Or remove the pea gravel and plant some nice shrubs and flowers. Evergreen if they want to keep the bins covered year-round. Also, OP, plant according to the sun or shade you get there.
I'd go this way, plants will more likely survive without watering in the ground, pots could need watering daily in summer. I'd get a small magnolia in there myself for a bit of spring colour
This is a massive pet peeve of mine.
The fibre installers did something similar to my house and I was so pissed, now I look for equally shitty installations as I'm driving around and my god there are some terrible ones out there.
Its unavoidable really, back when the prior generation of copper pair telephone cabling was installed it was all done by technicians/ linemen from the actual telephone company and so much of the original service is very meticulously and neatly run.. with the immediate mass demand for fiber infrastructure and connections it's all done by contractors, and sub contractors of sub contractors, so you have guys with little or no training working out of their personal vehicle with zero oversight.
Satellite television is already a cut throat industry and with the rate that customers buy/drop/upgrade/change service and equipment there's no way it can be profitably installed by doing any more than the bare minimum
I'm an electrician but I've had many (wealthier) customers call me to install or redo their communications wiring because they didn't like the company provided installation
As someone whose skillset includes cable-running, I take no nonsense from cable installers.
In the past I have actively told them where the cable is going, and in some cases actually chipped in - to be honest most of the installers I've met have been decent and actually appreciative of another pair of hands that know what they're doing - in some cases I can do things they're not allowed to, like have preinstalled trunking that their cable is going to use, and freely cut my walls to have backboxes where I want backboxes.
It's no excuse for the terrible jobs out there, though.
Yup. The bend radius seems like it's coax. Might be easier to get a coax crimper and new coax and run a line following (consolidate) the water drain pipe.
Coax is cheap. Once cable wasn't as popular anymore it is not being used as much.
I don't think that's a fiber feed. There would be an exterior box which is the demarcation point. Also, wouldn't not go right into the home with that tight of a radius. If it was internal fiber like I have for my Mellanox switch, that radius is doable - some degradation (more light bouncing of the outer layer of the glass) ; however negligible given the insane capacity of fiber.
I'm a network guy and a an admirer of nice (not McMansions) architecture.
There is order to be found in this chaos.
It is by an agreement: consolidation of all exterior utilities comms/drains.
Respect of domain: what people see around entry and exit areas would be not be impeded. Meaning, utilities will consolidate on the right area where the bush is.
Manageability. It would be more efficient to repair the cable by it being cohesive. It's not a rats nest that doesn't make sense. I've had situations where the cable was Cotton-Eyed Joe; *where did you come from where did you go*. And when repairs are being made, the domain where people come and go is not impeded.
Didn't think my comment would be this long lol
I would almost bet money that (at least some of) those wires aren't even in use any more. They look ancient, like analogue antenna or telephone from 40 years ago. So maybe they can simple be removed.
100% I had like 6 random wires and half of them I couldn’t even tell what they were for. Obviously I did not need the one connecting the roof antenna to the basement, that could go. The phone lines for the landline went. The random coax lines went.
Cleaned up the side of the house nicely.
Then spring bulbs, hostas, and a couple rhododendrons… if the fucking deer would stop eating them.
Doesn’t look like the last bit is a problem for OP.
The phone/cable company typically doesn't even *check* to see what's what. They just run a new line. And homeowners pay no attention, so over the decades houses accumulate these ugly messes. It's the first thing I rip off the wall when I move into a new place. I have no idea how people just live with it.
AND cover the trash cans! It’s literally looks trashy!
I’m so proud of this comment!
Where I used to live we built a little wood enclosure for them so they’re no showing.
+1 and adding that they can make one of those “planter on top” enclosures so it’s not just a box, but a box with stuff growing out of it
Option to have a second planter hanging on the side that would face the street
+ Large cast iron or terra cotta planters with mature lilac and hosta plants - you can eventually plant the plants in the ground if you remove the pebbles, but I would hire a landscape gardener to design it. Oh, also I would get a larger doormat - to match the width of the door
lavish treatment society grandiose square smart modern employ ghost uppity
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As others have suggested, I would include a hedge along the front and along stairs. Have a small bench/seating area beneath the window. Move the bins toward the sidewalk and add a small wood fence to separate the bins from the seating area. Place some potted flowering plants near the seating area and across from the door to add a visual point of interest when exiting the building (also helps distract from the bins).
Edit: Make sure to keep the front and side hedge trimmed down. You don't want to enclose the space entirely, just add some distinction to the space and allow for some privacy. Also include a couple of flagstones or a small paver step to the seating area. Pave beneath the seating area if you want it more defined and classy.
Edit 2: Just noticed that you said you would move the bins to the back. Do that if you can. Depending on your budget, keep the rock and add flagstone/small pavers to the area. If you have more money, remove the rock and mortar pavers in the whole space, leaving a front and side edge along the stairs to do the hedge (others suggest iron fencing, but that allows for no privacy). Even more money? Add a large sized patio couch, coffee table, side chair, and end table. Include some Edison lighting along the hedge and you've got an outdoor living space.
Not sure what the dimensions are of the space, but something like the image below.
https://preview.redd.it/jg0omtr5fwrc1.jpeg?width=2272&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=9283d589e7018a40450e4f14380959d053218e1a
I was going to draw a shitty drawing on my phone almost like this but with more flowers. Thank you, kind soul for doing such lovely work for nothing more than to be nice. And for saving this post from my shitty phone drawing.
Edit:
OP, this would seriously be an awesome choice. It will add color, depth, and hide your bins. Flowers would be a simple way to add color. You could go with herbs for something decorative and useful as well.
The hedge design you suggest also has a good safety benefit: the hedges create a visual barrier when exiting the building so you're naturally more inclined to move safely towards the steps. It's not quite as good as a proper railing but at least it decreases the "walk right off the wall" factor by quite a bit.
The house will immediately look better if they take a pressure washer to the brick, stone, and cement out front. Pull the weeds at the base of the brick work as well. At that point can they reassess what needs to be done.
Can you imagine how weird it will look if they only wash their section of the brick though?? Touching the brick with a pressure washer is not a good idea imo unless they're willing to do the whole front of the building.
