Ranch houses have been a popular home type for years. The ranch style house, known for its one-story design, open floor plans, and strong connection to outdoor living, gained historical popularity in the mid-20th century and continues to appeal to homeowners and renovators today. Many homeowners wish to keep these models up-to-date so they can continue to be livable in the modern era. This guide will examine several different aspects of a ranch house remodel, from internal rebrands to outdoor makeovers.
Whether you are planning to convert a modernized ranch or freshen up its look, this article will provide insightful and interesting ideas.
Understanding the Ranch House Style
In the beginning, remodeling thoughts, the correct identification of ranch houses is certainly a top priority. To begin your remodeling journey, understanding the Ranch House Style is essential. Usually, ranch houses are built on the ground and are a bit squat in terms of their shape, a defining characteristic of this architectural style. Ranchers often build their dwellings with large, unobstructed windows, which allow viewing nature and movements in the environment from the inside, further contributing to their open and nature-connected feel.
Many ranch-style homes were built after World War II, during the post-war housing boom, when returning soldiers and their families needed affordable, practical housing. Ranches became popular across the country due to their practical design and adaptability, making them a lasting favorite in American neighborhoods.
To delve deeper into the origins of the Ranch house style and fully appreciate the defining features of Ranch architecture, resources from organizations like the National Park Service (NPS) offer valuable insights into Ranch house architectural history, providing context for your remodeling decisions. Their main features are the long and low profile and the wide open living spaces they offer. That’s why they make perfect candidates for updates and renovations.
Planning Your Ranch House Remodel
My primary advice for owners going through the process of renovating a ranch house is to start with a very clear plan. Careful planning is essential when renovating, as it allows owners to personalize their homes, reconfigure layouts, and adapt the space to meet modern needs while maintaining their original charm. Owners should consider both their current needs and future plans when planning a remodel. Here are some primary items to cover:
1. Assess Your Needs
Fix in your mind first what you approve of the renovation of ranch homes. Are you aiming to make the outer surface, enhance the interior design, or both? When assessing your renovation goals, consider the needs of growing families or multi-generational families, as accommodating different family sizes may influence your design choices. Write down your goals and the things you need to complete them.
2. Set a Budget
Decide and state to what extent you are ready to allocate for the entire process of your ranch house remodeling. This step will give you a guiding light to enable you to make rational decisions along the entire course of the exercise.
3. Hire Professionals
When Planning Your Ranch House Remodel, consider assembling a skilled team. There is the option of consulting with architects, designers, or contractors for help during the project if they have experience doing renovations on ranch-style houses. They can give you valuable advice and ensure that your project is done well. For homeowners considering professional assistance, it’s wise to find a licensed architect or hire a certified interior designer with expertise in ranch renovations. Organizations like the American Institute of Architects (AIA) and the American Society of Interior Designers (ASID) offer resources to find reputable contractors and professionals in your area, as well as information on the benefits of working with an architect or certified designer to ensure your remodel is executed flawlessly.
Interior Ranch House Remodel Ideas
The new internal parts of your ranch home can create a new dramatic experience within your living space, which will be both beautiful and well-functioning. Some of the most preferred options for a ranch house remodel are here:
1. Open Up the Floor Plan
Ranch houses that are originally built have no walls dividing them, while you may also decide to bring out the openness and minimalism of the design further by tearing down some walls. Creating great rooms by removing non-load-bearing walls can enhance the sense of openness and make interiors feel more spacious and connected.
2. Update the Kitchen
This is one of the ways a modern kitchen can quickly become the center of your whole house remodeling. To truly update the Kitchen in your ranch house, consider a comprehensive approach. Change the stovetop, countertops, and upper and lower cupboards, and replace or refinish outdated cabinets to redesign your kitchen and create a more modern and functional space. For homeowners looking to achieve a stunning kitchen transformation without breaking the bank, exploring affordable kitchen updates is key. Our guide to affordable kitchen renovation ideas offers numerous budget-friendly kitchen remodel strategies and cost-effective kitchen upgrades to help you achieve your dream kitchen while staying within your budget.
3. Enhance Natural Light
I am advocating adding skylights and increasing your windows to let more sunshine into your house. When upgrading, consider double-hung windows for both classic style and improved energy efficiency. Add glass doors or large windows for the desired effect.
