Hi, Debra.

I did a little landscaping. I took out the bush that's there now, but you could keep it and just add to the front area.

The area by the fence has kousa dogwoods with blue rug in front.

The area on the other side of the house has all dwarf conifers with an arborvitae on the end.

I took the flag away because it's actually doing a few not so pretty things to the house - the red in the flag was making your front yard look smaller, the blue, white and red clashed with the overall color scheme of the house.

If you wanted to put the flag back, I'd put it closer to the street - not on the front porch (save it for your big white house!). : )

If you want to put back a little patriotism, I added an evergreen wreath to the gate with a red, white and blue ribbon.

The shutters were lightened to match the roof a little more.

Your house is very charming!

Deb~I love your house! I don't think you have bad curb appeal at all. I would concentrate on the details. Put away the birdbath and hose, remove the bench and other stuff out front to make the entrance more open and inviting to visitors, buy a fresh new welcome mat. I would either put away the wooden barrels, or plant something in them, like a dwarf Alberta spruce, and some glacier ivy, in each one.

I wouldn't remove the evergreen, it would be very expensive to replace. Leave that to the new owners to do, if they so desire. You can gently shape it, that makes a tidier first impression. Your dooryard garden is lovely. I can see a trellis or ivy softening the chimney. Maybe plant a tall holly? I don't know if I would necessarily paint it, is it peeling at all? You don't see painted chimneys much around these parts, so I'll leave that for someone else to decide.

You might consider painting the front door and shutters the same color, I like the brown with your house color. Is that a light on the left side of the door? You might want a pair of lights, one on each side, to play up the symmetry of the two pairs of windows. Or at least one new light fixture, the added sparkle is worth much more than the price.

I think people can use their imaginations more than the design shows give people credit for. Just peeking at your home photos, you have a warm, cozy little home. Having said that, you probably know the drill. Box up all the personal stuff, the little things that add personality, so that others can imagine themselves living there.

I know you didn't ask, but if you have hardwoods, I would pull the carpet out of the bedroom. That will add to the bottom line, for next to nothing.

Good luck with a quick sale!

chicory~Great job with the photoshopping! I especially like the dwarf evergreens, my favorites. You can see by combining a few basic forms, how that could tie the one lone shrub into a nice little grouping, balance the other side out nicely.

But you do know kousa dogwoods get 20 feet+ wide? :)

Paint the chimney wall near door the color of the house, leave white bit at rooftop. Make your door the focal point not the chimney wall. Find a door that you love with lots of character and charm, you will know it when you see it. Do a wider frame around door to make it pop. Remove the four skinny post supports for overhang and do three supports with slightly more substance. Adjust the landscaping. Your home already has a nice feel but I think it wants more attention.

Prairie, sorry - it's just staging. There, I said it!

I have one that was planted in my yard "just for sale", and we're likely going to move it this spring.

...if we don't kill it.

I think you need some colorful flowers in front. Move your birdbath over to the spot to the right of the back gate. Add some flowers around the bottom and solar lights if you have them. Same for the flower bed to the left of the front door. Add some color! Make it inviting.
If you don't want to move the shrub in the middle of the right side add another taller tree/shrub to the right end of the house with color too and maybe a couple of rose bushes. Near the front door either add some more colorful annuals or 2 pots with lots of plants with height and trailing greenery.
For color use something that "pops" and blend it with some low plants with white flowers.
Here is a "somewhat" idea of what I'm trying to explain : )
{{!gwi}}

Yes I too was going to say remove bush ,plant new ones.Shame chimney is in front.Maybe hang like a big sun or something ornamental on chimney.Move bench in front of chimney.
Like your driveway I have the same.Brighten it up flowers etc./

Debra
charming home!

not sure what your budget/time is
Some easy fixes:
- I would paint bottom part of chimney same color as house
- All windows - 1 treatment only - the ?grass shades would be best
- Remove everything from top of kit cabs, remove curtains and leave just shades in kit, remove mirror, little cab nxt to mirror
- Remove all personal pics, trinkets, etc
- Change spider man bedding to simple bedding ( i know this could crush the little boy :( - put the video chair away - true for the action figures, TV, stand
_? have you peeked at what the flooring is under the carpet in there is? I would rip out the carpet if you find HW flooring there.
- remove CD/DVD storage at front entry
-Move the ?tree pics closer together, center over the sofa as a group
-Consider taking the desk out of the BR w/red bedding - and add a small area rug

