Nice house. Shrubs are hiding some of the beauty of house: prune and shape shrubs. The down spout gutters on middle 2-story area are distracting in white. They could be painted to blend in with brick. I love the brick & shutters. The house below is very similar, yet it looks somewhat sharper than your house. Maybe it is b/c the shutters are here are black and not blue. Also the thin white columns in the right front of your house might look better a bit beefier.

Our money pit is very similar to yours. I'll put something together for what we have planned.

j22b, I like that reference picture that you found. I noticed also that the shutters faded into the house in the existing blue color. A darker contrast, even black, paint on the shutters is a great recommendation. Beefing up the columns is a must, but I have even considered changing the entry cover altogether. I also love that the dormer windows in your picture help to give some balance to the exterior - we could also use that extra space/height in the interior.

Dytecture, thanks for the recommendation, but I love that suburban feel! plus, it fits with the rest of our neighborhood, so I am afraid to make too much of a departure.

Below are pics from other houses nearby that I absolutely adore. Both have had some exterior remodeling/additions that really appeal to me.

Beautiful & tasteful remodel examples in your neighborhood. There must be talented construction / architects nearby!

I would get a consultation with an architect in your area to see what they think. I have seen some amazing transformations of split levels!

You might find some ideas for split level here. http://citysearch.brooklynpark.org/website/comdev/Housing/Split_Visions_Final%207-25-03.pdf

I would probably leave house pretty much as is. It's a lovely house. Try to live with less space and fewer items as per architect Susan Susanka. Have you read her books? You can Google for more information and see here http://www.susanka.com/about/default.asp

Echo Mistwalker, I am anxious to see what you have going. Is your house a split -level as well?