Oops forgot to attach image. Here it is.

The brick is nice. You have other accents in the front of the house: white trim, & a putty colored stone around the front. I'd keep the all the trim white and use horizontal clapboard for the old garage area in the putty color of the stone.
The front door looks like a 2-tone paint. I'd paint the front door & decorative molding all white like the trim. Paint the railing black like the post lamp. Brass handles on door like the brass on the post lamp. Prune shrubs in front, they are too tall and are hiding your very pretty house.

HI -- I think just a nice putty or cream lap siding would work , but you have to carry it over onto the main part of the house or it will always look like you just filled in the garage door. So if you continue the siding onto the lower part of the house on the right side just under the windows( 36 inches high). The shrubs need to go so you can do that . They need to go anyway , they are over grown. Also take the siding around the garage end of the house. Move the down spout to the end of the house by the carport . If you add some shutters to all the windows ( in a black/brown ) that will also make the addition blend in.Then paint your front door a great jewel color.

If you want to be creative, I would consider vertical siding in the fill in area, removing the shrubs that are overgrown as mentioned above, add window boxes, shutters and new plants along the path by the house, and replacing front door with something that has vertical movement.
The white vertical siding and front door with white gutters and other white trim will pull everything together. Use the color on the shutters and window boxes. Terracottas and a beautiful indigo blue would be great on that brick.
A touch of deep indigo blue planters on the pavement by the bench would also be a great touch.
Note: Removing the numbers on the facia above the new window would be a great start in helping to make it not look like a remodeled garage:-)
Move your numbers to the entrance of your house if possible.
Oh, also: great light fixtures (I can't see what is there) are always an easy way to really dress the front of the house.
Have fun, be creative and use colors that you love and you can't go wrong.

Ugh, I know I hate those bushes. Haven't lived there long and they are just another remnant of the previous owner's neglect.Would love to remove them but the roots are in so deep. In the mean time does anyone know if I trim them back to the size they are supposed to be if they will fill in or stay pitifully bald?

Don't know your garden zone. You'll need good pruners (I like Felco #2) and probably lopers & hedge shears. Cutting back stimulates growth, thats why it is best to prune in February-March (you do not want to prune in August and have the tender shoots exposed to the winter). Cut the shrub-hedges closest to the house to about 30 (?) inches (use your judgement & a ruler). Then, separate branches and look inside. Cut out dead branches & cut back to the main stems all branches that are growing down or side-ways / criss-crossing other branches. Up growth is desired and leave those. By thinning out branches, more air & light will enter the middle & help shrub-hedge grow & look better. You could also expose the bottom stems and remove all leaves / needles for about 6" from the ground. The round "ball" shrubs are very cute & a good shape contrast. Encourage them in the ball shape by clipping now and then with hedge shears. Remove the other small plants & weeds.
The multi-stemmed shrub in front of the shrub-hedge. Remove all leaves from the ground for about 24 (?) inches. Encourage this leggy look. Thin out dead branches and criss-crossing branches. http://s605.photobucket.com/albums/tt138/whaas11/?action=view&current=SDC10913.jpg