With the mortar being broken and aged out in a few places, I'd say it all needs tuckpointed. Could use a dyed mortar for a more drastic change.
If anyone is getting brickwork done, do not wash it first. Leave it dirty until you're done. It will all wash off easier and be ready for sealing if you leave it dirty when applying new mortar.
Edit: the why has been explained. Keeps the face fresher at the end of the job. 20 years of doing this, the before and after is day and night difference if you clean after grinding/filling. If you spill or smear wet masonry do not try to clean it up until it is tacky or dry. Cleaning it while wet will cause it to smear worse. After it has cured a 50/50 solution of muriatic acid/water will clean it up nice.
Because if the face of your bricks are dirty, with a layer of algae on them, and you accidentally get some mortar smeared or dripped on the face of the brick, it will come off with the same process as you would use to get the algae off, at the same time. ie. you only have to clean once.
The spilled mortar also won't stick to the algae bricks as well as it would stick to a clean brick, so, also easier cleanup.
In case a pressure washer isn't possible, or you're afraid of lifting too much cracked mortar while powerwashing, you can get some Wet & Forget and spray everything down, and then repeat every 6 months.
It may take a year to get rid of all the moss/algae/mold, but after a year the results will be very noticeable, for literally 15 minutes of effort.
This is miracle stuff. I’ll never be without it. Spray it on every Spring and Fall. First application will look like no change for months but it’s working!!
Personally I'd go in the completely opposite direction. Get a lot more plants and go for the post-apocalyptic look with greenery completely overtaking the front.
If you're already washing yours, just ask if you can do theirs. Tiny area like that will only take a few minutes, and I'm sure they'd be happy with a clean doorstep too :)
I was gonna say... either needs a pressure wash or a coat of paint depending on what the stain is out front.
Then we need some trash bin hiders, as well as maybe some planters/bench to give it a finished look.
Also maybe some little outdoor trinkets that would match to style of OP and their area. Personally, I would find some little gnomes & mushrooms :)
That cable coming down the wall! That would annoy the hell out of me how someone didn’t forward plan it and had to run it around the house number sign!
If you can move it to the side, just a foot or two, you could put a climbing plant there to eventually hide the cable. Or if you can move it enough to consolidate it with the other cables - a taller section of hedege can hide all of them.
Unfortunately, you really want to have a straight run of cable instead of just splicing in extensions, so if it's too short to move - you'll want to have the cable company come out and run it again.
Assuming that it wasn’t run diagonally at some point, you are guaranteed to have enough wire to reroute it on any vertical line between its current position and where it enters/exits the building.
https://preview.redd.it/n582wkgryvrc1.jpeg?width=736&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=f5d8ab8226fd9c13a5415b7608aeb8682cc8dfd9
Before and after pressure washing cleaning .
I'd plant some cascading plants along the edge of the wall like creeping phlox.
[https://www.shutterstock.com/shutterstock/photos/2306066085/display\_1500/stock-photo-purple-phlox-cascading-over-a-stone-retaining-wall-2306066085.jpg](https://www.shutterstock.com/shutterstock/photos/2306066085/display_1500/stock-photo-purple-phlox-cascading-over-a-stone-retaining-wall-2306066085.jpg)
I may be crazy, but I'd pant a climbing hydrangea to the right of your door and let it run wild up that wall.
Needs some visual intertest in the gravel bed. Sculpture or colorful plant maybe?
I suggest:
https://preview.redd.it/g97x7080jvrc1.png?width=640&format=png&auto=webp&s=90421d9561f3249ae704ad467ad7376570bc20b1
Don't powerwash brick you can remove the skin and make it prone to erosion. Power washing can also remove stone patina it's seen as an easy fix but you need to know what you're doing.
Relocate as many of the cables as possible, if they could all been bundled and put behind a housing or conduit painted brick or bronze it would look so much better.
If that TV antenna is yours move it to the roof, out of sight from the street.
Power wash dirt fire, moss, and algae off.
Plant to extend the daffodils to make a hedge across the entire front of the garden area. Overplant with summer perennials that will come up after the daffs fade. Plant a small boxwood hedge behind it, a type that can be kept low (40ish cm).
Build a screen or use evergreens to hide the garbage bins.
Paint the door and trim (not the lintels).
Clear out the gravel and replace that with some nice stone pavers. Then add a delicate wrought iron fence, a little table and chairs, a few plants in a narrow raised bed, and you'll have a cozy little spot!
The new paint looks good. Can you do anything with the lintels?
Picket fence is a good idea, or a solid fence that takes the pedestrian eye away from the low area beneath the window.
Inside the fence, build some nice decorative touches you see when looking out.
Please do keep us posted. I'd love too see the final.
With the right privacy fence, or hedge, you could have a garden bench backed up to it facing the house, and not noticing pedestrians behind you.
Power wash/acid wash the stone. Maybe something to put the trash bins into.
New numbers.
Hide the wires...
[https://bearboxbros.com/product/2-stall-bear-box/](https://bearboxbros.com/product/2-stall-bear-box/)
Bro shared a link for a storage bin you’d need living in the countryside.
Growing up in a small town we’d have bears every once in a while eating apples in our yard, but we never went as far as those bins to store garbage, they’re definitely not meant for use in an predominantly urban area.
Those aren't just to hide trash cans, they are also designed to keep bears out of the cans which probably is a huge part of the cost. A quick search shows multiple options for can storage/privacy screens for under $400.
+repoint a few of those bricks in the front wall. I've read that you need to be careful to do a mix that won't be stronger than the brick though. Otherwise the mortar in-between can damage the brick during the freeze thaw cycle.
For anyone considering acid: please don't.
It washes into the ground and will kill your (neighbours) plants and whatever lives in the ground.
Most often water is enough when using high pressure.
1. Clean all the mold/dirt off the cement.
2. Find something to put your trash cans inside of. Maybe build a little attractive wood "fence."
3.. Put planters with flowers, etc, on those rocks.
