Awakening that Look of Love

Ten ways to revitalize your Eichler exterior in the true-blue tradition of Joe the builder
By Adriene Biondo
Fridays on the Homefront
The above Eichler features several positive assets from of our top-ten list of important exterior upgrades: earth-tone colors, front door with a pop of color, Eichler-friendly garage door lined with Eichler siding, Eichler numbers, and Mistlite glass. Very nice job! Photo: David Toerge

One of the most gratifying achievements in life is owning your own home—and pride of ownership doubles in volume when that home turns out to be an Eichler.

Whether you're a longtime owner or a newbie, touring the streets of your Eichler neighborhood and taking photos is a great way to better understand which exterior 'improvements' are working—and which ones aren't. Building a design scrapbook for inspiration can be a helpful reference to use along the way.

Hoping to help make your home exterior the best it can be—and something your neighbors and perhaps Joe Eichler himself would be proud of—we've assembled a top-ten list of important exterior guidelines rooted in home and neighborhood preservation.

Here are those ideas…

 

Fridays on the Homefront
Eichler home with ADU installation: too close for comfort? Photo: Rory Earnshaw
1. Vertical additions & ADUs

Steer clear of second-story additions. If a single-story addition, ADU (accessory dwelling unit), or backyard bonus room is in your plans, consider the impact it may have on neighbors' views and privacy, and consult an architect with expertise in addition design and placement. Above all, consider the overall proportions of your Eichler, and think single level with horizontal emphasis, solid planar surfaces, and post-and-beam construction, and lean towards simple forms and details.

 

Fridays on the Homefront
Will these roof modifications impact the street-side aesthetics?
2. Roofline modifications

Changes of pitch to your original roofline can alter a front elevation and disturb street-side aesthetics. Before modifying your existing roofline, consider the overall feel of your home and the aesthetic impact your move could make on your neighborhood. Go with a flat roofline, or a shallow pitch, with exposed beams that are squared-off and unornamented. Streamline any visible HVAC, ducts, atrium covers, and solar installations that, similar to second-story additions, will alter the roofline and bring a potential eyesore to the neighborhood.

 

Fridays on the Homefront
Four pieces from the Eichler earthtone color palette: indoor-outdoor kinship.
3. Paint colors

Historically Eichlers are known for getting the best results with exterior paint-color selection by incorporating the earth-tone color palette. The homes' seamless indoor-outdoor kinship with nature makes choosing compatible colors even more important. Combine your earth-tone selections with that famous 'pop of color' as an accent for the front door (and horizontal beam over the garage, if your model has it), and you've got a winning combination.