More involved projects
- 1st here I would put more substantial colums on porch overhang- are the current ones wood? perhaps a carpenter could wrap them, not sure
- I don't think this is the time of yr to start landscaping projects - although if your home is not listed you could consider that for spring - I think I would be adding free standing potted plants/flowers

Your home has a lot of charm - I think doing the above suggestions will open up the space more, allow potential buyers "see" their stuff in the designated spaces -
Not easy living w/o some of your personal things - but it will increase the interest with potential buyers - which is what you want to do when selling your home - more $$$

Best of luck with your sale

Hi again, Besides the things I already mentioned in my original post like painting the chimney wall the house color and removing the four skinny support posts to three of more substance...I would like to share a site http://www.crestviewdoors.com/default.php?uiid=index
To give you an idea on how your front door could make such a difference on your curb appeal.

I don't agree with the chimney being a bad thing. It's beautiful and I'd keep it white so that it stands out more.

You could paint it a less stark white, but it's really lovely. I may be mistaken, but BM Elmira White could be a nice fit, I'd also look at Shaker beige if you want to warm it up even more.

For the shutters, btw, check out Jackson Tan.

I personally love houses with the chimney out front - like MsJay2you's house. Adorable!

You could place a bundle of logs next to the chimney, on the porch, on the side opposite the green chair.

You could also use a linen colored pillow on that chair.

I responded on your other post with something else, but saw this and thought of something else. How about putting a trellis in front of the chimney and add a climber and have a nice trellis in maybe iron. The only problem I see with the chimney now is that it looks pretty bland.

The link below has a bunch of ideas.

Here is a link that might be useful: Yahoo search on iron trellis

I just wanted to say to check your post on the Buying/Selling forum-there are some great ideas on there as well.

I posted to the thread on real estate and will post my thoughts here as well..

The panorama shots of the bedroom don't seem to match the photos.. looks like the desk was moved? I'd also clean that room out some (furniture) and retake the photos.

What I wonder most is the price. You have a 3 bedroom 1 bath house in a town where there is new construction. Pretty sure Tim Schaeffer is building down there as we looked at new houses last year. There was all sorts of new construction around.

Not sure I would do much outside. I'd like to see the chimney darker. I like what Chickory did with plants, but the evergreens she used on the left are probably going to be pricey. I doubt you will get back any money you put into it, although it might sell faster, might not.

Spirea are nice plants to use, they have a long bloom time. You could also use Forsythia, as that should be coming into stores soon if it's not there already. There are also different forms of Lilac that would look nice. Planting right now isn't good as the ground is still a bit cold / hard and you might end up losing what ever you plant. What you can do is buy it, dig the hole, then put it in the ground still potted. Then throw mulch on it until it is planting time, then you just lift it out & plant.

Someone mentioned moving the bird bath IIRC. I have a few photos uploaded here of my bird bath to give you an idea of what you can do with color. I use things like Veronica, Salvia (annual & perennial) Caryopteris Heavenly Blue (more of a shrub), purple cone flower, black eyed Susan, different types of iris (bearded, Japanese), loosestrife, pink & yellow primrose & lilies & daylillies and lots of different grasses both perennial & annual. I like iris that have variegated leaves as it gives some interest when not in bloom. Roses also should be in the stores soon, you can pick them up potted and budded / in bloom which would give you a nice pop of color. Maybe it will inspire you to throw a little color around the bird bath?