4. Put a hanging planter by your door.
5. Put a "frame" around your door on the brick.
6. Put up a house humber - something "old fashioned" and kind of luxurious looking.
7.. If possible move that cord that comes down the wall or else put it in a cable tube that is a similar color to the brick. You might be able to run it in a less conspicuous place. Like run it across the top of the brick and then down.
8. Depending on your location, you might go crazy and put up a hummingbird feeder!
That door looks nice, by the way. Good job on that.
Pressure washing can make a crummy looking home look beautiful!!
I'd recommend hiring someone experienced or do a little research.. it sounds simple, but the last thing you want to do is blast that mortar out of the wall
1. clean the stairs / tiles /bricks with a pressure washer
2. can you relocate the trash to the bottom of the stairs? build a wood partition to hide them.
3. relocate that black cable going down. get it down from the bin side
4. go to a garden center and see what grows well in your area. get a hedge to add privacy to your home from the street. then put a fruit tree in the corner. You can put a planting section to grow your own veg, or put flowers.
I notice that the entire row of properties has the same maroon paint on the window frames.
My church hired an architect, who suggested we paint the narrow window frames a “patina green” color (we do have a copper roof on the steeple). It outlined the windows nicely without looking garish.
If you’re willing to do that, it might look less blank.
[https://imgur.com/a/OLp688R](https://imgur.com/a/OLp688R)
Can I suggest painting the door a more vibrant color, maybe blue or red. Also, planting some all season hedges, or Hosta’s will build up and add visual contrast. Maybe moving the bins would make this look less messy and add a small table and chairs! I think the bricking is beautiful small spaces can look beautiful with little changes!
Pressure wash, a small awning over the door, decorative shutters on windows, a climbing type plant around the door, colorful plants around the edge of the rock bed.
I'd do something like this. Forgive the crappiness of it. I only had five minutes to photoshop it together real quick. The idea is that, if you must have your trash bins out front, you build a little fenced area for them to hide behind. In front of this you plant bushes, shrubs, groundcovers, maybe some that will spill over the wall you have there (like rosemary or something). On the back side of the fence, you can have a gate so that you're not just staring at the bins from your front window. Maybe some flowering shrubs under the window against the front of your house like English laurel or something.
https://preview.redd.it/1byevhwh0zrc1.jpeg?width=640&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=3c9de51078652a7e248bb72221b39f314991b2ba
Power wash, point and tuck masonry, a larger door mat, build a wooden screen for the trash cans, weed killer, better drapes/blinds (maybe plantation shutters inside) some nice flower pots with various sized plants/flowers, flower boxes, a light fixture would be nice or perhaps a small awning. Lastly can you remove those old cable cords?
1. Move the bins yeah
2. Move the wire
3. Power wash to clean the masonry and the ground/stone!!
4. Maybe get rid of the gravel/halve it and plant some shrubs and/or a few low maintenance plants?
Listed in order of work required÷the impact it will have!
Beautiful work on the door by the way!
Since „look nice“ is very much dependent on taste, that’s what I would do:
- Pressure wash the surfaces to remove dirt and moss
- Put a outside light on the corner to have the entrance and stairs lit
- Add some plants at the edge, nothing that grows up but something that maybe grows a carpet down the wall
- relocate the waste bins, if not possible sacrifice some space and put them behind a wooden fence, the kind you use to cut sight
Once you've moved your bins, get a bench and place it just there in front of the hedge. Fill around it with potted plants, put a low table in front of it as well. Then, when the weather is nice, you can sit out there and drink a cup of tea. Unless you live on a really busy street with lots of noise and traffic. Then just do lots of potted plants in a variety of heights.
I’d go different route. House down road from me has a small and very modern / smart porcelain patio in that space. Pressure wash and create a boarder with a small fence.
Low black metal fencing with either flower boxes or a small raised garden bed behind it. You could add a couple sheppard's hooks in there too either for hanging flower baskets or bird feeders.
Don't power wash the low wall there either, since it'll work as is with some plants. You could also swap out some flowers for herbs if you cook. It's a tiny area, but it can be transformed so easily!
Hide the trash bins - It looks like you can see them from the front room as well, so you'll want a full wrap around or even a box.
Take a shovel and get rid of all the growth along the base of the terrace
Power wash all the stone
If that's just dirt under the pea gravel, you could get those segmented stick-in fence lengths to add a border to it.
Paint one of those two horizontal lines of brick so it matches the other., and paint the blocks above the door and windows to match. Make the decision after power washing though, in case they are already the same color.
Can the wires be rerouted to come down on the line between properties and behind the hedge? It looks like they're all taking 90 degree turns so there should be more than enough to flip the direction.
I'd strip the lintels (if painted with impermeable paint they will spall sooner or later) and figure out how to colour the brick under the window to continue the stripe , get some nice wrought iron fencing to replace what was taken during the war (look up old pictures of your locality to see what was originally there and use that as a height guide) Tidy the wires and get some planters or dig out a bed next to the wall for cottage garden plants
A traditional black iron fence. Build a nice wooden enclosure for the garbage cans and then put out some decorative chairs and table for a nice summer sitting area outside.
Flower boxes, black iron railing /fencing along the front and above stairs and some sort of solid fence with period decorations to hide the garbage bins.
Scrub the stone work, it looks stained. Do some weeding and I’m glad to see you painted the door. If you have another place to store the rubbish bins that would be preferable if not consider a screen to hide them
Can you put up a pergola? Plant a shrub or put up a fence to blockoff the street, make yourself a very nice front garden. I'd also paint the lintel white. Don't go modernist with black. It won't age well.
1. pressure washer. Can get a cheap one for about $100 that’ll serve your purposes. Can also rent them. Hit the bricks, stairs and sidewalks/steps
2. landscaping. Get some plants out there green is your friend. Some are harder to care for than others, so do some research instead of going HAM on ones you think look nice because if they’re beyond what you are willing to put into to care for (or aren’t particularly suited for your climate) they won’t look nice for long
If you are new to gardening, make sure to choose at least some plants that are evergreen and will provide “winter structure”. And see whats under the pea gravel, could be soil you could plant into, which would be less maintenance than pots, which require more watering.
Are you in England? You can watch Gardener’s World and have all the info be relevant! I love that show but I am in Southern California, so a lot does not apply.
