what else can we do to modernize this house, any ideas?

Shrubs - Get ride of them. All of them. Find 3 foundation shrubs that you like and stick with just those.

Concrete - Find a good concrete guy in your area and have him come do an overlay on the walkway and driveway. Basically it is about an inch of new concrete that will then be dyed and stamped. It will completely different. Also have said concrete guy remove both of the sets of steps and have a mason come in and put in some nice new steps either brick or scratch coated.

The foundation wall could also be veneered with a flat rock face stone, concrete or cultured stone.

It looks like you have 2 front doors. Which one do you use? Both of your steps could use some help. I'd remove the shrubs and consider a fresh coat of paint over the whole house.

we enter through the green door and that side door leads into our laundry room.

we do know a guy that could fix our steps though.

Here are some links:

Prairie Moon Nursery

Old House Gardens

Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center

Antique Rose Emporium

If it were my yard, I would remove the shrubs. If you are feeling adventurous, rip out the sod and plant natives, heirloom bulbs, roses, Add a bird bath, sitting area. You can also create a period garden, plant only heirlooms that were available before you house was built. Another option is a Victory Garden in red/ white and blue flowers.

Im not so sure I agree about removing the shrubs since they are in decent shape, and they provide a good foundation planting. I would be inclined to cut out some of the paved area in front of them to increase the bed size and plant flowering material in front of them.

It looks to me like the house has the potential for water issues along the house between the doors because of how the stairs have settled, and because it looks like the grade against the house is lower than the surrounding grade. That grade should be raised to slope it away from the house. I would probably accomplish that by building a raised walkway that becomes a part of, and connects the two doors, and incorporates new stairs being poured for both entrys. In front of that walkway I would do planting areas, and I would remove the shrub near the corner of the house since that one looks not so great.

that corner shrub does need to go.

Before your cosmetic fixes, I'd get an assessment why both sets of stairs are sagging to the center. This could be a bigger problem than simply straightening out the stairs. Always address the bigger problem. Putting even $500 into making things look pretty can be a waste of money if in a year you have to tear it all up to fix a major problem. If however there is not major problem with the foundation, then by all means fix both sets of stairs. Then paint is always an inexpensive way to update your house. Take your cue from nature. Either paint your house an inviting light green/sage with dark green accents (like your door). But paint the trim; shutters a darker color. Or go white with light green trim and bold green door. Last thing is the landscaping. Not sure if you use your driveway in front of the house, but it looks big and cold. If you can't get rid of it and replace it completely,

can you get rid of a portion of it? Put in a lovely tree in the middle, with some benches around the tree? Soften that area up? Maybe put up a cute fence? These all cost a lot of money, and not for someone on a small budget. Take a few steps at a time. Save up, fix the bigger price things first. If you have to wait, then add some flowers along the house (where the hose is). That will brighten things up for the meantime. But don't put in a lot of landscaping until you address the bigger issues with the house/stairs.

we had a water leakage awhile back but it's fixed now. that's the reason for the sagging stairs

Good to know you got that fixed. So now get the stairs fixed first. If it's in the budget consider adding a little more focus to the front entry with either a bump out to the roof, or add a larger landing and extend the stairs further out for a grander entrance.

The most expensive things you should probably do at some point is leveling out the stairs/concrete, fixing up the roofing, and getting new siding. The colors are obviously your choice, and people are moving away from warmer colors (beige, earth tones) to cooler colors (gray, pops of color.)

The least expensive things you can do is to get some nice plants/shrubs under that window to cover up the concrete. Rake up all of that stuff that on the lawn. Get a new front and side door (the green one ages the house a lot.) Paint the shutters. Paint the trim. Get rid of the astro-turf stair runner. Get rid of the bunny.

we've got someone to fix the stairs and a family member who will be fixing the roof

Once you have fixed the stairs, you might consider removing the shutters and putting larger trim around the windows instead. Shutters should be big enough that they could cover the windows in theory (whether or not they are actually operable). Then a larger light fixture and some flowers in front of (or instead of) the squared off shrubs and you will have a much nicer front. Shouldn't cost much either.