4. Upgrade Flooring
To truly modernize your ranch home interior, Upgrade the Flooring throughout the house. Rip up old flooring and replace it with modern items like hardwood, luxury vinyl, or even large-format tiles to give them a new, contemporary look. Continuous flooring throughout the home can also make rooms feel more spacious and unified. When selecting new flooring, considering affordable flooring options is often a priority for homeowners. If you’re looking for budget-friendly flooring upgrades that don’t compromise on style or durability, explore our guide on affordable home decor ideas, which includes insights on cost-effective flooring choices such as luxury vinyl and other stylish yet budget-conscious materials.
Exterior Ranch House Remodel Ideas
You need to remember that the outer space is equally important as the interior. Exterior updates can greatly enhance the beauty of your ranch home, making it more visually appealing and welcoming. Adding vertical elements, such as landscaping, trees, or decorative details, can break up the long, horizontal lines typical of ranch exteriors. Here, I give you some solid ideas for the renovation of your ranch home exterior:
1. Update the Facade
Add a touch of modernity with an exterior renovation of your house. When considering Exterior Ranch House Remodel Ideas, updating the facade is paramount to curb appeal. To update the facade, add a touch of modernity with an exterior renovation. Things to think about may be adding stone veneer, fixing/switching siding, replacing or restoring wood siding to maintain the traditional ranch home look, or painting the exterior in a brand-new color combo. For ranch homes featuring brick, or if you are considering incorporating brick elements for a classic touch, our guide offers specific ideas on updating brick exteriors and achieving a modernized brick facade while retaining its timeless charm.
2. Enhance the Entryway
A key element to enhance curb appeal in your home is to enhance the entryway. The front door of the ranch house can easily be a focal point. Perhaps you might want to consider adding a distinct color to it, especially if it contrasts beautifully with a brick facade, or replacing it with a modern design to create a welcoming entrance. A thoughtfully designed entryway not only boosts curb appeal but also helps foster a sense of community by making it inviting for neighbors and encouraging social interaction. Choosing the right color for your front door can significantly impact your entryway’s style. For inspiring front door color ideas and trendy entryway colors, see our guide, which showcases modern front door colors and color inspiration for entryways.
3. Add Architectural Interest
You have to consider adding architectural details if you would like to have a ranch-style home exterior that is updated. These could include an overhanging roof, columns, or a pergola. Repurposing or finishing the attic to create additional rooms or open areas can also add interest and usable space to your home. Such elements give the front of a home interest and depth.
4. Landscape Thoughtfully
To complete your Exterior Ranch House Remodel, it’s vital to Landscape Thoughtfully. Ask around for directions to a stylish outdoor living space that fits in with the whole landscape of your home. Thoughtful landscaping significantly elevates the exterior home design. For practical exterior home design tips and inspiration on landscaping for curb appeal, explore our guide on exterior home design for small houses, which offers valuable insights into enhancing your home’s exterior and applying effective outdoor design principles to any size property, including ranch homes. One good way is to add trees and shrubberies, orchids, bamboo, and similar plants for a wild, naturalistic look, or incorporate country-inspired plants and design elements to evoke a rustic, regional charm.
Modern Ranch Conversion: Blending Old and New
When thinking about a modern ranch conversion, the key is to maintain the charm of the old ranch style but bring into alignment the latest trends. To renovate a ranch home successfully, consider updating both interior and exterior spaces to enhance functionality and incorporate modern energy efficiency, such as installing double-pane windows or redesigning the roofline. Here are some ideas to achieve this balance:
1. Update the Exterior Materials
Design the outside with both conventional and modern materials. One of the ways to do this is to combine the classic brick with the modern metal panels or the wooden siding. This method can quite dramatically change the appeal of the ranch style homes’ exterior; however, it will hold some of the authentic character on the exterior.
2. Redesign the Roofline
Consider changing the roofline to make it more attractive. For instance, you can lift the roof in some parts or add a floor extra to one part of the house and thereby completely alter the look of the ranch house exterior. These updates can immediately transform the look and feel of your ranch home, making the building look newer while still keeping its horizontal emphasis.
3. Expand Outdoor Living Spaces
Change houses as a whole and make a spot around the lot where going indoors or outdoors is just one long smooth transition. Integrate a large deck or patio with a pergola to increase the living space. These additions can serve as outdoor rooms for entertaining and relaxation, providing versatile areas that extend the functionality of your home. Do not forget to be creative in the way you use the front space so that it becomes the best element of a modern ranch home with a sitting area, making it the most inviting and useful.