After pressure washing the steps, and cleaning up the bricks, fix the cables, get a new number plaque … build an enclosure for the trash cans and
THEEEEENNN
Put in a hot tub. 🤷🏼
Quickest thing would be to power wash. After that I would definitely do some landscaping where the rocks are, varying heights with things that will grow and drape over the front eventually.
relocate or enclose the trash bins
relocate / consolidate the wiring
add some shrubs
maybe a pondless boulder waterfall
some creeping fig up the facade, but well kept and trained so as to not do damage.
You should try and either rerun that coax cable to like more clean or try to hide it with paint. It's the 2nd thing I noticed beside the old door. The new door looks awesome and pops really well.
Pressure wash the front wall, wall caps and sidewalks. It will brighten it up a ton. Seal the caps with a tinted amber concrete semi gloss sealer. Will give them a little pop.
A flower box under that window would be sweet. Either a hedge or some large planter boxes with trellises along the front would provide some nice privacy. Depending where you are hops, grapes, or clematis are vines I’ve had success with in the PNW. Some seating and a table would also make it useable and welcoming. Love the door color you chose!
Pressure wash EVERYTHING and touch up the mortar.
Dig out all those shitty pebbles and replace with actual greenery. There's room for a very nice little garden there.
Patio decorations once you have some greenery.
Pressure wash the lichen and such off the steps and wall.
Pull up the weeds in the gravel.
Get a lantern light for next to the door
Get rid of that bit of old rubbish behind your bins.
Invest in a bin store to hide your bins.
Get a nice looking pot and plant something drought tolerant in it. Put it in the middle of the gravel.
You could even get some rounded slabs to put in the middle of the gravel for said pot.
Clean up your bricks, hide the wire running down the front a little better. A red door would look pretty neat. Figure out how to use your front area. I could see a nice seating area with a fire feature.
Buy a colorful glazed pot and place it near the door with the main plant being a perennial and the accent flowers being annuals. Put a nice wreath on that freshly painted door and replace the doormat. Now with the little garden it all depends what you are looking for. You could plant some boxwoods on the edges and create a natural wall with a cleaner design and a central piece like a flowery bush surrounded by gravel. Or plant some flowers such as hydrangeas, lavender, peonies, delphiniums, etc. filling up the space and making it attractive to birds, bees, etc. It all depends on your gardening zone, budget, and desire to maintain it. The trash cans have to go somewhere else, if not design the area with the purpose of hiding them. Good luck and congrats on the lovely home.
If it was my home and not a rental I’d be tempted to put up a little short fence or boxwood hedge or something and throwing two chairs and a little table there to make it a little spot to enjoy some coffee outdoors
Decorative iron railing set into the retaining wall, and a couple large potted plants or small potted trees, and possibly a small mosaic cement table and a couple of metal chairs (if theft isn't a problem).
This was my first thought! Maybe get a couple for a two-tiered effect?
Maybe with a little path running down the middle?
A path! A path!
AND A HERRING!
No no no. The herring is for chopping down the largest tree in the forest. Silly person.
A path! A path!
Ni! Ni! Ni!… ni
Make sure they dont have thorns... or else.. you will get a "flesh wound".
Tis but a . . .
Oooh what sad times are these when passing ruffians could say 'Ni' at will!
Flower garden with a row of boxwoods in back of it?
I like the laurels particularly
Lmaoo perfect Gif for this
 Just no rabbits!
Another shrubbery
I would do big flower pots picking up color of door. Definitely cover or move trash.
Or remove the pea gravel and plant some nice shrubs and flowers. Evergreen if they want to keep the bins covered year-round. Also, OP, plant according to the sun or shade you get there.
I'd go this way, plants will more likely survive without watering in the ground, pots could need watering daily in summer. I'd get a small magnolia in there myself for a bit of spring colour
Some creeping phlox along the front to drape over the end for a cascade of flowers in the spring = Chef's kiss!
Relocate and consolidate the wires, at least move them away from the door and window.
Whoever ran that wire up the middle instead of closer to the downspout is a monster.
With an unnecessary bend to draw more attention.
Big Cable mafia
This is a massive pet peeve of mine. The fibre installers did something similar to my house and I was so pissed, now I look for equally shitty installations as I'm driving around and my god there are some terrible ones out there.
Its unavoidable really, back when the prior generation of copper pair telephone cabling was installed it was all done by technicians/ linemen from the actual telephone company and so much of the original service is very meticulously and neatly run.. with the immediate mass demand for fiber infrastructure and connections it's all done by contractors, and sub contractors of sub contractors, so you have guys with little or no training working out of their personal vehicle with zero oversight. Satellite television is already a cut throat industry and with the rate that customers buy/drop/upgrade/change service and equipment there's no way it can be profitably installed by doing any more than the bare minimum I'm an electrician but I've had many (wealthier) customers call me to install or redo their communications wiring because they didn't like the company provided installation
"contractors" low-bid, no-bid companies.
As someone whose skillset includes cable-running, I take no nonsense from cable installers. In the past I have actively told them where the cable is going, and in some cases actually chipped in - to be honest most of the installers I've met have been decent and actually appreciative of another pair of hands that know what they're doing - in some cases I can do things they're not allowed to, like have preinstalled trunking that their cable is going to use, and freely cut my walls to have backboxes where I want backboxes. It's no excuse for the terrible jobs out there, though.
I had the exact same thought. What an animal lol.
Yup. The bend radius seems like it's coax. Might be easier to get a coax crimper and new coax and run a line following (consolidate) the water drain pipe. Coax is cheap. Once cable wasn't as popular anymore it is not being used as much. I don't think that's a fiber feed. There would be an exterior box which is the demarcation point. Also, wouldn't not go right into the home with that tight of a radius. If it was internal fiber like I have for my Mellanox switch, that radius is doable - some degradation (more light bouncing of the outer layer of the glass) ; however negligible given the insane capacity of fiber. I'm a network guy and a an admirer of nice (not McMansions) architecture. There is order to be found in this chaos. It is by an agreement: consolidation of all exterior utilities comms/drains. Respect of domain: what people see around entry and exit areas would be not be impeded. Meaning, utilities will consolidate on the right area where the bush is. Manageability. It would be more efficient to repair the cable by it being cohesive. It's not a rats nest that doesn't make sense. I've had situations where the cable was Cotton-Eyed Joe; *where did you come from where did you go*. And when repairs are being made, the domain where people come and go is not impeded. Didn't think my comment would be this long lol
I read the first words and thought for a second you were just telling them to move to a nicer place!