Define budget? If money is an issue, get a design first, then phase out the project over the next few years.

around 2 to 3,000

Then pay a designer and save up to get it right. I think the worse thing people can do is renovate their projects from their balance sheet snap shop. These things take time and planning. Done right will give you joy and equity to your humble home. Done wrong will cost you more than you spent.

thanks. we're just trying to make our home much more decent and welcoming

If your siding is still in good condition, put your budget towards other things and work with it. It looks as if it is a cream color? I searched in Houzz for "cream siding" and found this one which gave me some ideas for your home. I like the cream and dark brown, a darker brown than the reddish brown that you are using. I also like that the brown is used in a wider trim around the windows, which I like better than shutters. And I think you could also copy the way they framed the corners of the house and emphasized the "jogs" in the wall. You could do this by running the brown framing at the corners where the house jogs out between the 2 doors, and around the bottom where the siding ends. I think it would give it style without requiring a major re-do.

I also like the planting bed under the low window in this picture. You could do something just like that in the bed between the 2 doors. I would paint the concrete under the window dark brown, the same color as the trim. Then a nice variety of small evergreens or perennials, with a variety of small evergreens with different foliage colors (plain green, golden, green-and-white). For now I'd leave the existing shrubs, maybe trim them down a few inches. Put a big planter just to the left of the steps if you want some color with flowers.

I'd do both doors in red color - not too bright, more brick red.

Some larger house lights will complete your look.

I love your ideas and the red doors, but the redo is for my grandmother who is not a very big fan of red on her house. but I love it.

I think a dusty pale green like this for the doors would look good too, with cream siding and dark brown grim. More subtle than the brick red.

I like that idea

First, I would focus on the hardscape. The stairs definitely need some work. Not only are they not aesthetically pleasing, but they do not look safe. I would redo the stairs and the main pathway to your front door. I would use some flagstone steppers to the other doorway. This will create a main entryway. As for landscaping, I would take out the hedges and start fresh. Choose some structural shrubs (viburnum, lilac, hydrangea) and plant an odd number of these to replace the hedges and/or on the other side as well. Remember to keep a balance of evergreen for winter interest. When it comes to landscaping, always start with the large/medium shrubs and ornamental trees. This will create the structure of your landscape. Then once you have that set, that is the time you can play around with different perennials and annuals. Good luck!!

these ideas are helping alot

Go Japanese with a tight budget

The windows will lend perfectly to the design but get id of the fake shutters trim the hedges into balled clusters it will take a year for them to fill in completely but the overall look can be accomplished with two days work take your time and don't over-trim at first, you can always cut more later. Most of the greenery will fill in this spring. Also clearing out all the dead inner branches will help the overall health of the plants. You may find the large shrub to be too imposing and cutting it back to the corner to match the shrub on the other side might create a more balanced look while still maintaining that mi-height anchor. Doing this would give you the ability to add a more vertical shrub or narrow flowering tree or Black bamboo to each side of the door to bring focus to your main entry making the laundry less of a diversion. Your landscaping needs to be multi-tiered and have depth otherwise your house looks like a box on a lawn. For the grass I would recommend re-seeding with a double dwarf bonsai mix its a very hardy low water usage grass it doesn't damage easily, it stands up to dog urine better than most and its not too stiff or scratchy. For the flower beds I would recommend a very low ground cover of a micro clover or Scotch or Irish moss, add a few nicely spaced flowers pinks, purples or whites would be good they need to contrast with the browns of the house so I would stay away from yellows or oranges. I would go with a 12-18 inch somewhat bushy 8-10 inch wide plant with drooping flowers or something more vertical/spiky like Irises fox glove or snapdragons.

The stairs may not need to be replaced, you may be able to jack them up with a hydraulic bottle jack (quite cheap most auto shops have a few often found at flea markets) to level them and back fill with quick create underneath. Use concrete paint or stain on the stairs and walkway I would go with a very light tan/cream color. Paint the siding a Ceder color to mimic the shingles and do the corner trim and window (you will need to install new trim after removing the shutters) trim in a very very dark brown(dark walnut). I would also paint the concrete at the bottom of the wall the same dark brown. Handrails in a high gloss of the same color. Last replace the front porch light.

