How can we make the front elevation look more interesting?

[LnP]

Interested in some thoughts on this design...

 

I'm especially interested in how to make the front elevation look more interesting. It faces on a bearing of 190 deg, just west of south, so perfect for a large array of PV panels. I have 3 phase so planning for an 11 kW array. Unfortunately though the large plain roof could result in a rather uninteresting design. We're in a conservation area, but our planning consultant has told us this is more about the leafiness than any particular look to the houses, so contemporary would be fine. The street has a mix of late Victorian, 1970s and recently renovated modern houses. The owners describe the Victorian houses as Arts and Crafts, I'm not so sure about that, but they have interesting hanging tiles which is not a look we plan to imitate. Contemporary would be fine.

 

We have been thinking about ways to address overheating from the sun on the front of the house, and looked for ways to design in overhangs, but our architect didn't find a way to make that work. We think we'll have to install external blinds instead and a probably a heat pump with air conditioning.

 

The angled external wall on the kitchen dining room is to get more natural light into the north facing elevation.

 

On the first floor, we're going to switch the master bedroom en suite and dressing room so that we don't have the bathroom with a big window at the front of the house.

 

The views are to the rear.

 

Interested in your thoughts 🙂

 

[DevilDamo]

How about chimneys to the Study/Music and Lounge areas?

[Alan Ambrose]

Maybe copy some elements (proportions etc) of the rear elevation, which looks to me quite contemporary, to the front elevation - which looks to me quite 1940s/50s?

 

Maybe your architect wanted the front to blend in with the older houses in the street?
 

This is, of course, a perfectly reasonable question to ask your architect.

Edited December 31, 2023 by Alan Ambrose

[Bozza]

Unlike on a 2d drawing in b&w in real life as you’re moving and see the gables and other elevations so I don’t think you have a huge problem at all I think you’ll be fine, plus you’ll have planting.  But a couple of simple bling things your could dress the from elevation design with if your main concerned.  Tall planters either side of the door would work well and add interest. Also can bling your impressive house with quality metal guttering and downpipes. Not that much more £ than plastic.   We put in galvanised and it’s really lifted the elevations.  You can get them in silver, gold, brass etc.  interesting exterior lighting could be an option too.  Uplighters with a bit of colour for example. 

  

 

one thing that catches my eye.  Do you have unequal distances between the dormer windows and the gable corner.  Bigger left than right.  As the elevation is a symmetrical design that jumps out. But maybes that’s me because I’m a bit OCD about things like that.   Possibly an optical illusion with the shadow.
 

Great house ! 

[ETC]

The front and rear elevations look like two different houses.

 

And what’s the craic with the funny angled kitchen/dining and covered patio?

Edited December 31, 2023 by ETC

[ETC]

Put the master suite across the back of the house and move bedroom 2 to the front of the house.

 

The two rear gables are that close to being equal that they look odd. Equal them up.

 

The porch is a wee bit twee as well.

Edited December 31, 2023 by ETC

[Alan Ambrose]

>>> copy some elements (proportions etc) of the rear elevation

 

OK suggest:

 

(1) make the front gables similar size and proportions to the back ones. This gets rid of the front bays, gives you a bit more space, makes the build easier & cheaper and gets a similar contemporary look to the back.

(2) make the front door two parts rather than three, with the door on one side and a similarly spaced window on the other. 
(3) replace the slopey front porch with a simple flat horizontal number.

(4) maybe make the window above the front door into dual inward opening doors with a Juliet balcony for through ventilation.

(5) make the front windows similar proportions to the back.

(6) maybe make the bathroom windows have a higher cill than the others though as a privacy thing.

 

I'm not a fan either of the slightly asymmetrical back/front gables - I would rather have them the same size (less hassle to build) or a more pronounced asymmetry. That's a matter of taste though. 

 

 

Edited January 1 by Alan Ambrose

[JohnMo]

You have a lot of glazing on the north east elevation, not the best aspect for glazing as zero heat gains, just heat losses.

 

Will you ever get enough sun to make you want to sit out on the balcony areas? Are they all north facing?

 

Internally not sure why you have a plant room and waste upstairs space by having a cylinder up there, put it in the plant room.

 

Both end elevations have miss aligned windows - it look wrong and badly thought out.

 

 

[DevilDamo]

Do you need the gable ends? Could you not revert to hipped roofs and still achieve a good amount of second floor space?

[Mr Punter]

Because there will be a fair amount of PV, try to avoid lots of hips, valleys and rooflights on the main sun facing slope.  The PV may look better if it is in a single block.  I note it is not included at all in the current plans and elevations.

[Alan Ambrose]

>>> Both end elevations have miss aligned windows - it look wrong and badly thought out.

 

Actually sometimes I see mad mis-aligned windows in old buildings and think how charming that is.

 

 

>>> The PV may look better if it is in a single block.  I note it is not included at all in the current plans and elevations.

 

I've mostly seen no PV in planning applications - I think that may be 'a thing' to make the building appear neater.

Edited January 1 by Alan Ambrose

[JohnMo]

9 minutes ago, Alan Ambrose said:

Actually sometimes I see mad mis-aligned windows in old buildings and think how charming that is.

 

But those windows are not misaligned. Vertical alignment is present so is horizontal. He also isn't building an old building? Or is he trying too?

 

The windows on SE and NW do not have vertical alignment. It looks odd in my view.