plants growing around the flower bed, uproot them. Like every other organism, flowers need food to survive and thrive, so use appropriate fertilizer to nourish your plants and encourage healthy growth. Water them based on their specific requirements; overwatering or underwatering could pose a threat to their healthy growth.
Likewise, ensure that your yard has proper drainage systems in place. Water logging in your yard can cause soil erosion and damage to plants. If need be, opt for yard grading. Wondering how yard grade can affect drainage? Yard grading is the process of shaping the ground in a yard such that a slope is created for water to flow toward designated drainage points. This prevents water from accumulating in low-lying areas and reduces the risks associated with waterlogging.
By taking these steps, you would be able to create a stunning yard that impresses onlookers.
Mediterranean Style
This may be a controversial one as ranch-style homes encapsulate the American West, however, adding in this type of style can take these homes to a new level.
Accessorizing it with tropical plants, clay tiles, stucco walls, and so on, will make it highly appealing.
Still in keeping with the American style but with a twist of the Mediterranean.
Privacy Landscaping
Like the cozy exterior, this kind of landscaping is all about making the home feel more hidden for the privacy of the owners.
If you have bedrooms that face the street, then you may want to add accents that will stop people from being able to see straight into your home which is something that is not exactly ideal, especially if you do not have a big enough front lawn.
Line the walkway with mid-height shrubs, that give direction without being too open to the outside world.
You could also have a mid-height tree that is able to partially block some windows but still allow the light in during the morning.
Ranch-style houses are normally one story, so the tree does not need to be too high for privacy, plus, it adds shade to the garden which is great during the summer months when the sun is bright and the temperatures are high.
Elegant Accents
If you would prefer a bit of class to your home, you can always try an elegant look that relies on basic accents instead of overloading the entire exterior.
Think about large double doors with a single block of color, for example, matte black. This would look great a classy against neutral color siding as it won’t draw too much attention or look mismatched.
You can have a minimal trellis with single-color greenery climbing up the side and a similar-style fence that borders part of the home near large windows.
You might also want to look at stone statues or plant containers that make the entrance look a lot more elegant.
Spotlight The Porch
If you have a front porch then you can make this the focal point of your home’s exterior, adding in plants and flowers as well as a stone walkway, all of this can make the walk to your home interesting and unique.
You could also turn it into an additional room for relaxing and holding events by screening it in. With the help of a contractor that works on making Screen Enclosures in Ottawa, ON, or a similar contractor near you, the porch can be enclosed and made into a safe and secure haven.
Further, you may want to add a seating area off to the side so you can sit out there during the summer and relax.
If you have kids you could put in a swinging bench underneath a trellis.
It may not be a fun-filled playset, but kids can enjoy themselves on it and it won’t ruin the overall style of your home, it can blend in with the right kind of design.
Conclusion
Do you think you now know the best way at adding curb appeal to your ranch-style home now and you are ready to start making some changes?
Hopefully, this post has been able to help you make a choice about what you want and how you are going to do it in a way that makes you feel good every time you step outside your house.
