Architectural shingles, cement board siding, garage door with glass detail, adding trim details like window casing, corner boards, frieze board would add to the curb appeal. The porch could use some updating, the only issue is that in installing a railing it will make the porch feel slightly small, especially if you are planning on a seating area. Try to accentuate the front entry, the way it is now, the garage is the most prominent part of the home, you lose sight of the front door.

What a nice property! Congratulations on your new home! Have you considered the timeless appeal and classical style that will really enrich your exterior (+ add value to your home) and complement any interior design theme you select, as follows:

1. Paint all exposed exterior brick white.
2. Clap board sliding white.
3. Front door gloss black or naval blue - just the door only, side lights and panel trim in white.
4. Paint or replace second level window shutters in black or naval blue with faux black iron cleats for authenticity.
5. Remove all first level window shutters. The brick texture and grout lines in white will really open, welcome, and "pop" under porch - defining front door entry which is currently nondescript.
6. Remove various heights of distracting gum drop bushes and variegated flora in front of porch. Replace with a continuous trimmed, one level high, solid deep green hedge of box woods at about 14" - 16" high - this serves as a low screen, but does not hide the lovely porch space.
7. When the time comes, replace roof in charcoal or black material.
8. Add two black or brass carriage lights left and right of the garage door. Paint new garage door white, adding four faux black iron exposed hinges for authenticity.
9. A garage roof vented cupola with black or brass weather vane really adds balance and strong accent.
10. For summer fun, that seasonal touch, and comfort add black or blue + white striped awnings to rear backyard windows or door - Create front porch drama - with all weather white canvas drapes hung far left and far right to add punctuation to the porch - drapes held by tie backs for slight swag.

Hope this adds inspiration and some food for thought! I believe these aesthetic elements are relatively reasonable upgrades in cost that will render priceless results!

Happy holidays to you and yours!

Best, Addie (Adelene Keeler Smith)

Have the roof cleaned and when it comes time to replace it, go for more architectural shingles in a slate gray. I would move the landscaping into the yard and keep the porch free. The tree need a bit of thining. I like the color of the shutters you have now, but black would look good as well. A carriage style garrage door will make a big difference. All in all, you have a nice home, not much to do.

Thank you for your comments - really appreciate it. Do you have any concerns with painting the brick exterior? Also, the house sits quite a bit back from the road, would you recommend using the front lawn to enhance the entrance way. Example, bring a walkway down the lawn further and add some trees? Thanks again for any assistance and ideas. Also, if anyone has any visuals of pictures it would be very helpful.

Not at all, a qualified and professional exterior painter will know how best to seal, prep, and prepare successful painting of the bricks. You can also research on line like this old house site or Sherwin Williams/ Ben Moore/ Pratt & Lambert website for more info. Stopping in at your local paint store - may offer an array of products for the job. Also, google has some great examples by typing in brick homes painted white or painted bricks etc. I would seek and hire the professional services of a landscaper/landscape architect in your area and one who can visit the site personally. Your idea's are great on the front yard and a professional could help you take that to a new level. A worthy investment in you and your property. It's a great house with good bones aching for positive change! :]

Best Wishes,

Addie Smith
Palm Beach, FL

Thanks Addie, i love the ideas you have provided. What style would you characterize this house as? Thanks again

I'd highly recommend a few things:
1. Add a (false) dormer, most likely a low-sloped "shed" style dormer with either glazing (glass/false window) or a louvered vent style...
2. The garage "snout" seems to dominate the facade, so in addition to dormer on the roof over the garage (this will help the overall massing and draw the eye vertically)-I'd recommend an arbor or trellis detail with arched/curved brackets (corbels) on either side of garage door. The arbor / trellis ("roof" element created can and will address and dress up garage door...(And "hide" siding detail in between brick veneer offsets at each side.
3. FRONT PORCH: The columns look to be smooth round "doric" style-perhaps a more "boxed-out" square column detail with base and cap detail can enhance the porch look...
4. Shutters: Go with a louvered shutter-recommend min 16" wide-with shutter dogs ("S"-hooks and hinges)-will be better aesthetically....
5. Front door entry detail-recommend instead of single door with sidelights-go with double doors with glazing (updated look?)

