How to Create a Country Facade for a Bungalow Style House

Bungalow style homes were introduced at the turn of the 20th century. These homes are usually 1-1/2 stories with low-pitched roofs. Large front porches are also characteristic of the bungalow design. Country style homes are known for their charm and are often found in rural areas. Large verandas or wrap-around porches are one way to identify these homes. This is also where the two styles overlap, which offers a way to give a classic bungalow home a country facade. Using other elements, such as paint and trim, can further create a country style home.

Instructions

- 1
  Make the smaller porch of a bungalow into a large veranda. If you have the space, you can also bring it around one or both sides of the home to create a wrap-around porch. Keep the veranda as open as possible to create an inviting look that the country style is known for.
- 2
  
  Wide open porches are inviting to guests.
  
  Work with an architect and a licensed general contractor if this will be a major renovation to your home. Extending the existing porch roof can be tricky, especially if you have other areas of the roof to tie into. By using the knowledge of a professional you can be sure that you will have a quality upgrade to your home, as well as being able to satisfy local building codes. Often with this type of work, you will need permits and have to pass inspections.
- 3
  Repaint the home. Choose colors that are light and cheerful. You can dip into darker shades but make sure they are warm colors, such as yellow, red or orange. Paint the trim and porch columns or rails in a complementary color. White is often used for porch trim while a color that goes with the main house color can be used for window and door trim elements. The idea is for everything to flow together, with the veranda as the exterior focal point.
- 4
  
  Use paint chip cards and sample paints to find the right color for you.
  
  Choose the main paint color for the house first. Lighter colors, such as tan, yellow and pale blue, contrast with white trim without competing with it. Darker colors, such as medium blues, grays and browns, can contrast starkly against a bright white trim. Warmer whites and even pale ivories work well with darker colors to maintain the warmth that the country style is known for.
- 5
  Landscape around the home with plants and flowers that draw guests to the front door. Birdbaths or feeders surrounded by low or small climbing flowers, such as fragrant jasmine, are some ideas. You could also install a bench near a butterfly garden. Casual is the concept behind country landscaping so that everything appears natural, almost as if the house grew around the landscaping and not the other way around.
- 6
  
  Pansies are harbingers of spring.
  
  Use landscaping to highlight the house throughout the year. Plant annuals, such as pansies and petunias, in combination with perennials, like yarrow and hyssop, to make your yard a welcoming area for you and your guests throughout the year.

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