I am blown away by your very insightful suggestions! The photoshops game me a "picture" that I couldn't "see". Thank you for your compliments, I really appreciate them. I am going to box up "more" stuff! I cant decide IF I should paint the white fireplace or put out a trellis !! Both ideas are great. As someone stated, I have to wait till the ground is no longer frozen, but I will make the front more symetrical as you suggest. Dh and I usually plant in the front, and I usually add red geraniums to my planters by the gate. I hang planters also. I will take your advice and paint the front door. Within the past 2 years, dh installed all the redwood floors. We didn't do ds room, as the carpet was new and exspensive, and he was little at the time, we thought carpet "safer" now I wish we did his too! Thank you for the names of the plants too. Now I can go with a name to the nurseries! I really needed help and I want to thank you for your time. I never even thought of putting the "carpet" by the gate. Wow, again, thanks, and I will keep checking back. chicoryflower, thank you for the positive thought!"save it for the big white house"!!!LOL, our family of 5 has seriously outgrown this house.And the big white house is what Im after!
thanks!
debra

Excuse Me Prairie5!! aren't you the one who thought she had no decorating sense? The one with the cow fur pillows and didn't know what to do? I think you have found your niche, cowgirl, prairiedog, whatever. You have a very natural good sense and an eye for the big landscape picture. Don't be afraid to express it. Good job!

ROFL! thanks annie, I am a horticulture/landscape design student. **sheepish grin**

Here are some other ideas. Fairly simple, I think.

What color is your house? It looks either beige or light green from here.

General Translation: Two evergreen shrubs of decent size near the front door (the tall conical one and the rounder one in the bed). Three small evergreen shrubs highlighting the nice curve (dwarf English boxwood are easy). Some evergreen pachysandra clumps in the bed, along with impatiens or other annuals, full and cascading over the edging material. A small flowering tree (Dogwood) to the left area of the gate. Bring the bird bath forward and place it near the tree as a feature. Evergreen pachysandra border edging the gate side areas, and along the right front foundation of the house.

A fresh coat of paint on the bench and chimney. (Not sure what the lamp looks like near the door, but it looks very large. Maybe a new fixture? To the right of the door seems to flow better and define the door area better.)

Oops! And maybe a simple rail defining the porch area. Not to mention painting the fence! :) (At least power wash it :)

Very sweet house!

Just to keep it simple, I would have a truck pull out the large shrub, freshen up all the paint, plant some smaller, low-growing shrubs across that whole area where the one large shrub is. Find out from a local nursery what does well in your area. I am not sure if river birch would do well in your area but they have such beautiful architectural interest and are light and airy looking. I love dogwoods, but I have to admit my success with them has been somewhere near 10% so I just shy away from even recommending them anymore. (Insert red face here). I have better luck if the birds drop the seeds than with paying and planting. :)

A birch would be nice. I was trying to think of another tree to put out front but my mind was stuck so I just left it at 'airy tree' and used another Dogwood :) Something taller and a bit different would be great. Not too large or full or it blocks the house. Something more substantial maybe off to the area at the right where we can't see, for balance, weight, and some rich foliage. I was thinking a dark red Japanese maple might be nice.

Of course, they are moving ... and you can't dig in February.

Dogwoods do great around here!

I had tried something smaller, in lieu of a Japanese Maple, instead. Chimney toned down a little more:

{{!gwi}}

squirrelheaven, I showed dh the photo shop that you did and his first reaction is ooh, wheres that one? LOL He didnt realize it was our house! Thanks for your insightful ideas, this is awesome!

You're welcome, lol. That's funny. That's a deep burgundy door on there, which one can hardly see unless you know it :)

Squirrelheaven, you are amazing! I'm so happy that I have finally registered so I can tell you what I have been thinking for so long. Lesley

I love the burgundy door. Thats his first project!! As soon as weather permits, I'm going to power wash the fence.
The stuff on the outside of the chimney is like plaster. I dont think I can hang anything on it, so I like the idea of a trellis. I am making copies of all the photo shops and bringing them with me to the nurseries. Thanks again!

Aw, thanks, Lesley. ! I'm glad you've been enjoying the show, and the forum : ) Thanks for posting your appreciation!!