All for now, good luck!
Patrick J. Barry, AIA

At current (and please, take no offense) - I would say the structure reads like a generic builders track home or a developers mass produced "rough interpretation" of a stripped down Colonial - only with a country porch and urban garage attached.

The classic Colonial is symmetrical in nature often built with all white clapboard - natural brick or stone (depending upon the region) black shutters, no shutters, a prominent grand front door on center with architecturally rich appointments like ornamental fan lights and/or side lights. Features can include a modest door overhang, Federal details, Greek key or dentil moldings, Greek or Roman pilasters, colonnades, doric columns, etc. The period style is timeless, regal, and most often formal - but not stuffy with a refined character.

The good news is your home looks well loved and maintained with good bones... And it does not have to remain common or homogenized. Without major costly renovations (as I have shared in previous comments) - A little purposeful planning and symmetrical sensibilities with the landscaping will make ALL the difference... AND remembering with any home - it is never about quantity BUT quality.

Best Regards,

Addie Smith

Thanks Addie, and no offence taken :)

Patrick and I were writing to you apparently simultaneously... I really like his recommendations as well!

Patrick and I were writing to you apparently simultaneously... I really like his recommendations as well!

I've been told it is bad to paint brick. It seals in moisture and makes them crumble.

I would go with a new colour scheme-painting the garage door and house a darker colour (like a charcoal grey color) and the shingles a light colour with a coordinating light colour for the front door.

If you cut down the tree and add new landscaping the front of the house will be more visible and welcoming. Plant a tree farther from the house and off to the side more. Keep in mind how large the tree gets when planting so that if there is ever any damage to the tree it won't fall on the house. I would take out the grass between the walk and porch and turn it into a garden with small evergreen shrubs and a variety of flowers and grasses.

You have a great house and a lot to work with. :)

Thanks Patrick, I really like the architectural recommendations you have provided. When you were referring to the dormer I assume you meant over the garage? Thanks again

Thanks, and yes, that's correct, I was referring to the offset at the garage projecting out. The low sloped roof in conjunction with the soffit/cornice height being lower here lends itself to benefiting from more massing and additional detail here. I strongly believe a few certain elements such as the dormer, the arbor/trellis detail, and obviously a new garage door (carriage-style) will help this dominant area of the house. I will try to send an image representative of what might look good! ....

Another image (by others)...

Much appreciated patrick!

You might want to add to your home improvement wish list : a pavingstone driveway, and updating the brick with a stone veneer or natural stone - will improve the curb appeal, value and help set your home apart from your neighborhood

I like the walkway idea, and some glazing on the garage doors, even in a simple style would be nice. I do think it looks rather nice as it is, and it doesn't neet a lot of frills--just a simple change like the garage door and some landscaping changes, and pruning (not cutting down) the tree can do a lot.

I would get a garage door with straight, not curved lines though, to go with the house. I like the green shutters and garage door, but those colors could be changed (grey perhaps? plus a bright door) if you want to put your own stamp on it. New double doors are quite expensive and I think the sidelights are very nice as they are.

I personally prefer the pergola rather than a shed dormer for the garage. A shed dormer wouldn't relate to anything else on the house and really doesn't add much function for the expense. then I would consider adding a bit of privacy screening open trellis to the right of the door to balance it off (not the sheet kind though). These will take it more toward a cottagey feeling, and something more like a Colonial Revival (1890-1940 or so) which incorporates various other design elements.

Taking the shutters off the bottom could be nice, but I rather like the brick as it is. Shutter dogs (holdbacks) can be a nice touch, especially for a cottagey look and cost about $28 a set at Home Depot. Could be overkill with so many though. Not much room for wider shutters, and I don't think louvered type are an improvement. Your shutters are a bit narrow, but would be too crowded if wider. New shutters cost at least $50 each--2x more for the real thing. Probably not that big of a difference from what you have.