4. Modernize Windows and Doors
Install large, energy-efficient windows and doors to replace the old ones. Floor-to-ceiling windows and sliding glass doors will illuminate the interior with natural light and create a greater sense of space, the main feature of the modern style.
How to Update a Ranch Style Home Exterior
Upgrading the exterior of a ranch style home can be a major boost to its appeal and hence increase its value. Exterior updates not only enhance the look of your home but can also help your ranch home sell faster and for a higher price. Maximizing curb appeal and optimizing square footage are key strategies for increasing value. Here are some effective strategies:
1. Paint the Exterior
The repainted wall of a ranch house can make it look completely different, as if it were a different building. One of the most transformative steps in How to Update a Ranch Style Home Exterior is to paint the Exterior. Painted brick or siding can dramatically update the look of your ranch home, creatively transforming its appearance and extending the longevity of the materials without full replacement. A repainted wall of a ranch house can indeed create a dramatic change. New color schemes in the modern limited palette version will be a good fit with the architectural style. If you are considering making a bold statement, remember that bold exterior colors can truly revitalize your home’s appearance. Explore our guide for inspiration on choosing exterior paint colors and effectively using bold color palettes to enhance your ranch home’s unique features.
2. Update the Front Door
The front door is the most important part of a house’s entrance. The front door on a brick ranch house is incredibly important. Just some suggestions of a trace of a bright color or a modern design can help the front door become an eyecatcher alongside the surrounding brick.
3. Add Texture and Depth
Inject many kinds of textures to grow the fascinating aspect of the property. Consider restoring or installing wood paneling for a classic ranch look, as it adds warmth and a natural, casual ambiance to living spaces. The nature nest and insulate with the normalized new wood outside to the deterrence of a completely flat front of your upgraded ranch home, which has been given a touch of the future.
4. Upgrade Lighting
The modern lights installed externally improve the sight of your ranch house at night. Put on/Go for it with the low, sleek profile designs of the wall sconces, off the main pathway lights, if you have a yard or garden, may be used as spotlights to draw attention to different parts of the house.
Ranch Home Exterior Ideas for Maximum Impact
Truly transforming and upgrading your ranch house might look like a next-to-impossible task, especially if you consider the traditional style dynamic. Here are some striking exterior design ideas to think about:
1. Create a Grand Entrance
Design a stylish entrance with a wide front porch or a covered walkway. This addition not only changes the look of the house but also provides extra outdoor space and parking. Updating or converting the garage can further enhance curb appeal and add functional living space without expanding the home’s footprint.
2. Add Dimensional Elements
A lot of times, you will want to change the lines of your ranch home, using items such as trees that grow a few healthy feet tall, a trellis, or a chimney to make the house look high and interesting.
3. Incorporate Modern Materials
Conventional materials, including fiber cement, which has been pre-finished, metal panel cladding, and modules with an oversized tile feature, can be the greatest decision in modifying the exterior of your ranch house. This type of construction is not only beautiful, but it is also a long-lasting and low-maintenance structure.
4. Focus on Landscaping
The curb appeal of your ranch-style home can be greatly improved with the right landscaping. You might want to plant a variety of different countries, besides the plants, to bring a natural and pleasant appearance. The landscaping should ideally be in proportion to the low roof of your ranch home.
Ranch House Exterior Makeover: Before and After
For the ranch house exterior makeover to be fully comprehended, it is best to illustrate with some before-and-after scenarios. After months of planning and hard work, the transformation is finally complete, and we are excited to share the impressive results.
Before: Plain and Outdated
Think of an ordinary ranch house with a flat outer wall, dull windows, and a tarnished front door. Some homeowners initially fell for the charm of their plain ranch house, appreciating its potential and unique character before deciding to remodel. The said area is not well-maintained, and in general, it does not look inviting.
After: Modern and Inviting
Presently, visualize the same house with the selection of the colors of the new coat of paint, with new windows, which are energy-efficient ones, and embarking on a chic front door project. By adding a roofed-out hallway in the front part, a visitor would have a warm reception, while a landscaping program would create four walls that would create depth and focus on the property.
Whether you’re the exterior of modern ranch style homes that are keeping with the spatial traditional charm or maintaining the characteristics of a home that is mainly contemporary while adapting the new design, the improved project will be a success, and you will surely love it. New owners can further personalize the renovated ranch home by adding their own unique touches, ensuring the space truly reflects their tastes and lifestyle.
