@bubbasgma thank you we are in TN.

I agree with Sustainable that you need to stucco the foundation blocks or paint it a color closer to color of your brick - less pink. As it is, the foundation sticks out like a sore thumb. Build a new more substantial landing to the front door or at a minimum change out the spindles for square posts. Beef up its size and add the landscaping grover first suggested. Stain the wood a warm, rich color. At the same time I would re-stain the front door to match the new wood. Beef up the shutters and paint them a strong color, sich as the Dark Rookwood Shutter Green (Sherwin Williams). It is not unusual to have shutters of different sizes on the front of a house. Overall, give the shutters, the front landing and the landscaping MUCH more presence. Take the attention away from the brick and give it to the other features of the house and yard. WHEN you re-roof, stay with dark gray shingles. Use a pattern with subtle shading effect. :)

So this weekends project is resurfacing the deck. (We will eventually widen the landing) Thanks for the idea. Hubby wants to go more gray but I'm nervous. Thinking we need to stay in the browns. Like this pic. What do you all think. Getting the color tomorrow.

Sorry forgot to attach pic.

Too many different colors going on, misty.

And the deck can't be stained without first scrubbing, washing AND allowing it to thoroughly dry. Sorry. Not a project for this weekend.

^^^Agree with bubbasgma. Do the pressure wash first and get your landscape plan together before doing the rest. Try removing the shutters. With the black roof, the dark gray deck works.

The shutters don't belong and the posts are too colonial for your style as we discussed at the top of the thread. Even just changing out the posts to straight posts makes it more modern without going to a modern extreme.

He's pressure washing today.. Was thinking of Painting Sat and Sun.

@Denita he's removing the posts and doing the horizontal posts this weekend too. Like the first pic you sent me. We really like that look.

misty..."Based on the 1990 USDA Hardiness Zone Map, this interactive version covers the state of Tennessee which ranges from USDA Zone 6a to USDA Zone 7b."

This link will help you determine what works best in your area. http://www.plantmaps.com/interactive-tennessee-usda-plant-zone-hardiness-map.php

Which direction does the front of your home face?

Good! I think you will see a big change in the look with just those small changes you are making.

When it comes times to paint your foundation, stay away from reds. Go to either very dark brown (expresso type) or black to ground the home. Reds fade quickly and get that pink affect.

bubbasgma, thank you. front yard is West. @Denita , yes obviously those blocks were red once upon a time. Ugh! Can't wait to get rid of the pink.

Denita is spot on! I would wait to stain/paint anything until you have a cohesive plan that works in your locale, and also includes new door/storm replacement choice and trim color selection.

1. Scrub and wash AND let thoroughly dry (think June!).
2. Clean up garden beds, prune dead brush and rack up leaves.
3. Get ready with 1st round of fertilizer to boost grass and prevent weeds.
4. Plan new landscaping design. Local nurseries will often offer low cost/no cost design services. Exploring extending decking? Adding raised beds?

Not sure if stucco is typically used in your location? This area will become less eye-catching as you re-work your planting beds also.

Would be great to extend downspouts drainage at least 6' away from foundation walls before spring rains come.

We can find lots of ways to keep Hubby busy until weather is right for painting/staining! lol!

Great plan bubbasgma! @mistyfc, sometimes it is better to move a little slower because you end up spending less overall and actually getting a better look. Having the landscape and deck plan and walkway plan (all considered 'landscape and hardscape plan') in place will make it much easier to do the changes in phases.

misty...my monitor is lousy with color (grrrr). Some of your windows look to have pristine white trim and some appear cream? Gutters and downspouts appear to be a tan or cream? What color is your roof, black or bark brown? and is it in good shape?

YES, Denita!!!!! Slow and steady wins the race!!!! And gives a better end result too!!!

I think I'm changing my mind on color and stain and agreeing with hubby : except for the last photo gray was used successfully and beautifully on these red brick homes. In the last photo just the right red really sets off the brick to its best advantage. After you get the porch pressure washed, consider the the grays and whites for the windows and the porch and landing. Painting the landing will eliminate trying to match the stain, but will require more maintenance. Still like the shutters :)

Hanna-Which landing are you suggesting to paint? Painted decking and masonry requires a GREAT deal of maintenance and can be very slippery and dangerous when it is wet.