Modern brick can be painted, but it is higher maintenance than leaving as is. I think painting it all white would make it rather bland, but it would be a more traditional colonial look. Another type color, like grey, is a possibility too. Vinyl can be primed and painted, but then it becomes a maintenance hassle.

I always like heavier moldings, and yours look better than most. It would mean replacing the siding and whatnot to do so though, and probably not worth it because it looks like it is in great shape. Your options on trim for the brick portion are limited.

The smooth Tuscan type columns are fine and well proportioned (Doric are fluted and don't have a base--there are lots of variations though). If you square them off and so forth, you would be taking it a step toward Craftsman, which is very popular right now, especiallly if you paint in earthy colors.

Thanks for the comments, lots of great ideas and very much appreciated.

Hi cptvoid. First of all, congratulations on your new house! It looks very nice and very well-cared for. Maybe it's just the angle of the photo, but I must say that one of the first things I would do is trim the tree (apple? crabapple?) in the front. It is overhanging the porch roof and front door and kind of hides it. Just limb it up a little on the left side (as you face the house). As someone else said, right now the emphasis is too much on the garage door, and I think this would help.

As far as painting brick, where are you located (I must say, this looks very much like Michigan to me!). I know it can be done, but I would seriously think very, very hard about painting brick in a cold climate. Even if it doesn't cause problems with the brick, you have just handed yourself another area of maintenance heretofore not there.

I like the sage/olive paint color as the accent. I would, however, think about painting the siding in this color. Then your white trim on the windows would stand out much more and it would give the whole house a richer look. I would then do larger shutters (they should each be as wide as half the window to look authentic; add appropriate hardware - hinges, shutter dogs - if you can) and paint them black. I would then add other black accents - maybe porch furniture, large wall mounted light fixtures on either side of the garage door - to tie it together. You could paint the front door black, or I actually think an accent color would be very nice (red, coral, etc.) In the summer, if you plant to pick up this accent color, it will look very thoughtful and pulled together.

I, too, like Patrick Barry's ideas. I think larger, square columns would be more substantial looking and would suit the house more. I would like to see a larger address plaque over the garage door, too. If you want to replace the garage door, I would look for something simple, maybe with a row of very simple, square windows - nothing frou frou, You want interest - not a lot of distracting detail. However, I think it's fine the way it is. Just give it a fresh coat of paint. Another longer term idea might be to add a band of pavers, either to each side of the driveway (replacing a small strip of existing) or a larger band down the middle. This would break up some of the expanse. This looks like an asphalt driveway? If it is, you can do stamped patterns right in the asphalt. All of this is pretty expensive though. Giving it a new coat of sealer will also make it look fresh (although very black!)

One more thing - if you like to garden and need something else to do! I like to add a planting bed on the outside (streetside) of the front walk. I think it makes it look more finished. You wouldn't have to do anything too dramatic - maybe a just a bed of pachysandra with a birdbath or other decorative garden item in the middle. Just flare it out towards the driveway (so it's kind of a triangle) and you can add more softness, green and color.

Good luck! It's already a nice house.

One more thought: how about extending the new planting bed in a circle under the tree Use wood chips or stone in this circle and add a circular bench (the kind that encircles the tree). This would be a lovely focal point!

Tree bench (only paint it white)

I'm not sure anyone else may have addressed this but, live in the house before you change anything to do with the roof, Depending where you live, I say this because someone mentioned a new roof in a black color, you really need to live in the house to see the electric bills in your area, as a dark roof will draw the sun to the house and could drive up your electricity costs! I like the landscaping, I would say, change the color of the shutters, maybe to black, and the front door to red, and the garage doors to white! I would check into having the roof looked at, to see if it needs a good cleaning, or repair, the color is very dull! Good Luck!

Thanks for the comments, we do live in a snowy climate so I am a little concerned with painting the brick but I do like the look of painting out the brick. It is a distraction

Part of the "distraction" of the brick is because you have a high contrast with the white siding. If you paint the siding a deeper color, the brick will look much more integral to the whole house :-)

I agree with others in that I would have the tree trimmed. I would advise to have the tree trimmed by a professional so that they can hand select limbs to remove rather than cutting everything making it look like a popsicle stick. Then I would replace the grass on the inside of the sidewalk to plantings. Sometimes nurseries will assist with design for free. Congrats on your new home!