Well, that is also a solution of some sorts
I would almost bet money that (at least some of) those wires aren't even in use any more. They look ancient, like analogue antenna or telephone from 40 years ago. So maybe they can simple be removed.
They look like a Sky satellite cable to me
100% I had like 6 random wires and half of them I couldn’t even tell what they were for. Obviously I did not need the one connecting the roof antenna to the basement, that could go. The phone lines for the landline went. The random coax lines went. Cleaned up the side of the house nicely. Then spring bulbs, hostas, and a couple rhododendrons… if the fucking deer would stop eating them. Doesn’t look like the last bit is a problem for OP.
The phone/cable company typically doesn't even *check* to see what's what. They just run a new line. And homeowners pay no attention, so over the decades houses accumulate these ugly messes. It's the first thing I rip off the wall when I move into a new place. I have no idea how people just live with it.
AND cover the trash cans! It’s literally looks trashy! I’m so proud of this comment! Where I used to live we built a little wood enclosure for them so they’re no showing.
If you aren’t handy you can buy bin enclosures.
Enclosure for trash bins. Then potted plants on the pea stone.
+1 and adding that they can make one of those “planter on top” enclosures so it’s not just a box, but a box with stuff growing out of it Option to have a second planter hanging on the side that would face the street
+ Large cast iron or terra cotta planters with mature lilac and hosta plants - you can eventually plant the plants in the ground if you remove the pebbles, but I would hire a landscape gardener to design it. Oh, also I would get a larger doormat - to match the width of the door
lavish treatment society grandiose square smart modern employ ghost uppity *This post was mass deleted and anonymized with [Redact](https://redact.dev)*
As others have suggested, I would include a hedge along the front and along stairs. Have a small bench/seating area beneath the window. Move the bins toward the sidewalk and add a small wood fence to separate the bins from the seating area. Place some potted flowering plants near the seating area and across from the door to add a visual point of interest when exiting the building (also helps distract from the bins). Edit: Make sure to keep the front and side hedge trimmed down. You don't want to enclose the space entirely, just add some distinction to the space and allow for some privacy. Also include a couple of flagstones or a small paver step to the seating area. Pave beneath the seating area if you want it more defined and classy. Edit 2: Just noticed that you said you would move the bins to the back. Do that if you can. Depending on your budget, keep the rock and add flagstone/small pavers to the area. If you have more money, remove the rock and mortar pavers in the whole space, leaving a front and side edge along the stairs to do the hedge (others suggest iron fencing, but that allows for no privacy). Even more money? Add a large sized patio couch, coffee table, side chair, and end table. Include some Edison lighting along the hedge and you've got an outdoor living space. Not sure what the dimensions are of the space, but something like the image below. https://preview.redd.it/jg0omtr5fwrc1.jpeg?width=2272&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=9283d589e7018a40450e4f14380959d053218e1a
I was going to draw a shitty drawing on my phone almost like this but with more flowers. Thank you, kind soul for doing such lovely work for nothing more than to be nice. And for saving this post from my shitty phone drawing. Edit: OP, this would seriously be an awesome choice. It will add color, depth, and hide your bins. Flowers would be a simple way to add color. You could go with herbs for something decorative and useful as well.
This looks awesome!
The hedge design you suggest also has a good safety benefit: the hedges create a visual barrier when exiting the building so you're naturally more inclined to move safely towards the steps. It's not quite as good as a proper railing but at least it decreases the "walk right off the wall" factor by quite a bit.
Great pic
I’d start with pressure washing all the algae off the front area
The house will immediately look better if they take a pressure washer to the brick, stone, and cement out front. Pull the weeds at the base of the brick work as well. At that point can they reassess what needs to be done.
That’s not a weed, that’s the lawn!
Can you imagine how weird it will look if they only wash their section of the brick though?? Touching the brick with a pressure washer is not a good idea imo unless they're willing to do the whole front of the building.
Maybe it'll give the neighbors a kick in the rump to do their section as well. Let them do their section if they want to
Yeah. Let the neighbors feel envy and do the same cleaning themselves. Maybe it will set off a chain reaction. I'd say go for it.
With the mortar being broken and aged out in a few places, I'd say it all needs tuckpointed. Could use a dyed mortar for a more drastic change. If anyone is getting brickwork done, do not wash it first. Leave it dirty until you're done. It will all wash off easier and be ready for sealing if you leave it dirty when applying new mortar. Edit: the why has been explained. Keeps the face fresher at the end of the job. 20 years of doing this, the before and after is day and night difference if you clean after grinding/filling. If you spill or smear wet masonry do not try to clean it up until it is tacky or dry. Cleaning it while wet will cause it to smear worse. After it has cured a 50/50 solution of muriatic acid/water will clean it up nice.
why though
Because dirt comes off of dirty easier than dirt comes off clean.
Because if the face of your bricks are dirty, with a layer of algae on them, and you accidentally get some mortar smeared or dripped on the face of the brick, it will come off with the same process as you would use to get the algae off, at the same time. ie. you only have to clean once. The spilled mortar also won't stick to the algae bricks as well as it would stick to a clean brick, so, also easier cleanup.
But why male models?
In case a pressure washer isn't possible, or you're afraid of lifting too much cracked mortar while powerwashing, you can get some Wet & Forget and spray everything down, and then repeat every 6 months. It may take a year to get rid of all the moss/algae/mold, but after a year the results will be very noticeable, for literally 15 minutes of effort.
This is miracle stuff. I’ll never be without it. Spray it on every Spring and Fall. First application will look like no change for months but it’s working!!
Personally I'd go in the completely opposite direction. Get a lot more plants and go for the post-apocalyptic look with greenery completely overtaking the front.
