Tuesday, May 31, 2005

Part II: The Bad

This is the 2nd installment in my "The Good", The Bad and The Ugly" series to be followed by "The Beautiful" for inspiration. To clarify, "The Bad" by our definition could otherwise be known as "all muddled up" . These are instances where people have muddled up an existing home with inappropriate materials or poorly done additions etc... Similar to what you see on the last page of Old House Journal magazine.

Most of the homes below are within a mile of our 2-flat.

What did it look like originally? I see a single family dwelling buried beneath the swiss chalet motif, aluminum siding, and stucco porch. Looks like generations of muddlers have lived here.

Here's another aluminum siding addition added onto a grey stone 2-flat.
The beauty of the building is buried.


The building below has had some kind of scaffolding on it for a few years. And it has a year round nativity scene with a Santa in it in front of the building.
Brown siding or picture windows or open porch/decks? You decide.


I just don't understand multi-colored cinder block combined with a beautiful greystone. And to top it off, they cemented what little yard they have-maintenance free I suppose. This one in particular stymies my imagination. I just can't believe that anyone would think it looks good. To top it off, I believe they built the new porch level, but the 2-flat isn't!


Next installment: "The Ugly": beautiful homes in a state of deterioration and disrepair.

Disclaimer: These are only my opinions. I respect that others have different tastes and need to be saved from their own bad remodeling choices.

6 comments:

Emerld said...

OMG! That is WILD! What an eye you have. I"m very impressed. I wouldn't notice a building if it fell on me. lol

Ms. P in Jackson said...

The level porch on an unlevel building is really bad. You can bet they paid a lot of money for that two-tone porch. As for the manger scene, there are many homes here that sport long-deflated giant snowmen and hanging icecicle lights year-round and after a while they begin to sag and eventually break down until hanging in shreds. Lovely.

My closing is scheduled for 6/15 so I hope to do my own little study for Jackson. It should be fun and I think it's a great idea you have posting the pics. I can't wait to see more.

Greg said...

The greystone with the cinderblock porch is heartbreaking. If I bought that beautiful home I would have my sledgehammer out the first weekend.

Someone once said that pressure treated wood is the "underwear" of the construction industry. It should almost never be seen. I think cinderblocks fall in that category too.

Jocelyn said...

A big AMEN to Grex's cinderblock comment- I agree totally. Cinderblock exteriors belong on the back of shopping malls.

Todd- you made me look up pastiche!

K said...

Ha ha, I looked up pastiche, too. I think I need another word of the day calendar.

Jocelyn said...

Update: Since this post, the first building pictured has been leveled for a 6 unit condo building. It's all about the density!