I agree with Kathryn Peltier about the landscaping. If you drew your landscaping further out into the yard with a "slow" rounded edge (think round to soften the rectangular house) it would balance the garage without having to add a fake dormer. The landscaping should be more pronounced, and yes, that beautiful tree outgrew its spot. My very first step would be cutting that tree out of the landscaping, then look at your home with fresh eyes. Good luck! It's all fun!!!

Great feed and ideas! I posted a picture of my house too on the site and hope some of these creative people will have some ideas for me as well

Thanks for the great feedback. The big decision we have to face is 1:) go with a painted brick / white look and feel or 2:) paint/ replace siding and go with a more neutral / brown/ green and keep the brick. My gut is the traditional white with black shutters but such a final decision. Time to hunt through houzz for inspiration. Thanks again for all the ideas much appreciated

That would be very pretty but I would be sure to get advice from the best painter you can find re: painting the brick.

That is a beautiful tree although I agree it is misplaced. Ask a local landscape architect how you might both trim it and balance it. I hate the idea of cutting it down. Glass on the garage door for sure. I also agree about bringing the plantings out away from the porch somehow. Paint the brick for sure. Although a different color on the shingles will integrate the brick better. It looks like a beautiful house.

Great food for thought from everyone, cptvoid! It warms my heart (and probably yours) to see so many take an interest to "brain storm" with a new neighbor... even though we live regions away. That said, I am still a proponent of painting your brick white. We have specified, sealed, and painted brick in all regions - Patrick features a home on his website combining stone and grayish-taupe painted brick. It looks fabulous. The same will read true for your home when clap board siding and brick neutralize simultaneously. Maintenance is a good point and as we know, nothing lasts forever. Much of the brick is sheltered by porch and a modest secondary material in other locations. Success will depend on the quality of prep work, the paint, and the painting professional. "Patina" white brick is rather attractive. Over the years, if you chose not to touch up... area's of natural wear reveal hints of the original brick. Seasoned vs. pristine in any climate from hurricanes to snow storms - It is really just a matter of personal choice. :]

I like the idea of painting the brick. After painting the brick I would replace the windows and garage door with high quality units that are properly detailed. It is amazing what well done windows can add to a house and how poorly done windows can sabotage it.

Two things come to mind right away. You could do larger columns on the porch that have a lot of architectural detail that would really update the front of the house. The columns can reallly become a feature that would help balance out the prominence of the garage. I would redo the front walkway in a very exaggerated curve with flagstone or aggregate concrete materials. It would be proportionate to the large size of the house's front and help blunt the garage/driveway. Good luck!

I like all of the ideas...very creative resources here. The first question that came to mind was what you like about the house, and then what you would like to see different? Also, what kind of budget do you have?

Here are some questions to consider:
1. Can you replace your shingles? If not right now, as much as I like the idea of going gray, I would be careful in selecting the right color. The light grays will only make the roof look more warn and dirty. A darker gray would look better with the brick color--more contrast. Warm greens would also work with your current brick.

2. Do you like the idea of going more colonial or do you like the farm house style? This will help determine the columns on your front porch. If you like the farmhouse style, adding an arbor above the garage door and framing out larger square columns on the front porch would change the look quite a bit.

3. Do you want to use your front yard as a place to gather? A court yard might add more personality to the front.

4. Would you like to keep the large tree?

5. Would you like the driveway to be wider? You could add to both sides of the driveway with either stamped concrete or brick and pull that into the walkway.

I like the idea of adding lights to both sides of garage door. It would be fun to hear what you like about your house. That might help give you a little better guidance. I'll attach a few ideas from remodeling projects I've worked on recently.

One of the fastest updates you can do is remove those bowling ball bushes. Half an hour with an axe and you are done!

The house is a nice traditional 2-story with a porch ... Don't mess with it until you have lived there for at least a year.

A railing on the porch would strengthen the look of the front.

