I think you could add a pergola on the door side of the house, similar to this one, but in wood that matches fence.

Thank you Marlene. I have ordered a custom wood door for the entrance as well. The pergola would go great. I have thought about adding a pergola type carport on the other side of the house.

I think the entry steps should be wider larger always feels like more of an entrance. Also have you though about staining the fence a warmer color. I think it stands out now but could use a bit of a tone down.

The house has great height because of the parapet wall ... but this best exterior feature of the home is negated by a horizontal header which is painted in a high constrasting color. It chops the height and ruins the effect. This should be the same color as the house. I also would not pick out the faux looking keystones above the windows. The house color is too dark, too mauve. A dark cream or putty color ... or even a true adobe color would help. I also like the pergola idea suggested by others above the entry ... with an old world style wood front door. Rain chains or copper downspouts ... where the roof water comes through the parapet would be nice. Sometimes, I paint the trim around the maintenance-free appliance white plastic (or metal) windows to an off-white neutral trim color. This will make the thin windows look much more substantial. You don't want to dead match the white window frames ... you want a neutral off-white that will help tone down the "nursing home white" (looks cheap, unattractive, and inappropriate for this type of home). With the house color cream and the window trim off-white ... don't pick out the keystones or the horizontal header ... solid-color stain the fence, new front door, and pergola in a dark wood tone ... add some real terra cotta urns and landscaping ... it will be beautiful!

Quiero ver chimeneS de jardines t

Thoth, thank you for your excellent review. I do not like the color either but did not know what color to change it too. My friend is planning to build me a wood door. I was thinking about taking out the window on the left and moving the door to the front side of the house. What do you think about this idea?

YW. Side entryways are wonderful ... and can be even more interesting than a front entry. I like the Pergola idea. Search "Pergola" and "Side Entry" photo ideas on HOUZZ ... or Goggle: Pergola images or Side Entry images. You can probably spend that money on new paint. Even if you can't change the whole house color right away. Color match the house ... one gallon should paint the horizontal header. Buy a gallon of off-white trim color (Paint + Primer) and paint the window trim and keystones. Be sure to post after photos for us.

Images for Rain Chains: http://search.aol.com/aol/image?q=rain+chains+images

You could do a barrel tile cover over the door: http://i.ytimg.com/vi/GM_rurHkK4w/0.jpg

You can update your entryway with hardscaping, pavingstones and wallstones by Cambridge with Armortec. A beautiful pavingstone walkway and driveway will increase your home's curb appeal. Please go to our website and visit the magnificent photos in our electronic brochure and our gallery. By linking to Cambridge’s Designscape Visualizer you can upload your photograph and preview what your re-designed home will look like using Cambridge Pavingstones and Wallstones. Visit our website at www.cambridgepavers.com.

I can thank you enough! The color will definitely be changing. I am excited to get started on the entry and curb appeal.

Your new house would be an excellent setting for a trellis or a “green wall,” which McNICHOLS’ ECO-MESH® System can provide. It would add color and dimension to your entryway. You can find examples in our Houzz Ideabooks and additional information on our website: http://www.mcnichols.com/eco-mesh

Flowering bushes to cover up your fence.

I would add the pergola to the "side" too (all along the street side) and have either roses or wisteria climb on it. Defiantly a different color to the house and same one around the windows. I wouldn't want them to be bold! perhaps paint the wooden fence and the house in different shades of the same color??? or plant a hedge? I love the idea of extending the pergola over the entrance door into a car port. It will "break" the boxiness and add dimension. If you have a lot of money, you can take the wooden fence down and build a brick/blocks wall with different heights and incorporate planters in it too!

If you put a very shallow arbor/pergola over the front door and grew a wisteria or other flowering vine up the pergola = interest and some privacy. You could also add in some lighting.

Wow! That looks great. Unfortunately, on insulated windows, those mullions are usually built into the glass. So she would probably either need to replace the windows ... or just go with it. When I have a customer with appliance white windows with built-in mullions ... I usually try to play down the white by painting the trim off-white ... or sometimes I use Bahamas / Bermuda shutters over the windows (not sure that would work with this home), and I have before designed a custome trellis directly in front of an unattractive window. Maintenance free windows are great, but It is a shame that window manufacturers for so many decades only offered appliance white or dark bronze. It is almost always a design challenge. Regarding the wisteria ... that particular vine grows very powerful and destructive ... I would recommend Confederate Jasmine or another vine that will not damage the pergola.

Kelleen ... if the white window mullions do pop out, I agree with Chroma ... they don't go with this house. For white metal or plastic windows, particularly on the front of the house, I often use blue tape on the exterior and carefully spray the window frames with a metal or plastic paint in a neutral color closely matched to the wall color (it doesn't have to match exactly). Any way to play down those windows would be a big help with the overall design. Oh, and If you don't open those front windows much ... remove the screens! Given that your roof water is so prominently expelled through the parapet in 2 places ... consider installing RAIN CHAINS ... they are so cool! You could even allow them to waterfall into urns creating a fountain effect.

More Rain Chains

Hi, your house is very unique and I think it should make a statement so if you are open minded here are my suggestions...

Curb appeal is such an important facet of making home a haven. It is the first visual effect we have of home every time we come back home, and is the first impression made on our neighbors and visitors. I love the rain chains! What a cool idea.

I posted a previous version before I added these front door color changes. Better emphasis on entry.

Chroma Natrix....excellent look.

Such great advice! Can't add a thing except good luck. It's an awesome house that's going to be even better.

Yes, such great advise. I love the visuals from Chroma Natrix! And the rain chain idea and other great advise from Thoth Calvert. have a rain chain and love it!

I love the new look!

we are building a country house on 2 acres. we were thinking of knotty hickory cabinets in the kitchen and alder doors and baseboards throughout the house. our windows are vinal. how can I put these all together. any suggestions would be greatly appreciated

Paint door a medium blue or green or black.

chroma natrix and Thoth. Wow. what generous and beautiful suggestions.

You all are amazing! Thank you so much for your time and advice! I am so incredibly grateful!!!

I live in a neighborhood surrounded by adobe houses and the the two that stand out are painted a medium between olive and dark golden sand. It is a very rich color and absolutely stunning. It looks like a sumptuous suede. It gives the houses more gravitas than white or a very light color; a nice backdrop for the other great ideas mentioned.

I had done this version, which is similar to jillgriffin's suggestion.... maybe a bit more on the golden side, but might give you an idea.

Any ideas out there for adding pop to cedar sided farmhouse? I have a traditional wide and house width front porch and side half porch. Dark stained cedar with brick pavers in the porches. All sidewalks are stone. Foundation is reddish brick. Thought about just adding bright front and side doors...but all those seem to go with greys and neutrals, not cedar. Both sides of the house have brick fireplaces (very farmhouse also). Thought about red, but don't really think it would add enough pop. Ideas?

Yes to red or hunter green!

Bess.... You'll probably get some really good ideas if you create your own request and include a few pictures under the "Advice" heading. Woud love to see what you're working with. You probably won't get many views posting your query here under someone else's request. Good Luck!