Would you be interested in puting a patio/deck at the front all the way up to the big tree? Do you want to keep the weeping tree in the middle of the grassed front area?
As for paint a nice medium brown with a green tone to it would look nice......with a lighter tone of the same color where the white currently is. This would most likely go with the black shutters you already or change them and window trim to off-white.
I think you could take out the larger shrubs near the house to add some smaller flowering shrubs and maybe a vine. Once I know a little more of what you'd like I'll try to mock something up : )

Thanks, saskatchewan_girl,

I was thinking of a covered porch in front, about 6 or 7 feet deep and 20 feet across, for a couple of rocking chairs, although a patio or other kind of 'welcoming' hardscaping might work. There are about 20 feet to the tree and I think 20 feet is a rather large dimension for the depth but a smaller version may work. (We will have a wood deck in the back.)

I assumed we would remove all the evergreen shrubs in the front and start over. There is a rhododendron that could be nursed back to health perhaps. The weeping cherry(?) just needs a good thinning and shaping and it will be fine. We plan to remove the large evergreen over hanging the house and 'limb up' the large tree that is dead center in front of the house.

The paint colors I have chosen (very pale almost white green, white, and sage green) were 'borrowed' from another house I love that has pale lime painted brick/siding, sage shutters and white window trim and a charcoal roof with sage highlights in it. They have a golden oak door on their house that brightens the facade, serves as a focal point, and looks very nice, too, so I bought one to install at this little house. We are not particularly 'brown paint' lovers, although your suggestion sounds attractive and I will play with some paint samples to see what I can come up with.

Of particular interest to me is how you would address the (jakey)car port on the far end. It looks flimsy, but the real estate agent said we should keep it for resale value.

Also, the large four part living room window really bothers me and I would like to change it to a picture window with side-lights. Does the presently installed window bother anyone else, or is it just me? (-:

Thanks again. f.