You definitely need to start preparing the beds now, as spring will soon be here and having the beds ready to plant will be key to getting your plantings established before it gets hot and/or dry. Don't fertilize now. Wait until the danger of last frost has passed. Tender new growth will be bit back. Wait until new spring growth to trim shrubs and bushes back too. Removing dead and wayward branches now will spruce up your landscaping immediately. Consider water runoff when designing and building your new beds. :)

First nail down a landscape plan. It would probably be worth at least a consultation with a landscape architect to get a basic direction, then a visit to a good local nursery with horticulturalists on staff to choose what plants go where.

If you're keeping the deck as is and still want shutters, at least get longer shutters. I would paint everything gray; I love deep charcoal with brick.

The landing leading up the the house. Paint requires more maintenance, however if they are unable to match the stain on the existing wood and the new wood they have two choices : start over and build a whole new deck and landing or paint. I've never known paint to be slippery. The door can be stained a different shade. However, matching old stain to new stain will be problematic regardless of the results of the pressure washing. Bleaching can't be relied on to even out the color of the wood either.

Love grover's landscaping design. Especially the big pot!

I agree with hanna that you will get the most bang for your buck with landscaping. But I wouldn't darken the door until the rest of the work is done--it might need to be greyed down a bit. You either have to go darker or lighter with the trim and shutters--anything to make them blend in less--and have a color that works better with the brick--less orange.

The paint colors you posted might work for the foundation, maybe the trim, but it is hard to tell from a chip. Colors on the exterior change a lot depending on the light, and unless you are priming and painting the wood, the color underneath will affect the color. I would paint some swatches on wood to try them out on different parts of your house and at different times of day. Of course, this time of year isn't good for painting.

I would consider painting the downspouts as well, and you need to extend the ends so the water runs out well away from the house. A little splash block is insufficient.

Pretty door, but not right for a ranch house. A simple 3/4 light or a slab type door, such as something from Crestview, would be more appropriate. They have kits to retrofit inexpensive doors you can buy locally. Perhaps you could relocate the fancy door to the kitchen or the door by the garage where you can enjoy it every day and put something brighter and more in keeping with the style of your house here. I would also patinate (darken) the bright brass in the stained glass if you can. The storm door works well

That park bench doesn't seem quite right either. The color really stands out, and it is quite ornate. Perhaps a pretty spot in the backyard would work with something more simple here, or a friendly pair of chairs with a small table. Or repeat the aqua/turquoise type color elsewhere in the front of the house, like perhaps on the shutters, door and some decorative pots.

Now I can see it more clearly, a pergola would probably be too much. The wood does need refinishing, especially the deck. It is a messy job, but it is possible to powerwash it with a solution, sand and restain. The top railings are flat and starting to deteriorate--they should have a radius to shed water to last longer and be less of a splinter hazard.

It might be a compromise to restain the deck and railings and shutters and maybe the fence too. Or just do the deck and the posts and top rails, where it is most needed. Hard to say, and I don't have much experience in changing a stain color, but coating exterior wood with a stain/preservative is something that needs to be done on a regular basis. It isn't as dark as I thought, so going to a cooler more grey tone could be possible. Painting is a last resort because it is a maintenance hassle, except perhaps on the shutters.

Decks have a limited life and when it is time to replace, consider going bigger and more streamlined. Staggered slabs and raised beds can be a nice look, and the lower portions don't have to have railings. Trim the bushes away from the walls and deck and add some ornamental grasses and other plantings for variety, and consider upgrading the front walkway along the lines groveraxle suggested..

I would get the basement inspected. Those concrete blocks are notorious for cracking and displacing because they didn't put in the insulation, waterproofing and drainage back then that is common now. If you have soils with a high clay content, the pressure from the soil can actually damage the block over time, and backfilling with gravel can help. Please do check them out and get that fixed (yes digging out the whole thing is an expensive proposition) before painting the foundation or anything like that. It might not be as big of a problem where you live than up North, but those Southern red soils can be problematic. And recommendations for insulation and whatnot have changed greatly over the years, especially for basements.

Basically, I would just tweak what you have for now and make plans for major changes for later. When the time comes, hiring a good landscape designer, who can design the hardscape entrance as well, could be worth it. Having a plan is always a good idea.

Here are some pics that show how nice color looks on a brick ranch.