Interior Updates for Your Ranch Home Remodel
The modification of exterior elements, which includes but is not limited to painting, windows, or doors, contributes significantly to the curb appeal of a house, but interior elements are equally essential in the completion of a full ranch house renovation. Interior updates can make your ranch home a more comfortable and functional place to live, enhancing both daily life and long-term value. Here are a few examples of ideas:
- Open up the floor plan to create a more spacious and inviting living area.
- Create or update a nursery, focusing on a convenient layout—ideally near the master bedroom—and choose decor that complements the overall home aesthetic.
- Upgrade or add a closet in bedrooms, laundry rooms, or entryways to improve storage and organization.
- Refresh bathrooms with new fixtures and tile.
- Add built-in shelving or storage solutions for better functionality.
1. Raise the Ceilings
In some ranch homes, the height of the ceiling is very low. You should, therefore, think about lifting the ceiling or putting in a vaulted one in the main areas to create a larger effect.
2. Update Finishes
Make new, modern finishes replace the old ones. This means changing light fixtures, cabinet and door hardware, and trim work.
3. Modernize the Bathroom
For Interior Updates for Your Ranch Home Remodel, modernizing the bathroom is a high-impact upgrade. To modernize the Bathroom, aim to feel your bathroom just like a hotel spa by incorporating features like a walk-in shower, a smart-looking sink cabinet, and new lighting. Renovating the master bath can add both luxury and functionality—consider reconfiguring the layout to fit a wet room, optimizing closet space, or adding a water closet for privacy. When updating the hall bath, you might preserve vintage features like painted tile for character, or modernize the space with new fixtures and finishes. If space is a consideration in your ranch home bathroom, don’t worry – even small bathroom designs can be transformed into luxurious retreats. For practical inspiration and bathroom remodel ideas for ranch homes, especially those with limited space, explore our guides on small bathroom design ideas and tiny ensuite bathroom ideas, which offer numerous solutions for creating stylish and functional small bathrooms.
4. Create a Home Office
As we are fast moving into the trend of home office, a place in the living area or the guest room (as the case may be) can be worked out as an office. For added convenience in multi-purpose rooms, consider integrating a laundry area with a dryer to maximize functionality. Doing a ranch house remodel yourself is a power-saving update that can be of great benefit to the environment.
Conclusion
A ranch house renovation gives you a chance to revive conventional residential styles by refurbishing them stylishly and engagingly. Renovations can also help create a more family-friendly environment, with open layouts and design choices that support family living and interaction. Categorically, exterior enhancements, interior refurbishments, and intense remodeling are the pillars of ranch-style homes. However, the right balance is to include the modern elements using innovation in the designs, by the original charm of the ranch style.
By meticulously planning and being attentive to both aesthetic and practical aspects while performing on your remodel, you can reach your goal of having a home that looks good and fits your needs in your life.
FAQs
1. How much does a typical ranch house remodel cost?
The remodel cost for a ranch may vary widely depending on the materials used, especially the plates, and their location. So, you can make a minor update to the outside, costing you a few thousand dollars, or you could pour a massive amount of money into it, consuming over six figures, and this encompasses the interior as well.
2. How long does a ranch house remodel take?
Many factors determine the length of time it takes to remodel a ranch house. This includes the extent. It is possible that a mere exterior dressing might only consume some weeks. Whereas carrying out a complete interior and exterior makeover might take up to several months. Typically, the remodeling of a house, seen in a ranch, runs from the planning phases to the last coat of paint for 3 months on the shortest side to 6 months on the longest possible path.
3. What are some cost-effective ways to update a ranch-style home exterior?
Some of the budget-friendly ways to remodel a ranch-style home’s exterior include:
- Repainting of the exterior.
- The impressive and inviting new entry replaces the old door.
- Adding a driveway to the new house and changing the mailbox.
- Keeping the lawns and gardens neat and attractive.
- Installing lighting close to the outdoor residential area.
- Use modern window treatments.
4. Can I convert my ranch home into a two-story house?
It may be possible to modify a ranch home to a two-story model. This may be done by redesigning the existing structure and adding a second floor. In case a dramatic change is needed for the house to be converted from a ranch into a two-level home. The “pop-top” technique is the most suitable.
