What style does this house want to be?

[@tc9148]

Rules to live by - simplify, simplify, simplify. Create order and repetition. Scale and proportion are critical. Outside/In - not Inside/Out design. I’m learning so much. Thank you!!!

[@BrentHull]

Awesome. So glad to hear.

[@andy4717]

Brent, that literally looks a million times better! Bravo

[@BrentHull]

Thanks so much.

[@maureenlangerfeld8489]

Very much more beautiful!

[@BrentHull]

Thank you!

[@secondarycontainment4727]

I just can't get enough of this...

[@BrentHull]

More to come. ..

[@JoshPiland]

Nice job on the composition, especially the far right cubical mass. The three trees and subordinating the peak to the main body is my favorite improvement. The arches are a close second. Before we build our home, I hope we can afford your time Brent. Thank you again!

[@BrentHull]

Many thanks! I appreciate the feedback.

[@Wazupiseeyou]

What kind of mumbo jumbo was that house?! Traveled today and saw two new constructions on my way. All I can say I have become a house snob because of you…lol. New doesn’t necessarily mean better.

[@BrentHull]

Me too. thanks for watching.

[@laszlodesimon4768]

Mr. Hull, you knowledge and vision of balance and esthetics make your videos so interesting and appreciated. Thank you for sharing that vision and your incredible understanding of architecture to make your videos so anticipated!

[@BrentHull]

Thanks for watching. I appreciate it.

[@j.frankparnell3087]

Another incredible transformation! I'm so glad I stumbled upon your channel. I live in a modest 70 year old house and I've been thinking about replacing all the trim for a few years. But I couldn't pull the trigger because all I knew was to buy whatever molding was on sale at the home store. After watching your videos I am formulating a plan based on the principles you've taught and I'm excited to start putting it together.

[@BrentHull]

Nice! Good luck. Keep me posted.

[@mbryan4964]

😄 the critiques are just so funny, golly, so funny.😄 💪 the redues are just so charming, golly, so charming.👌

[@BrentHull]

Thanks!

[@vinht23]

Amazing. I agree with removing the porch.

[@Wazupiseeyou]

Would they be able to enclose it so it becomes a wing and balances the right?

[@BrentHull]

Thanks!

[@BrentHull]

maybe...

[@dmj5293]

I really appreciate all the styles and historical details you explain on your channel. There seems to be something in every video for me to think about as I try to remodel my colonial revival house with some Victorian elements thrown in.

[@BrentHull]

I'm glad it is helping!

[@jj6282]

Your fix it videos never disappoint. Great job as always

[@BrentHull]

Glad you like them!

[@jj6282]

@@BrentHull Makes me wish I would have finished architecture school 30 years ago and started working with your firm. Incredible work and keep on pushing other builders to step up to the plate!

[@pcatful]

Looks great. I think you could put some smaller windows in the "garage" mass. I think the port cochere you did would work ok with some detailing--maybe a base detail that ties to the house or the landscape wall.

[@BrentHull]

Great idea. Good points. Thanks.

[@jackgoldstein3352]

Great new series. Keep it going

[@BrentHull]

Thanks, will do!

[@DrMJJr]

Happy Wednesday to you too Mr. Hull 👏🏽👏🏽👏🏽…I think your revisions significantly improved the design and I’ve always believed simplicity is elegant. Ornamentation for ornamentation’s sake is both gaudy and superfluous IMO. I like the French Eclectic style myself and hope one day to faithfully reproduce it with some classical details. Steeply hipped roof w/flared eves, 5 rank symmetrical rectangle with two wings; quoins and casement windows with stone lintels, keystone and sill…preferably slate roof, stone facade in courses 👍🏽

[@BrentHull]

Sounds amazing. Go for it.

[@rogerhodges7656]

This series is great! I hope you keep it going.

[@BrentHull]

That's the plan! Thanks

[@Scapegoatstudio]

These are really fun! I can't guess what your sketches would cost to realize (in terms of a remodel), but I would hazard a guess that building it your way wouldn't have been more expensive than building it ugly.