Landscaping changes:

I'd widen the walkway until it is as wide as the step up to the porch - wimpy front walks bug me.

Consider adding a brick-paved front patio or courtyard that incorporates that tree, with something besides grass marking the boundaries (a low wall with roses trailing over it?). It will make the house look more prominent and shove the garage into the background. It's also a place for people to sit and stare at the neighbors.

Would you consider embracing a contemporary facade rather than painting the brick?

Wow! More ideas. Thank you all so very much for your ideas and taking the time to contribute.

In response to Bradley Allen’s comment looking for some clarification of what we like/want to keep:

-Front Yard/ Tree: we agree that front tree is way too close to the home, but would love to keep it if some pruning and strategic walkway could work around it. There’s something sad about cutting down a mature tree. That said, we agree that some trees/attention need to be planted further out to emphasize the nice front yard and entranceway. Probably not much entertaining done out front, but definitely a lot of porch sitting. Love the idea of replacing the “gum drop” bushes with a consistent/uniform neat looking shrub and updating the walkway making it have more impact.

-Roof: the roof will need to be replaced within 4-5 years so will need to think about how that fits into the exterior of the home. Like the grey / dark grey range, but shy away from any specific coloured roofing i.e. green, and black (extreme heat in summer and shortened lifespan).

-Colonial vs. Farm Home: the colonial look is nice, clean and looks great. We are just struggling with the contrast of it. Our current home (see picture attached) is in the earthy tones so instead of black on white with a black or red front door, we would love to see if there is a colonial example of something with more muted/natural hues i.e. beige, slate grey and wood/brown front door so the look is incorporated but it is slightly softer. Is this possible?

Alternatively, we are not against the farm look, but would need some guidance on what colour to paint the siding/garage door, etc or what are the key elements to include so we can enhance and maximize that feel (love the bottom right image you attached). Would we just embrace brick and paint siding if we went farm? would we replace siding with board and batten? would we still be painting the brick? A lot of discussion on the colonial style has taken place (thanks Addie!) so we have a much better understanding of what that entails but are lacking on the farm or arts/crafts.

We definitely don’t like the sage green currently in place and how it plays with the white and brick. Budget comes into play a bit when thinking about the possibilities as there are renos and windows to be done inside too.

-Driveway: We arent’ looking to widen the driveway. Like the idea of adding interlock to the edges for detail and tie in with walkway. Love and agree with idea of putting lights on either side of the garage, better name plate. Interested in arbor … not as familiar with this look around garage. Will try to look at more images. Anyone have any additional arbor images?

It's a really busy time of year so thanks again!

I suggest a metal roof to replace the aged and weathered shingles. They look like they're ready to go! You should also check out Wood Railing http://awoodrailing.com for a unique woven branch handrail for your front porch entry.

I have read some of the comments and the only thing I would add is to yes, have the roof cleaned and when it is time to replace go with a more substancial shingle. I would also go with a cleaner front porch look and "beef up" the pillars to more substantial square ones.

maybe something like this would work for your long term plan

Well, what did you decide?
If completed or partially done would love to see pics!!

Well thanks for your interest. We are definitely not done all of our work but the past year has included lots of changes, including: a new neutral colour roof, brand new windows, painted out front door, "gum drop" shrubs removed (and hydrangeas to be planted soon), painted out the pure white siding and removed the shutters.

Next on the list: a new garage door with windows and black brackets/hinges. It will be a huge transformation. Do you think we should go off white to match the windows or what colour do you think would look best?

Your house is looking beautiful!
You might consider a darker colour for the garage door as seen in this ref pic

do you think it would look okay without the shutters to tie it in?

yes
shutters are not necessary
How about the front door the same colour as the garage to tie it in.
A seen in the ref pic.
You could choose the darkest colour from your brick for a reference colour.
Just a suggestion as I'm not an expert on house exteriors.

You want the garage door to blend in as much as possible in terms of color, otherwise it becomes the star of the show - which is not what you want. I actually like the color you have on it. At least go with a neutral color to go with your siding color and blend with the brick. Don't go white - that will then be the first thing you notice about the house.

You've done a nice job!