Unless, you have snow or low temperatures stay consistantly below those required for staining and painting, go ahead with your work on the house. Remodeling a landing and painting exterior trim are not dependant on the landscaping being done now, especially if waiting will affect your enthusiasm for finishing the work! *speaking from exerience here :D*

bubbasgma , The gutters and big front window are beige. ( the big detached garage ..not pictured is also red metal and beige trim) The new windows put in right before we bought the house are bright white. We are trying to figure out if we should paint the white windows beige or paint the big window White?????

Consider hiring a professional to provide you with photo renderings of great new directions... I can not tell you how many clients have told me this service provided complete peace of mind at an affordable cost. Good luck!

Oh, I love the door! It made me smile when I saw it! Don't replace the door unless you just want too or after the work you know it won't fit in. Replacing a door can cost a chunk of change. :)

Either hire someone to help you with the colors OR ask grover to do her color magic. :)

Hubby is home alone for 3 days while the kids and I are gone and it's nice weather so he will be doing some kind of project. Lol! We will hold off on the deck like you all suggested. Maybe the cement blocks. We will see.

He can pressure wash the deck, that will take quite a bit of time

Grover, you rock my world with those pics. Helps so much.

So what about our multi trim color issues? What color do we need to paint all the trim, gutters , windows ect? Y'all are life savers. I'm not talented in this area. Just give me a check list with colors. Lol! I'll also look for someone locally.

Oops behind the times! The consensus is clean now and wait to restain, and I would do test patches in a hidden spot to check the color. I think you need some sanding and other surface prep as well.

Are you talking about liking the railings on the Hillside House pic posted earlier? Those are metal railings with wood cap--cable railings are a similar look for less. That is definitely a more modern look than I thought you liked, but I think it could work well.

The consensus is to get a good landscape plan and change the color of the foundation, and many suggest removing the shutters.. I can live with the shutters but in a different color.

Don't see others suggesting this, but I really think a new door in a vibrant color could make all the difference, and would go so much better with the new railings. I know the current door is nearly new and was a significant investment, but why not have a door you like on the side of the house you use the most near the garage?

Don't spring it on hubby yet until after the new railings are in, and try using the Crestview door viewer to show what a difference it will make.

Power washers are...very powerful! lol! My son pulverized the wood on my Weber grill several years ago. Once he started the thing up, there was no stopping him....walkways, driveway, siding, gutters, garage door. I stopped him before he could get up on the roof! It was getting very dark and the neighbors wanted to go to bed.

misty...what color is the roof? Black? Bark wood (dark brown)? How old is it?

bubbasgma, that's why God made boys. To keep mothers in a constant state of readiness for diaster should it strike! :)

Oh my hanna, my daughter and her husband are having their first child in July and its going to be a boy. Are you giving us fair warning? lol...

Oh, hanna.......the stories I could tell!!! Same kid burned off his eyelashes trying to peek into pilot light hole of that very same grill while repeatedly hitting the "ignition button".

bubbasgma roof is black and only 3 years old. The door is about 20 years old but after pricing new doors we took it off and sanded , stained and glazed. Obviously now I wish I would have found this board first and went darker

It was this porch we were liking. The horizontal boards instead of our spindles. Also we are using the Olympic" rescue it "on the deck not staining. Some parts of the deck will need replaced too.

misty...The door has a very elaborate victorian feel to it. As long as it opens and closes for you, it is a hefty investment and can be replaced down the road.

Check out the growing zone link...Which zone are you in?

Denita...I really wouldn't want to be painting trim on brand new window? Painting the other trim white to match the newest windows would be the direction to go?

Your husband will have plenty to do!

No I agree. I wasn't talking about painting trim on the new windows. I agree paint the other trim white to match the newest windows.

Denita...lol. I meant, I can't be trusted to "pick colors"!

bubbasgma I'm in 6B

I like your inspiration pic, and note how nice that door looks with it.

Great! While the snow flies here this weekend, I can pretend I'm helping you garden!

Imagine how nice and clean everything will look when you get home?!

Very cool inspiration photo! Funky roof, will have to take a peek at that house!!!

Here's the whole project.
http://www.houzz.com/projects/151359/Richthofen-MCM

Denita, Yes! Fair warning!! :) Bubbasgma - he sounds like my husband when he was a boy. He still "comes clean" and admits to various misdeeds to his parents. Thankfully so much time has passed that we can all have a good laugh. I'm waiting for my son to get to the stage when he starts to tell tales of his hidden boyhood :D Sometimes I think it's better for a mother's mental and physical well being not to know everything!! :D