[@BrentHull]

I agree. Thanks.

[@bradwatson7324]

I can imagine a wonderful collaboration between you, Mr. Hull, and Kate Wagner of McMansion Hell. She’d use her usual wit and sarcasm to verbally tear bad houses down; you’d come along thereafter with your drawings and sober commentary to build them back up.

[@kurtvonfricken6829]

She’s ok and entertaining but no where near Brent’s league. She doesn’t understand classical architecture and is critical of homes with columns and other architectural features that are perfectly acceptable.

[@BrentHull]

interesting.

[@BrentHull]

Thanks!

[@ryansoo4000]

Very nice suggestions for organizing the facade. it's too bad you can't get inside to see how the changes to the exterior might affect the layout of the interiors. I would suggest extending the depth of the second level roof deck out another 6-8 feet and creating a covered porch off the main floor rooms. You could do a row of columns with a railing between them (there wouldn't have to be stairs and access down to the lawn) and you could change some of the main floor windows to double doors. The extended deck would also hide more of that big blank wall on the right, and you could maybe add a door into that wing of the house from the covered porch. Also, maybe some stone quoins at the corners of that big right wing?

[@BrentHull]

Good ideas. Thanks for sharing.

[@andrewkennedy9704]

Knock out as usual. Looks way better.

[@BrentHull]

Thanks so much.

[@spencer04629]

I hope all the custom builders in my area are watching this series to learn from these mistakes and pick up the historic principles of hierarchy you're teaching. I look forward to this series each week, appreciate that you're reviewing many different styles of homes and sizes of homes

[@BrentHull]

Thanks for watching and the feedback.

[@BrentHull]

Thx

[@bwoneymaddic446]

I've designed and built three gardens and I follow an R & R rule, which seems to apply to house design too. R & R is Repeat and Rest. I'll mass ten Emerald Green Arborvitaes for visual impact, but also let the eye rest, using a patch of grass or pavers. I also plant for all four seasons. Spring, summer, and fall are easy, but winter is a challenge. I would think a northern architect would also strive for a comely home when there is less flora to frame it.

[@BrentHull]

Very interesting. Thanks for sharing.

[@joelstillson6713]

First thing I thought "well it's supposed to be Mediterranean... I think... 🤣 But wow there's a lot going on!" Love these videos Brent, thanks for taking the time to do them. I'm half tempted to drive around and take pics of random houses and do this kind of thing just for practice... This is probably a very good exercise to do just to learn different styles. Anyways, I look forward to Wednesdays and Fridays now between this series and the Patreon podcast 👍🍻

[@BrentHull]

Nice! So glad to hear.

[@kingkinyon]

Love these design videos. Thank you for the consistent uploads

[@BrentHull]

Your welcome. Thanks for watching.

[@ddutton0]

These are great

[@BrentHull]

Thanks for watching.

[@petersallay5221]

Really amazing how you can organize what appeared to be an unworkable design. I can only imagine how challenging it would be to execute something like this. How many of your clients follow through with these projects?

[@BrentHull]

We'll see. Fun to watch.

[@Gab_deb]

I love this series! But to this house--you can't put lipstick on a pig. Keep 'em coming Brent!

[@BrentHull]

Ok, thanks for the feedback.

[@crossroadschronicles4647]

Definitely better

[@BrentHull]

Thanks.

[@stevemiller7949]

These weirdsmobile houses are hilarious. To be charitable, they are a form of American folk art even though they are massively expensive. From that perspective, to me, they have an ironic charm like Homer Simpson or Bugs Bunny, even though they are so vulgar at the same time (like Rodney Dangerfield or WC Fields)

[@BrentHull]

Interesting. Thanks for sharing.

[@stevemiller7949]

@Brent Hull I recommend you find time to read the famous essay by HL Mencken from 1927 entitled " The libido for the ugly". A great essay by a renowned writer about mediocre architecture in America. It's easy to pull up. Although even crummy stuff from 80 years ago may be preferable to modern junk.

[@venus_envy]

Well done! I was confused about where that house's front door was, I guess under the port. What an odd design.