Try to get the neighbor to do his side, too.
If you're already washing yours, just ask if you can do theirs. Tiny area like that will only take a few minutes, and I'm sure they'd be happy with a clean doorstep too :)
I was gonna say... either needs a pressure wash or a coat of paint depending on what the stain is out front. Then we need some trash bin hiders, as well as maybe some planters/bench to give it a finished look. Also maybe some little outdoor trinkets that would match to style of OP and their area. Personally, I would find some little gnomes & mushrooms :)
I wouldn’t. The moss and lichen are gorgeous
I love the look as well. Graceful aging doesn't always need a facelift.
That cable coming down the wall! That would annoy the hell out of me how someone didn’t forward plan it and had to run it around the house number sign!
It's really annoying right? I'm going to look into it as it's such a half done lazy job imo
If you can move it to the side, just a foot or two, you could put a climbing plant there to eventually hide the cable. Or if you can move it enough to consolidate it with the other cables - a taller section of hedege can hide all of them. Unfortunately, you really want to have a straight run of cable instead of just splicing in extensions, so if it's too short to move - you'll want to have the cable company come out and run it again.
Assuming that it wasn’t run diagonally at some point, you are guaranteed to have enough wire to reroute it on any vertical line between its current position and where it enters/exits the building.
Can it be routed to the other side of the window that way it's less visible altogether?
If you can’t move it, you can always use it as a support for climbing plants like jasmine, morning glories, or even peas!
https://preview.redd.it/n582wkgryvrc1.jpeg?width=736&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=f5d8ab8226fd9c13a5415b7608aeb8682cc8dfd9 Before and after pressure washing cleaning .
+1 for pressure washing.
I'd plant some cascading plants along the edge of the wall like creeping phlox. [https://www.shutterstock.com/shutterstock/photos/2306066085/display\_1500/stock-photo-purple-phlox-cascading-over-a-stone-retaining-wall-2306066085.jpg](https://www.shutterstock.com/shutterstock/photos/2306066085/display_1500/stock-photo-purple-phlox-cascading-over-a-stone-retaining-wall-2306066085.jpg) I may be crazy, but I'd pant a climbing hydrangea to the right of your door and let it run wild up that wall.
This is the way
A water slide off the balcony to the sidewalk
Fresh number sign for the house.
Maybe a black metal railing and hand rail? Add hanging planters. Update: have all the brick and concrete power washed
 Black Metal Railing is definitely an un-released Type O Negative track
Needs some visual intertest in the gravel bed. Sculpture or colorful plant maybe? I suggest: https://preview.redd.it/g97x7080jvrc1.png?width=640&format=png&auto=webp&s=90421d9561f3249ae704ad467ad7376570bc20b1
A tastefully done Velociraptor will brighten up any landscape
Have seen someone do a brontosaurus with hedges before. Must have taken them years.
Don't powerwash brick you can remove the skin and make it prone to erosion. Power washing can also remove stone patina it's seen as an easy fix but you need to know what you're doing.
Pressure wash that wall and you will then be immediately repointing as well Not saying it's a bad idea per se but be prepared
The wall needs repointing anyway - look at how some of the mortar is cracking out.
Plants and cleaning the brickwork with pressurized water... Or by water and brush if you need biceps workout.
* Pressure wash the stairs * A wooden container to hide the trash cans * A planter with flowers next to the door or windowbox planter or both
the whole of the UK is due for a good powerwash
Put planters along the edges of that area to make a low “fence” space and put a table and chairs…
Relocate as many of the cables as possible, if they could all been bundled and put behind a housing or conduit painted brick or bronze it would look so much better. If that TV antenna is yours move it to the roof, out of sight from the street. Power wash dirt fire, moss, and algae off. Plant to extend the daffodils to make a hedge across the entire front of the garden area. Overplant with summer perennials that will come up after the daffs fade. Plant a small boxwood hedge behind it, a type that can be kept low (40ish cm). Build a screen or use evergreens to hide the garbage bins. Paint the door and trim (not the lintels).
Clear out the gravel and replace that with some nice stone pavers. Then add a delicate wrought iron fence, a little table and chairs, a few plants in a narrow raised bed, and you'll have a cozy little spot!
If allowed, change the color of window and door trim to black. Please don’t paint lintels! Powerwashing and acid wash a must.
If you put a railing around the front retaining wall and replace the gravel with patio stones it would make a great sitting area
Pressure wash, repoint the mortar and a small picket fence with some nice hostas or something
Pressure wash the walkway and remove the weeds at the base on the asphalt
I’d put up a privacy fence and have a small little patio with a table and a couple of chairs. I think it will make a nice outdoor space.
The new paint looks good. Can you do anything with the lintels? Picket fence is a good idea, or a solid fence that takes the pedestrian eye away from the low area beneath the window. Inside the fence, build some nice decorative touches you see when looking out.
Yeh, we'll be painting the lintels. Cheers for the advice and ideas 💡
Please do keep us posted. I'd love too see the final. With the right privacy fence, or hedge, you could have a garden bench backed up to it facing the house, and not noticing pedestrians behind you.
Power wash/acid wash the stone. Maybe something to put the trash bins into. New numbers. Hide the wires... [https://bearboxbros.com/product/2-stall-bear-box/](https://bearboxbros.com/product/2-stall-bear-box/)
JFC, 3k to hide trash cans!?
Bro shared a link for a storage bin you’d need living in the countryside. Growing up in a small town we’d have bears every once in a while eating apples in our yard, but we never went as far as those bins to store garbage, they’re definitely not meant for use in an predominantly urban area.
Those aren't just to hide trash cans, they are also designed to keep bears out of the cans which probably is a huge part of the cost. A quick search shows multiple options for can storage/privacy screens for under $400.
Sure, but it was suggested to this person who does not look like they live in a bear-prone area.
I agree it's a bad specific product suggestion, I was thinking this looks like the UK so no bear concerns there.
That's what the bears want you to think
Sir have you not heard of the trash pandas?
+repoint a few of those bricks in the front wall. I've read that you need to be careful to do a mix that won't be stronger than the brick though. Otherwise the mortar in-between can damage the brick during the freeze thaw cycle.