I bought a $20 dogwood from Lowes last year, while it's tall, it isn't wide. In order to get one that is like that, you'd need to go to a real garden center and possibly drop a hundred, maybe more. I don't know if it's worth it for you to drive up by me to a place that has a lot of trees with decent prices. They're over by Moorestown. If you look in my pics, you'll see I have a tree that looks like a grape vine, it's a weeping redbud, one of the earliest trees to bloom. We also have a regular redbud, they're beautiful trees that get a 25 ft span IIRC, so that might work as well.

Dogwoods can be hit or miss. While some are native, others aren't. I love it down here (come from Union county) in the spring, the dogwood that grow in the wild are so beautiful. We also have Mountain Laurels (think that's the name).

Shame you aren't closer. Even though our house is also for sale, I could easily dig plants out and no one would ever know, that's how much of them I have. For a while I had a pretty good business going, potting up & selling excess I would have thrown away.

LOL, a dogwood that size from a "real" nursery in our area is $500 plus (that was back several years ago). I have one! It seems to have done well but in order to guarantee it, they have to "berm" it and that is part of the cost. The ones we dug from the woods have lived but they have grown so slowly in 10+ years. They really do better where the birds drop the seed and if you are fortunate enough to live in an area where that occurs, great!

Another underused, overlooked beautiful flowering trees are Yoshino and Kwanzan cherry trees. To me, they have more beautiful and abundant bloom than dogwood but are difficult to grow in the south secondary to borers which can kill them toute suite. I believe it was when Nancy Reagan was first lady, the Japanese were replacing the cherry trees in Washington because they had become diseased. I suspect that was with what we call borers in the south. It happens when we have unseasonably cold winters and the borers seek refugee in the trunks, which they hollow out and sleep in. By the time we realize they are in the trees, it is spring and the trees are dead. They can be sprayed to prevent that, but sometimes we forget to spray ours (insert embarrassed face here). We have lost 5-6 in the past 12 years secondary to forgetting to spray them. I need someone to tie a string around my finger, because they really are the most beautiful blooming trees in the world, IMHO. My neighbor sprays everything (ritual with them) so they do not forget, so I need to have her remind me when to spray my cherry trees.

Since you are already selling and the ground is frozen! Here's lookin' at things that are doable now. I'd remove all the little planters and things that appear to be around. Here the fence is powerwashed in a beautiful silvered gray. The chimney color picks up on both the gray and the driveway stone, kind of a warm gray. The fence material and color is also repeated with a couple of whiskey barrel planters. I've put winter plantings in, cabbage if it's still available. For your door area -- the door is a deep, rich burgundy, the bench freshly painted in a soft golden yellow, and a large, tall deep gold urn/planter with tall pussy willows and red berry branches in it (found at farmers markets, Whole Foods, nursery or craft centers). Organizing the gate area into a charming little vignette :) with the bird bath pulled out and coupled with a wood post/feeder; wreath on the gate. I'd think one could get a post into the ground now, but now sure. One of those lightweight, black powder-finish trellises is anchored at the base (however that might be possible), so that it 'props' against the chimney, rather than actually anchoring to it. A little velcro/QuakeTape on the back of it or back of a wreath might hold it a bit more. Actually, I guess a wreath could then be hung on the trellis! although it looks nice (and breaks the mass of the chimney) just like that, imo. I think it also detracts from the very skinny porch posts. What else ... maybe, those shallow little little Dwarf English Boxwoods are available and could be planted? They're only about $10.

Looks good to me! : )

Are those four shrubs in the front bed?

prairiegirl5; If you don't mind I'll ask for some advice a little later this spring. We're taking out some shrubs and will want opinions on mountain dessert options. I'll send pictures later?

prairiegirl5; If you don't mind I'll ask for some advice a little later this spring (when the snow clears). We're taking out some shrubs and will want opinions on mountain dessert options. I'll send pictures later?

I like what squirell did (like everything she does). I agree with painting the chimney and I like the marroon color for the door and shrubs. What a pretty driveway!!!

Here are some window boxes -- that might make it into the plan! :) They're just filled with winter greens and berries. Of course, if you've got vinyl siding or something, not wood, I wouldn't drill in to do this.

