Commenters mock before-and-after photos of remodeled home: 'That's a crying shame'

An apparent minimalist has transformed a 1939 neoclassical home, removing the intricate trimmings and trappings from the outside design. The update left it with a flat gray exterior and little landscaping, according to before-and-after photos shared in a post on the r/Oldhouses subreddit. 

"I hate what was done," the original poster wrote.

"That's a crying shame," one user commented. 

To be fair, we don't know when the photos were taken in the remodeling process. An odd-looking sculpture near the entrance appears to be unfinished. Some internet sleuthing shows additional pictures at PriceyPads.com, yet still without a ton of additional info, beyond a suggestion that the home was remodeled after it was sold in 2013.

A closer look reveals some other details about the apparent new owners. 

The earlier photo shows the home when it resembled many that exist in suburban neighborhoods. But a perfectly mowed yard and carefully manicured bushes are sometimes signs of landscaping habits that don't mesh well with nature. 

Bee-friendly flowers and clovers seldom find refuge in show yards. The after photo shows a yard that isn't as crisp, with longer grass. It could be that the project was observed unfinished — a blank slate with plenty of potential. Hopefully, the new owners are working toward a natural yard with some native flowers in the landscaping. It's a plan that requires less maintenance and can provide hundreds of dollars in savings yearly by nixing costly fertilizers and sprays. 

And it's an easy switch for anyone to make. 

The National Wildlife Federation can help you find the right native species for your yard. Pollinators are crucial for about a third of the world's food supply, according to the United Nations. So adding blooms they like offers multiple wins for humans and the troubled species. NBC News reported that honeybee colonies could decline by up to 70% this year in the U.S. alone. Disease and pesticide use are among the reasons. 

You can round out a cleaner yard routine with electric equipment and a solar panel setup. Both moves can reduce heat-trapping air pollution and save you cash. EnergySage is a vetted online resource that can help you collect all the available tax rebates to save up to $10,000 on solar panels. The tech could greatly decrease or even eliminate your electricity costs. 

Perhaps the remodeled home that drew so much ire on Reddit will soon be sporting suncatchers with natural flowers blooming below. 

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But some viewers seemingly won't be able to get past the lost original architecture. 

"Reminds me of a cheap motel," one Redditor wrote.

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