HI Sandra, Did you end up doing any updates yet? How is it going? Would love to see an update!

Thank you for asking, Emily! Yes, we had the house painted - the entire exterior!!! It was easier to select names for my children than it was to settle on paint colors! The color consultant was a huge help. We went with her color selections except for the white. We chose a warmer white - Sherwin Williams' Casa Blanca. We've changed our exterior lighting and added brushed aluminum house numbers backed with LED lighting. The exterior light on the front of the house is also brushed aluminum. We went with satin nickel door hardware. We plan to add a patio in front of the two windows and a walkway from the porch to the sidewalk - possibly stamped concrete so that we can float a finish over the porch area. Would love to hear any suggestions/recommendations on the hardscape. We also plan to remove the lawn and put in a water-wise landscape next fall. We're very happy with the results so far.

The exterior wall light.

I honestly think loosing the big tree to the left would open the street view corridor. Perhaps some smaller scale or ornimental landscaping would have a Big Bang for the buck. The tree seems really big for the low scale of the house. -Todd

I wouldn't remove the tree, unless it is in decline. I'm sure it provides some great shade. How about the birch next to the house. Is it ready to go? Check if either of these trees need prunning, otherwise enjoy them. Love the house color.

Love the big tree, front left! No doubt it helps keep the house cool and beautiful as the seasons change. Lose the birch as it looks as if it may damage the roof. Your doors are impressive but invisible. Perhaps you could shine lights on them.

Wonderful!

More concrete.....

I think the birch is crowding the house and should go. The larger tree could probably just be trimmed back so it isn't obscuring the view of the house quite so much. The entry does need some lighting, its very pretty but you cant really see it. Then adding an interesting walk way, maybe something that goes out to the sidewalk so that its distinct from the driveway, or perhaps an arched stone or flagstone walkway that connects to driveway. I think a retaining wall around the bedding would also add interest, and I'm a big fan of contrast on garage doors, so even tho you just painted them, a darker version of your house color would visually separate the garage from the house. What about the color on the front doors - that would be pretty on the garage.

Thanks for the feedback everyone! When it's your house, it's so difficult to look at it objectively, so I appreciate your comments and suggestions. My front door photo was taken in the afternoon when the porch is shaded. I've attached a photo taken in the morning. The front door color is Sherwin Williams' blackberry. This was a daring choice for us and in hindsight, perhaps a little dark for our shaded porch. The color consultant's first suggestion was black!

The redwood tree was trimmed a couple of months ago - you can see its tan line in the photo. ;) Our summer temps are in the 90s so this tree provides a shady parking area for guests. We could trim a bit more off the bottom though. The birches and the redwood are in good health. I love the birches' fall color, but they may have to go because their roots will interfere with the patio. I feel like our future patio needs some kind of enclosure.....something airy that wouldn't shade the area. I'm thinking of using steel posts and cable, but I've only seen them used as a railing for stairs and raised decking. Any thoughts on this?

When we put in the water-wise garden, I would like to put a low retaining wall near the sidewalk to create a small planting area and a raised planting area behind it. This will eliminate the current slope in the yard. Unfortunately, due to the redwood's roots, the wall won't be able to run the entire width. This isn't the best example, but I have something like this in mind: http://img4.sunset.com/i/2003/09/fall-planting-scenic-verbascum-x.jpg?500:500
Thanks again for your comments and suggestions!

UPDATE: I think we finally achieved the curb appeal we were seeking! We replaced the lawn with a water-wise garden last October (2013). People have definitely taken notice. We've received numerous inquiries about the garden. Last month, it was featured in our city's water-wise garden workshop and tour. In addition to the garden, we also added a small patio which now has just two chairs and a small table (not the oversized bar set in the photo). This is a great place to catch up with neighbors and watch wildlife visiting the garden. We couldn't be happier with the results and the water savings. Thanks again for your help. Now on to the backyard!