I think if you gave the landscaping a facelift it would detract from the upper portion. However, I do agree that the colour of the addition is aggressively different than the brick and does draw your eye upwards. If you went with a darker colour that still complimented the brick colour you wouldn't notice it as much.

The rock garden kind of looks out of place with the style of the house, and looks a bit messy to be honest. Ever considered re-sodding the boulevard?

Use the pillars on the side of your steps to put planters on to add some height and colour. Plant some specimen shrubs closer to the house as your planting looks pretty flat. Good luck!

I see the red brick on the side, but I am wondering if the foundation is painted brick? If yes, perhaps painting it a different color so that you have more options for the main color of the house would help. I do like the idea of gray or taupe. Blending and going with a monochromatic scheme is key, rather than such a contrast between the yellow and red.

These comments are great, thank you! Very helpful since all I can come up with is moving it from faux tudor to faux colonial! Craftsman theme in grays, and beefing up the stilts-like posts will fit in beautifully with the neighborhood.

Have you considered a porch swing or hanging bed for that great front porch? That would make a wonderful place to relax in the summer! Check out our link for some examples of our hanging beds http://carolinahangingbeds.com/