In addition to plants, you could use larger lights and house numbers. Then paint entrance door to stand out.

I would overlay the large driveway with a stone pattern, replace or paint the garage doors, add colorful shrubs leading to the front door, paint the front door for some contrast.

Also to replace window trim would involve removing siding, building out trim, and then replacing the siding.

Extending the entrance roof across the front of the house would help.

Thank you, everybody, for the ideas! I love the idea of paving the driveway. This is actually on a cobblestone street, so it would go with the character of the neighborhood.

Clearly replacing window trim is going to be out. Extending the entrance roof seems like it might give the front a more cohesive look.

If you redo the driveway, curve it slightly on the right so that you don't have that deep L shape where the porch meets the driveway. Start about 4-5 feet out the driveway & curve towards the outside corner of the porch. Curve in so you don' t take away much of the yard.

I love your garage doors. I would trade out the lights for some slightly larger lantern style fixtures. Also house numbers, a bright cushion for your love seat & lots of potted plants. A red climbing rose on a trellis on each corner of the house would be nice too. Extend your flower bed out around that small tree on the right.

If its in the budget, I agree with extending the porch all the way across. Just make sure that your posts are big enough to look like it can support it & not so big that you will hit it with your car pulling in the garage.

Also paint your front door a dark colonial blue or charcoal gray.

Your house is darling. I would not extend the porch roof over the garage because you'll end up with posts in you driveway. Not a good plan! You could build a pergola over the garage.

Love these ideas...color on the front door; large, tall colored pots between and beside garage doors ( planted with something tall, like cypress trees and colorful annuals); larger, black carriage lights. You could also remove the shutters and siding around the top window and replace with decorative shingles, painted white or gray.

mick50 - I like the idea of a pergola above the garage.

If you do a Google Images search for "pergola over garage" you'll get tons of ideas. They're really cute and they help with relief on a mainly flat house.

mike50 - what do you mean by decorative shingles?

Made by James hardie. Cement fiberboard. http://www.statelykitsch.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/11/hardieplank-sandstonebeige2.jpg

They just would add some texture and interest.

Here's another...and a really cute garage door! http://www.francaservices.com/home-improvement-contractor-in-ma-blog/bid/44424/Using-James-Hardie-Shingles-Siding-to-create-a-style-for-your-home

I photoshopped some ideas. The most money would go towards landscaping. The paint job on the front and garage doors and trim would really make a difference without breaking the bank. Not sure how you feel about window boxes, but they'd help visually fill in the space between the second floor windows and garage doors.

Thanks - they do look nice!

I agree with the pergola or trellis over the garage. But I would remove the porch over the front door. The shape is off for the house and the pillars are not to scale. Add a bright red front door for punch. I also agree with the pots. It might be worth the cost to hire a professional for a design plan to address the curb appeal. Most are willing to do a phase I, phase II to address budget concerns and that way you can plan. Its a cute house, but there is no point in spending money only to have to tear out down the road because you failed to put a proper plan in place.

acmaggio - I love the flowering bush you photoshopped in on the other side of the garage! It really helps with balance. And the flower boxes are a must.

catdog0240 - I'm so glad you like it. Helps getting unbiased, outsider ideas, huh? :) Good luck and have fun with your house upgrades!

Plants and shrubs! You could do some lovely window baskets underneath the three windows up top. Put urns in the front of the house with flowers.

Some examples of pergolas, different porticos, & color combos. Notice on the first picture how the portico is the same shape as the raised window on the roof. If you have enough space, your portico would look nice shaped like the last photo so it mimics the shape of your dormer. Consult a contractor to see if you can fit it between the door & upper window. Then you could put the pergola across the garage doors or a mini porch with the columns attached to the house. All of this of course is as your budget allows.

I'm also not sure about red garage doors. Its pretty, but it distracts from the entrance.

For a look similar to this, I don't think I'd worry too much about posts strategically placed at the divisions between the garage doors. They won't be a hazard.

remove the shutters.
they are redundant and have no appeal on this cute house
you could frame the exterior windows for heft as seen in the reference pic

another house for reference and may be inspiration for the future

Best way is like above trellis work at garage .., window Boxes maybe, Dress up the posts, add wood trim by in large The cost of wood trim is very reasonable.. would you like a drawing ? .. I work very reasonable.. Thanks! JW. elite designs unlimited.biz contact info.

bobcaygeon70, thank you so much for your positive first response!

I also really appreciate the number of comments!

Changing the lighting would have a big impact. The scale of the current lanterns is off. Depending on the look you want I would go with a larger lantern style or an American farmhouse look like the ones at www.barnlightelectric.com
That and potted shrubs would give a big impact for minimal money.

Pergolas!!!

Congrats attractive house,Good large urns,pots topiary trees.Numberonechange Lowrs or Home Depot outdoor gray or blackish no brass lanterns bigger size.Like the idea ofBIG numbers,Driveway dostampedconcrete poured concrete over old surface,cobblestone or brick design stamped in.look.Paintdoor.Bigger shutters available at Lowrs,very reasonable might work .I like idea of larger column on porch,possibly switchtoCraftsmanstyle shutters although it is clearthecurrent idea iIs carriage house theme I like but really begs to see bigger lanterns.

Cute house! Add window boxes with flowers in top windows for color...just remember to water them:)

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My big appliances are stainless steel. Everything else is black and red. I don't know what would be best, a dark cabinet with light granite or vice versa, light cabinets and darker granite.