A Southern ranch style house is known for a wide, single-story design. Larger ranch homes can even be sprawling, but they might seem lacking in pizazz. To improve a Southern ranch, change the front of the house so it's no longer recognizable from the curb, or make interior changes. You aren't stuck with the limitations of a simple floor plan. Does this Spark an idea?
Covered Entry
Some Southern style ranch houses are plain -- wide, flat and with simple roof lines. Change the home's exterior by adding a dramatic covered entry. Plan to build an overhang that adds to the front entry without changing the existing roof. For example, add a timber overhang supported by wooden posts that connect with half wall planters made of brick. The door is masked by extending the entry, and the rest of the home's exterior does not look plain from the curb.
Window Dressing
Dressing up the windows on a Southern ranch makes sense when these windows have no external features, such as awnings, wrought iron grilles or shutters. Add single shutters in a bright color for decoration purposes only on either side of each window, and finish the new look with wrought iron window boxes. Although these improvements might not seem as dramatic as a covered entry, they are cost effective. These improvements also update the home without changing the front elevation.
Glass Dividers
Inside the home you can also change interior walls without major renovation costs. To make the master bedroom feel totally different, even more open, remove the wall that separates the sleeping area from the master bath. Add a glass wall divider with a built-in glass door. This wall might be set further into the bathroom to make the bedroom larger or further into the bedroom to make the bathing area larger. Create privacy by hanging floor-to-ceiling curtains from a track in the ceiling.
Visual Divider
Visual dividers break up the space in a newer ranch home with a great room. If the ceilings and the walls are all white, separating the different areas of living, dining and family room visually is difficult. Adding something as simple as a cedar ceiling beam in a dark wood divides two rooms, such as the living room and the dining room. Add a faux or real fireplace and built-in shelves on either side to change a plain wall in the same room.
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