Have a look at some of the facades on the houseplans from this era:

http://www.antiquehome.org/

You'll see that houses were brightly colored and incorporated a mix of materials which added to their charm.

Hi bepsf, thanks for exposing me to this is a great source of information!

A railing across the front of the porch would lead the eye to the somewhat obscure entry. The awnings above the front windows are a great retro element, but updating it to a more more modern awning would keep in character while enhancing the curb appeal. Perhaps a standing seam metal awning, or copper depending on your color choices. If you are changing paint colors, use more contrasting colors between the siding and trim to make the trim work pop.

Depending on the budget, some brick facade going about 3' up on all the walls would look great. Paint the shutters, trim and awning black. Then I would add detailing around the driveway such as red brick. Boxwood topiaries would also look really nice.

What a great house! Check out this site for some more remodeling ideas: http://www.eichlerforsale.com/Eichler_Remodeling_Ideas I realize it's catered to Eichler homes, but it gives some good ideas.

Also: http://retrorenovation.com/product-guides/paint-colors/ Some fun paint options

I do recommend painting out the trim darker, as this accentuates the horizontal lines of a ranch house (long and low). If you want to stay in neutrals, the body color does look nice, but a good dark brown would contrast nicely for trim.

I agree a fascia of brick along the lower portion of the house would give it a bit more visual interest. If that is not part of your budget, incorporating an interesting support column with a railing would provide more visual support for the entry way. Perhaps in an iron with a fun mid century style design. I can't see the front door, but a solid wood door with some inset design, or with a mid century inspired window in it would be nice. I would keep it stained, similar to the brown color of the trim.

The awning is nice, but a newer option would give it a cohesive look. Either a new metal one, or a fabric awning.

If there is room on the front entry area, a couple of retro style chairs and a table would be very welcoming.

Also, maybe you could add more brick to the planter (love it!) to make it higher, which would create a railing in itself.

Good luck!

The roof line suggests the house wants to be more horizontal, which is right for the style, but right now it appears a little blocky. The gable end doesn't help much but doesn't hinder either. It's shallow enough to work with your house. The raised bed is inadequate so it could stand to use more substantial plantings. If not, whatever furnishings you add to your porch, I'd try to arrange them so as to emphasize horizontality.

I think the awning breaks up the horizontality as well. The existing ones raise the eye toward the gable. Consider eliminating them rather than replacing them. Shutters are acceptable for your house style, even if they clearly won't cover the entire window opening. they'll visually expand the window when seen from the curb so maybe add those instead of an awning? You could beef up the column a little more but I'd stick to the same style instead of getting a colonial or gingerbread turned column. And get new house numbers that are oriented horizontally rather than vertically. Next time you need a garage door, select a style more appropriate to your home. The paneled look is fine but if they're more horizontal, that would be better.

Such are my two cents.

All-

Thank you so much for all of your wonderful and creative suggestions. I love the idea of changing the awning to something more updated and adding the rail on the porch.

I can't wait to change the garage door joffler! Thanks for noticing and pointing out some great ideas.

I'll post when things start to progress.

What a cute home. I can see a light pale avacado color for the body of the house with white trim. If you could find some decorative wrought iron poles (ones with vines and such) and add them to the porch painting them white to match the trim would welcome visiters to your home. Here is a link to a website with the wrought iron porch poles I am talking about. http://retrorenovation.com/2011/08/16/add-curb-appeal-to-your-mid-century-home-with-decorative-iron-or-aluminum-porch-columns-3-sources-for-this-old-school-produc/ I think the stripe on the awning is red. I would paint my front door that color from the awnings. Geraniums or other red colored flowers and some green hosta's or ornimental sweet potato plants would complete the planter in front of the porch.

I can give you a some great modern design trends popping up all over So Cal these days. I live in San Diego and have a MCM ranch that needs some updating.. so looking to add some of these myself.

1. Horizontal Ipe Wood slat fencing (or can use as privacy screen across front porch)
2. Frosted glass & aluminum garage door
3. Drought tolerant landscaping (succulants, grasses, bamboo, etc.)
4. Bright color front door (lime green or orange)

Classic modern furniture never hurts either (eames rockers, shell chairs, wire chairs)

Thought you might want to see your house without the awning.
I have incorporated several other ideas to help with or confuse your thinking; 1. replace post column with Larger porch columns also show an additional column near door. ?
2. adding porch steps at front to further identify the entry point ? 3. adding shutters to windows,
4. elongating front window with decorative wood panel and longer shutters.
I did not show ; a newer (curved brick) walkway leading to new porch steps perhaps lined with with ornamental grass?
Just some thoughts to ponder.
Tarey Cullen

Tarey- Can't believe all the effort you took into making this little house pop! Yes, I am now confused, but in a good way. I really love all the ideas you've suggested. I'm definitely moving the steps to the center and adding shutters.


Chris-
Great suggestions as well. I am especially interested in slat privacy screen and pop of color on the entry door.

All- thanks for the time and thought you've provided in responding to my post. Hopefully I will be able to add some ideas along the way to pay it forward.

Pretty crazy since after I made this post here about your home, I saw your house on https://www.facebook.com/crestviewdoors. Just randomly have been looking for cool MCM doors and came across their site.

Darling bungalow! The cottage photo has a delightful fence repeat along the proch and the front. I cannot tell from the photo if it is beige or grey..A yellow door and white or yellow trim will really pop ...or a yellow home with grey trim. I suggest replacing the metal awnings with canvas ones that are adjustable if you really need them; otherwise remove them entirely. I would also suggest shutters and window boxes on all the window.. paint the boxes to match the trim and fill with seasonal plants. I would like to see layering landscaping in front of the porch ...say 4 foot tree roses closest to the porch for fragrance, height and color, with a 2 foot boxwood hedge surrounding them or in front of them, and spring bulbs in the front, replaced by seasonal annuals. Layering adds depth to your garden design. I would flank the large window with something upright and evergreen and repeat the boxwood hedge and flowers in front of and between !f your climate allows, a camellia japonica will anchor the inside corner toward the next window and give you late winter or early spring blooms. I would continue the layering around the house and consider some everblooming yellow daylilies or hydrangeas lining the drive on both sides...again for depth and color...Consider using the trim color for your roses and all your annuals as well...it will tie in the door and visually enlarge the area and home. Best of luck and please keep us updated with your progress!

My mother has an old Craftsman that was built either 95 or 100 years ago-that's all the info we've ever gotten on it. I was able to tell that, in one of its incarnations it had brick red paint. There are still houses that are around from that era that are white with the brick red shutters, etc. so that would be a color, if you like it, that would fit the era.
I would definitely get a chunkier porch post.