The first pic has the chimney in a lighter gray than the above pic, and the second pic is a still warmer color than the above pic (although it is balancing with the warm window boxes which you may not actually do). (Didn't like a wreath on the trellis : )

I could just hear someone saying 'make the window boxes red, red window boxes'! The red seems to look nice. Just need to be careful, on a small facade, of having too many little things going on. They pop a lot with high contrast, but the colors are nice with the gold. I think it's the front bed that I'd like to see lush and overflowing (some mass) rather than the four little plants. The small plants feel like more accessories. Nevertheless -- it looks very nice!

And showing without the shrubs along the drive/walk.

annie~you are too kind. :0)

squirrelheaven~you do nice work! But I have to agree that too many little things going on can detract from what is essentially already a very nice facade.

And now that I've got the visual, I vote nay on the trellis (too busy IMO), yay on painting the chimney, and of course the burgundy door (BTW A red door is very auspicious in feng shui), nice touch. I really like the red wreath on the chimney (debra~ you can use a masonry nail), and the smaller, white one on the fence. I have a plastic wreath hung on my house that looks like twigs, there are lots of simple rustic wreaths at craft stores. I love the porch railing, and how the black bench repeats that vertical element.

squirrel, I liked your first rendering the best (except I like the second pics wreath colors, LOL) minus the bench (sorry debra) and the potted plant, and the little boxwoods. Too busy, IMO detract from foundation plants. Still think the evergreen is a keeper, ask me how I know, hehe.

If it becomes possible to plant before the sale, incorporating the existing evg into a dwarf conifer planting will add value to the property.

I also like how you repeated the trees, dwarf apples would be a good choice for those two.

I didn't get into the landscaping so much, because the ground is frozen here, and if I can't garden, no one can. Ha!

I meant to say "dwarf crab-apples"! :0P

Cute house! Can you get your realtor to crop a bit of the driveway out of the front pic? Or, take the picture from a different angle? The current picture emphasizes the driveway and it's overwhelming the front of the house. I think reworking the picture of the front will add a lot of curb appeal to your listing.

Squirrel, great job!

You mentioned a farmers market.. now, I'm unsure of where she is, but we have a garden center next to ours that should have trees 1/2 off right now. If she has one, she should be able to grab a few trees left over from last year.

Redbuds are great trees and not that pricey if bought at the right time. We got great deals on ours because it was off season. I also love the cherries mentioned.

If she's going with a burgundy door, a Thundercloud Plum would look great in the front yard.

I'm not nuts about pachysandra and would rather see her fill with short grasses. If it was me, I love the railing on the porch and think that makes a difference. Wish I could find my plant nursery book.. I'd use either Miscanthus morning light or Miscanthus Autumn light, pretty sure it's the Autumn that's shorter. Hamiln is another good grass, it's under 2 feet tall, with Blue Festuca Grass. I'd then edge with the pink primrose, behind that, the yellow primrose. I'd then find what ever is blooming when planting to fill in. The grasses are great as they will take up space.

There is not a lot you can do in February when the ground is so hard. One thing would be to define planting beds. Mulch the areas so they look clean....first spray the grass with round up so it dies. The one shrub could look much prettier with mulch from the walk to the corner of the house, instead of a shrub within the grass. Then you can add some winter annuals (if possible). When it warms up you can plant more shrubs.

I like the idea of an urn/planter by the door with. Not much in the way of planting right now so say, tall pussy willow branches mixed with some of those red berry branches would be nice to define the entrance and dress it up a bit. I think I still saw those around at Whole Foods ... and farmers markets, craft places, etc. might have them also.

I rather doubt they'll be investing in a good-sized tree, moreless be able to plant it this time of year, so I'd probably just let the visually insignificant baby trees go to a good home (rather than being ripped out later by the new owner anyway).

There is not a lot you can do in February when the ground is so hard. One thing would be to define planting beds.

No but stuff is starting to trickling into garden centers and if she has a list, she can start pricing or picking up. The ground won't be frozen much longer, we should start having days where she could plant the pots & mulch them.

Heck, with my house for sale, I have a few hundred pots out of the ground & it hasn't been cold enough for them to freeze & die, they all still look good.