I would say total cost $400-$1,000 total in materials and 5-7 weekends for 2 people not afraid to get dirty and with little home improvement experience.

Paint $200-$250

concrete paint $150 Concrete stain $50

Grass seed $35 Flowers $40-? Bale of mulch $25 New shrubs $200-$600

Quick-crete $40

Porch light $50-$150

If you want o invest more a new path with more grass and a nice walkway as suggested above would be my next move followed by siding and new doors.

I would leave the shrubs. A fresh coat of paint on the siding, and shutters would do wonders! The front door should be replaced or painted a solid color. The stairs look like a hazard - those need replacing for sure. Then, maybe add stone or brick to the bottom of the house under the siding. The grass that you do have is nice and green! I wouldn't worry about buying flowers and other plants to maintain. Shrubs are easy maintenance and look fine if they are shaped and not out of hand. Have fun!

Great ideas. Safety first though. Attention to potential fire from the chimney. Fix stairs to avoid Grandmother getting a broken hip. Enlarge porch light for everyone's safety. For minimal cost of beauty, put two large pots of flowering plants next to front and side steps on the ends of the house sides and put your bunny in the front one as part of the arrangement and to increase his visibility and importance. Move AC to another side of the house and replace with a flower filled window box. Easy gardening for your grandmother. Ask a nursery person what plants would be best - remember trailers - vine, fillers - roundish and tall ones in the back. If possible plant 3 new plants on each side of entry. Ask nursery for miniature ones that will NOT grow as tall as the window sill – no pruning for her.

$ ALTERNATE: build a porch like Partim shows only a simple front roof line – every bend costs more. Remove shutters so porch will not be crowded. No dark trim, it is so old fashioned - make trim stark white and the door a bright blue. Make ALL railings, around porch and down stairs, white square wood. Leave enough space on at least one side for a glider,rocker or chairs and a table – preferably on both sides of porch, so neighbors can stop for a visit. Have wide entrance stairs run straight from driveway to porch to door. Good Luck.

she wanted something like this

I would hesitate to do the whole wall in that. Unless you have the money to do a huge remodel doing something that contemporary may seem out of place.
But I think this is an excellent option for wrapping the AC unit, make sure it has enough room for proper air flow. you could take it all the way to the ground as a free standing peice making maintenance on the AC unit easy. You could also have it hang on those sliding inserts like a picture frame has to keep it as small as possible.
Great idea

If you do part of it wood, you're in to a very MCM modern look. To look good you'd need to add other modern elements, for example painting the siding a gray color like this house. Then I'd repeat the wood elsewhere, maybe in a planter in wood across the other side of the house where the hedge is now. Notice, too, the modern landscaping which is less about flowers and more about grasses.

Agree with everyone that investing in beautiful new steps for both entrances is the best bang for your limited bucks. After that, remove the shutters to give a more modern look. Replace the lighting. Paint your entry doors a complementary color--green, cobalt blue,or deep teal.

Keep the hedge on the left but turn the right side of the front yeard into a cottage garden with perennial grasses, creeping groundcover, mulch, low bushes, and even incorporate your round bush into the mix. Have a local garden nursery create a simple plan, then do the work yourselves. You can create pathways with mulch between your plantings, or use paving stones in between them that coordinate with new steps.