[@BrentHull]

I agree. Thanks

[@laurajojackson374]

I kinda have to wonder if these hodge podge styled McMansions are so popular because its like the Disneyland castle (modeled after neuschwansteins castle) where you just take a whole bunch of cool features from other houses you like and smash it all together for a custom ecclectic look. Adults today are more interested in Disneyland than their kids.

[@BrentHull]

I agree. I think the desire for curb appeal is a big factor.

[@robertbamford8266]

I wouldn’t have believed you could rescue that Mediterranean-ish house. While your changes could, of course, be implemented, would they be reasonable from a cost perspective?

[@BrentHull]

Good question. This house was not a clients house, but a teaching pic I took a few years ago.

[@jackwhiteside5094]

When we violate the classic building orders, we wonder astray. Keeping everything in proportion to the Basic Humanscale allows one to maintain the flow and order that appeases us.

[@BrentHull]

Well said!!

[@georgemarcolin9874]

Love this video and this thread! You always ask "What does this house want to be?" Could you look at how to give meaning to some mass produced homes; the Levittown, "copy and paste" kind of neighborhood homes? I live in one of these neighborhoods and most of American suburbia is the same way. It gets boring and destroys the feeling of character a place should have. Thanks, and again, love the video!

[@BrentHull]

I have one coming out soon. It is for a DR Horton home. Stay tuned.

[@georgemarcolin9874]

@@BrentHull Can't wait! Thank you so much for the response!

[@bigby6023]

Grand homes makes some of the best looney tune houses

[@BrentHull]

haha.

[@LogansRun314]

Hey Brent, you should be a fire fighter... Thanks for putting out that dumpster fire. Could you have added a couple windows on the mass behind the Italian cypress? Also, besides the round metal roof cap, would you keep the tile on the rest of the house?

[@BrentHull]

Ha. windows on the large mass is a good idea. Yes, i would keep the tile. My 2 cents.

[@CrisCreator]

I was expecting this to be an analysis of different house music

[@BrentHull]

? Haha

[@mikechan231]

Wow, pretty amazing how much you were able to change the look of that house for the better - mostly by subtracting some of these overdone elements.

[@BrentHull]

Less can be more.

[@Wazupiseeyou]

Brent, just realized you forgot the entry door.

[@BrentHull]

Couldn't find it. Haha.

[@fredrobinson6990]

I like your ideas. It was an awkward looking house.

[@613kc]

How does a house like that come into being? New Money? No architect? I've seen 1500-2000 sq ft owner built that hurt the eyes (I understand that). But this house? Great Vid!!!!

[@BrentHull]

agreed.

[@BrentHull]

I suspect. No designer.

[@Fedgery007]

Love this series!! When the builder built that house, they probably thought it was a masterpiece! It’s a pretty ugly house!

[@BrentHull]

Sad but true.

[@eebaits4360]

Hey Brent, it's Dominic. I'd love to get a tour of a project. Let me know. Talk to you soon.

[@BrentHull]

Ok. don't give too many of those. Our clients are pretty private.

[@borp6912]

How can we make quality houses for the middle class?

[@BrentHull]

It takes time but if we look to the past there are good solutions.

[@allymonte7295]

Stopped by my neighbor's house the other day. She has a newly built home. For no apparent reason (to me) there's a column to the left inside the main entrance. So weird. Looks like an after thought or the builder had no clue. Feel bad for the neighbor. What other weird things are inside that house?

[@BrentHull]

Ignorance of classical building. Houses are left with stickers of columns and shutters that make no sense.

[@robyarrow9690]

More is not better, sometimes Moore is just more.

[@BrentHull]

Word.

[@t.e.1189]

To be honest I don't think there's a lot that can be done for that house. The only thing I think it had going for it was the tiles on the roof. The layout and proportions, the bulky garage on the right, the funky porch to the left were all poorly executed if you ask me. You made improvements, but it really needs to be completely redesigned. You hit the nail on the head with your 'bumps and bruises' expression on that one.

[@BrentHull]

Thanks.