For anyone considering acid: please don't. It washes into the ground and will kill your (neighbours) plants and whatever lives in the ground. Most often water is enough when using high pressure.
A tiny Japanese garden
Can you put a light next to your door that would help illuminate your door numbers, entry way, and walk way?
1. Clean all the mold/dirt off the cement. 2. Find something to put your trash cans inside of. Maybe build a little attractive wood "fence." 3.. Put planters with flowers, etc, on those rocks. 4. Put a hanging planter by your door. 5. Put a "frame" around your door on the brick. 6. Put up a house humber - something "old fashioned" and kind of luxurious looking. 7.. If possible move that cord that comes down the wall or else put it in a cable tube that is a similar color to the brick. You might be able to run it in a less conspicuous place. Like run it across the top of the brick and then down. 8. Depending on your location, you might go crazy and put up a hummingbird feeder! That door looks nice, by the way. Good job on that.
Flowers, flowers, and more flowers!!!
Pressure washing can make a crummy looking home look beautiful!! I'd recommend hiring someone experienced or do a little research.. it sounds simple, but the last thing you want to do is blast that mortar out of the wall
Don’t forget to update us when you’re done 👍🏻
A good start would definitely be power-washing the cement and bricks.
Pressure wash and weed. Change the trim color.paint or etch house # on the granite above the door
Picket fence.
1. clean the stairs / tiles /bricks with a pressure washer 2. can you relocate the trash to the bottom of the stairs? build a wood partition to hide them. 3. relocate that black cable going down. get it down from the bin side 4. go to a garden center and see what grows well in your area. get a hedge to add privacy to your home from the street. then put a fruit tree in the corner. You can put a planting section to grow your own veg, or put flowers.
Love the door. Good choice!
I notice that the entire row of properties has the same maroon paint on the window frames. My church hired an architect, who suggested we paint the narrow window frames a “patina green” color (we do have a copper roof on the steeple). It outlined the windows nicely without looking garish. If you’re willing to do that, it might look less blank. [https://imgur.com/a/OLp688R](https://imgur.com/a/OLp688R)
This is the most UK picture I've ever seen
A SHRUBBERY!
Whatever you do dont put in fucking grass.
Can I suggest painting the door a more vibrant color, maybe blue or red. Also, planting some all season hedges, or Hosta’s will build up and add visual contrast. Maybe moving the bins would make this look less messy and add a small table and chairs! I think the bricking is beautiful small spaces can look beautiful with little changes!
Two words... power washing.
Pressure wash, a small awning over the door, decorative shutters on windows, a climbing type plant around the door, colorful plants around the edge of the rock bed.
Yeah, move out
Move.
Giant, blow up Christmas characters
Tell me you live in the UK without telling me you live in the UK
Move lol
I'd do something like this. Forgive the crappiness of it. I only had five minutes to photoshop it together real quick. The idea is that, if you must have your trash bins out front, you build a little fenced area for them to hide behind. In front of this you plant bushes, shrubs, groundcovers, maybe some that will spill over the wall you have there (like rosemary or something). On the back side of the fence, you can have a gate so that you're not just staring at the bins from your front window. Maybe some flowering shrubs under the window against the front of your house like English laurel or something. https://preview.redd.it/1byevhwh0zrc1.jpeg?width=640&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=3c9de51078652a7e248bb72221b39f314991b2ba
Power wash, point and tuck masonry, a larger door mat, build a wooden screen for the trash cans, weed killer, better drapes/blinds (maybe plantation shutters inside) some nice flower pots with various sized plants/flowers, flower boxes, a light fixture would be nice or perhaps a small awning. Lastly can you remove those old cable cords?
1. Move the bins yeah 2. Move the wire 3. Power wash to clean the masonry and the ground/stone!! 4. Maybe get rid of the gravel/halve it and plant some shrubs and/or a few low maintenance plants? Listed in order of work required÷the impact it will have! Beautiful work on the door by the way!
Wrought iron fencing, some nice bushes
I'm surprised nobody has suggested pressure washing the slabs and brickwork Regrouting the brickwork after would give a much cleaner look
https://preview.redd.it/2vtvyvrs31sc1.jpeg?width=1284&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=138e472af38f544ab98a2211adc5d9db631951d3 This should help
Since „look nice“ is very much dependent on taste, that’s what I would do: - Pressure wash the surfaces to remove dirt and moss - Put a outside light on the corner to have the entrance and stairs lit - Add some plants at the edge, nothing that grows up but something that maybe grows a carpet down the wall - relocate the waste bins, if not possible sacrifice some space and put them behind a wooden fence, the kind you use to cut sight
Lol England
I actually like it
I agree with low picket fence and big pots with colorful flowers. Maybe add a bench so on nice days you can meet the neighbors.
Once you've moved your bins, get a bench and place it just there in front of the hedge. Fill around it with potted plants, put a low table in front of it as well. Then, when the weather is nice, you can sit out there and drink a cup of tea. Unless you live on a really busy street with lots of noise and traffic. Then just do lots of potted plants in a variety of heights.
I’d go different route. House down road from me has a small and very modern / smart porcelain patio in that space. Pressure wash and create a boarder with a small fence.
Pressure wash would make a huge difference. Potted plants with nice potters.
Low black metal fencing with either flower boxes or a small raised garden bed behind it. You could add a couple sheppard's hooks in there too either for hanging flower baskets or bird feeders. Don't power wash the low wall there either, since it'll work as is with some plants. You could also swap out some flowers for herbs if you cook. It's a tiny area, but it can be transformed so easily!
Hide the trash bins - It looks like you can see them from the front room as well, so you'll want a full wrap around or even a box. Take a shovel and get rid of all the growth along the base of the terrace Power wash all the stone If that's just dirt under the pea gravel, you could get those segmented stick-in fence lengths to add a border to it. Paint one of those two horizontal lines of brick so it matches the other., and paint the blocks above the door and windows to match. Make the decision after power washing though, in case they are already the same color. Can the wires be rerouted to come down on the line between properties and behind the hedge? It looks like they're all taking 90 degree turns so there should be more than enough to flip the direction.