I've don up a few houses in New Zealand and I imagine you have a limited budget. It's fun and challenging doing things yourself on a budget. My suggestions are based on this. Leave the hedge but cut it down half the size. But be careful not to trim the sides too far in or you will get to dead wood. On the other side under the windows _ don't plant annuals as they are underneath the eaves and will need to be watered. You could put bark mulch and no planting or a low teutruim hedge or weed mat or gravel it. This is quite a pretty house and the shingle roof is attractive. Paint the weatherboards a mid grey and the windows and shutters white. ( I know they are false shutters but they give a bit of street appeal). The black ironwork is nice but steps need fixing. Steps: reconcrete and tile or overlay in concrete slabs after they are levelled. Continue this concrete path straight down to the street footpath. Edge this concrete path in recyecled bricks. The bottom step to the house entrance could also be a half circle edged in brick. Buy a second hand iron gate to fit in with your entrance ironwork. White picket fence along front street boundary. You are unlikely to sit at the front so a 600mm high fence is best. Make it a bit cottage like. If you like gardening cut 2 rectangular beds into this front lawn and/or plant 2 small trees on each side centre lawn. (White flowering cherry trees). Paint front door dark red or black. Attach a copper or black traditional style outdoor light to replace your exterior front door light. Your bins should be at the back of the house or build a small trellised fence to hide them. These ideas are for a low budget. Your biggest expense is to redo the steps. The rest your can do yourself. (I hope the foundations of the house are ok as the subsidence of the top step concerned me).

oh my gosh, I love all these ideas!

First, fix the stairs, both a functional and visual problem. Go with brick or stone pavers, not just concrete for both sets of stairs. Stain the concrete walk and driveway and house foundation an earth tone color. Remove the air conditioning unit from the window on the front of the house. Remove the storm door and repaint or restrain the front door. Go from there to decide on color and style for new shutters or repaint the current ones. Then create new attractive landscaping. Your home will look fresh and updated. Enjoy!

this is what the yard looks like walking out

this is just an idea I drew up.

Widen your steps so you can open front door and not get knocked over. Paint out laundry room door by painting it the same for as the siding, change shutter colors, freshen landscape.

Of course, I only used green because that's what color the front door was already. Paint all of the door one color.

A window box with red geraniums is an excellent idea. Wider steps are sensible as the steps will have to be removed anyway and a wide entrance to a house always sets it off. Terracotta pots on each side of steps (but that involves daily watering). I also like your multi-pane windows. But keep the black railings. White painted bargeboard/guttering. A brick edging on the path would link with the chimney. But never paint concrete as a reader has suggested.....and sorry the green is not for me!

yes? no?

I vote no. It makes the house look lopsided.

No. New well-designed steps, hardscaping, and beautiful new landscaping will accomplish so much more with your budget than tacking on a new front.

You have a house with a nice shape and dull, boring colors. The cheapest solution would be to paint the shutters. There's way to much gray cement. Cement can be colored, think about it when fixing your steps, or put stone on the steps.

You want some beautiful plants, too. I'd get a variety of long-flowering shrubs. Check the size so they don't get too large.

Priority #1 tear out steps. Take off dated shutters. Plant drought-tolerant garden/stonescaping. Reducing the large amount of concrete would be nice if you don't need it. A nice main entry and all glass patio door for the one you don't use?

thank you everyone for all this great information and ideas. :)

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You mentioned that you are trying to stay on a budget so I'll suggest some key items

-Steps: You mentioned you are having the stairs (and roof) replaced. Since the stairs are already being done, I would suggest bumping out the landing a bit to create a front stoop. Widen the stairs a bit and add a simple dormer style roof over the door (like pics below).

-Walkways: For now, have the concrete resurfaced. Have you thought about stamped concrete? I like the stepping stones to the laundry door, helps delineate it as a secondary walkway, not primary.

-Paint: If you cannot paint the whole house, at least paint the shutters, door, trim and windows. I would go with something like a warm stone color for the shutters and doors and white for all other trim, including window mullions.

- Landscaping: For now I would leave the boxwoods since it's the only mature landscaping you have, it can get expensive. I would cut them back about a third (don't worry they will grow back) and add window boxes under each front window. I would also plant something under the window with the AC unit. Low maintenance

-Accessories/Misc: Light fixtures should be a bit bigger and hang a little lower. Take off the storm door with bars. If you really want a storm door,replace with a solid pane of glass. Add something pretty to the front door (summer wreath?)

So traveler, any progress?

thanks everyone for all the examples and information. not much has been done since there was an unexpected death in the family. it sorta pushed some things aside for a while.