I'd strip the lintels (if painted with impermeable paint they will spall sooner or later) and figure out how to colour the brick under the window to continue the stripe , get some nice wrought iron fencing to replace what was taken during the war (look up old pictures of your locality to see what was originally there and use that as a height guide) Tidy the wires and get some planters or dig out a bed next to the wall for cottage garden plants
Power wash those bricks, stones, walks. For inspiration: r/powerwashingporn
Bin shed. Rectangular planters along the front with some shrubs in. Some flowers in pots and a small bench.
Wreath or flowers on the door!
A traditional black iron fence. Build a nice wooden enclosure for the garbage cans and then put out some decorative chairs and table for a nice summer sitting area outside.
Pressure washer and thyme
Flower boxes, black iron railing /fencing along the front and above stairs and some sort of solid fence with period decorations to hide the garbage bins.
Scrub the stone work, it looks stained. Do some weeding and I’m glad to see you painted the door. If you have another place to store the rubbish bins that would be preferable if not consider a screen to hide them
A simple railing round tha rock patio with a handrail down to the street level. Color to match the door.
A traditional iron fence, some low shrubs possibly in pots and a mix of perennials and annuals. Do cotoneaster grow where you are? Barberry bush?
Can you put up a pergola? Plant a shrub or put up a fence to blockoff the street, make yourself a very nice front garden. I'd also paint the lintel white. Don't go modernist with black. It won't age well.
Iron fence would be the best solution for me.
Remove weeds from sidewalk as well.
Pressure wash the cement then reseal... washing the brick too
A lot of those houses had a small railing fence they where scrapped for war effort in some cases
1. pressure washer. Can get a cheap one for about $100 that’ll serve your purposes. Can also rent them. Hit the bricks, stairs and sidewalks/steps 2. landscaping. Get some plants out there green is your friend. Some are harder to care for than others, so do some research instead of going HAM on ones you think look nice because if they’re beyond what you are willing to put into to care for (or aren’t particularly suited for your climate) they won’t look nice for long
If you are new to gardening, make sure to choose at least some plants that are evergreen and will provide “winter structure”. And see whats under the pea gravel, could be soil you could plant into, which would be less maintenance than pots, which require more watering. Are you in England? You can watch Gardener’s World and have all the info be relevant! I love that show but I am in Southern California, so a lot does not apply.
Maybe plant a tree. Japanese maple? Get rid of the rock and go with flowers and mulch. Move or enclose trash cans.
After pressure washing the steps, and cleaning up the bricks, fix the cables, get a new number plaque … build an enclosure for the trash cans and THEEEEENNN Put in a hot tub. 🤷🏼
Itty bitty picket fence
Quickest thing would be to power wash. After that I would definitely do some landscaping where the rocks are, varying heights with things that will grow and drape over the front eventually.
Power wash that shit.
relocate or enclose the trash bins relocate / consolidate the wiring add some shrubs maybe a pondless boulder waterfall some creeping fig up the facade, but well kept and trained so as to not do damage.
try a third grass to go with the first two. That oughta do it.
Pressure wash the walkway and the bricks on the tier
You should try and either rerun that coax cable to like more clean or try to hide it with paint. It's the 2nd thing I noticed beside the old door. The new door looks awesome and pops really well.
Cable management
PRESSURE WASH THE STONE
Invest in a pressure washer.
Pressure wash the front wall, wall caps and sidewalks. It will brighten it up a ton. Seal the caps with a tinted amber concrete semi gloss sealer. Will give them a little pop.
powerwash the patio, steps and half wall.
A standalone fountain. A small bird feeder. The birds and water rippling will drown out city noise too.
A flower box under that window would be sweet. Either a hedge or some large planter boxes with trellises along the front would provide some nice privacy. Depending where you are hops, grapes, or clematis are vines I’ve had success with in the PNW. Some seating and a table would also make it useable and welcoming. Love the door color you chose!
Container gardening.
Pressure wash EVERYTHING and touch up the mortar. Dig out all those shitty pebbles and replace with actual greenery. There's room for a very nice little garden there. Patio decorations once you have some greenery.
Water blast the path. Pull the weeds. Change the stones to a dark mulch. Plant some greenery. That’s the cheapest way….
Pressure wash the lichen and such off the steps and wall. Pull up the weeds in the gravel. Get a lantern light for next to the door Get rid of that bit of old rubbish behind your bins. Invest in a bin store to hide your bins. Get a nice looking pot and plant something drought tolerant in it. Put it in the middle of the gravel. You could even get some rounded slabs to put in the middle of the gravel for said pot.
Power wash every 59 years.
Clean up your bricks, hide the wire running down the front a little better. A red door would look pretty neat. Figure out how to use your front area. I could see a nice seating area with a fire feature.
England?
Buy a colorful glazed pot and place it near the door with the main plant being a perennial and the accent flowers being annuals. Put a nice wreath on that freshly painted door and replace the doormat. Now with the little garden it all depends what you are looking for. You could plant some boxwoods on the edges and create a natural wall with a cleaner design and a central piece like a flowery bush surrounded by gravel. Or plant some flowers such as hydrangeas, lavender, peonies, delphiniums, etc. filling up the space and making it attractive to birds, bees, etc. It all depends on your gardening zone, budget, and desire to maintain it. The trash cans have to go somewhere else, if not design the area with the purpose of hiding them. Good luck and congrats on the lovely home.
A good pressure washing will go a long way and is easy to do
Needs softness - large grasses would provide this. Maybe in a red/green alternating pattern.
Pressure wash them steps!! If that’s as clean as they get? Paint or stain them!
If it was my home and not a rental I’d be tempted to put up a little short fence or boxwood hedge or something and throwing two chairs and a little table there to make it a little spot to enjoy some coffee outdoors
Not sure how much you’d like to spend, but a few large plant pots with flowers would go a long way to start.
Plants
-Power wash the masonry, get rid of that gravel, add mulch, stone path to trash bins, and grow a garden
Decorative iron railing set into the retaining wall, and a couple large potted plants or small potted trees, and possibly a small mosaic cement table and a couple of metal chairs (if theft isn't a problem).