Stone is beautiful. Tie in a house/garage color with the stone. Choose your favorite color in the stone keeping it earthy. The railroad timber dates the landscaping. New light fixtures. Boy, you have easy fixes. You are lucky. A little paint, landscaping, and light fixtures is all you need.

I think the stone is beautiful. A different paint color and a new carriage style garage door would be amazing. Your garage door is so prominent, I think it should be a really spectacular door. Either a wood door or one with windows and more visual interest. The current door is too generic and too white.

Paint the trim pieces on your home an accent color, pull one from the stone. Replace garage door, it is the first thing you see. Change lighting above garage door and match the fixtures to the same style around the home. Make a cut in the railroad ties for steps leading to a meandering path to front door. Plant natives for your area that live well in shade due to the size of your beautiful tree. You have a beautiful home have fun with it!

The stone is great. Embrace the Tudor stylings that are already in place. Accentuate he trim with a darker color of your choosing. Continue the design on the garage doors by adding trim to match.

Trailing ivy over the RR ties. Or clematis in front for some spring color.

Downlighting directly over the top of the stone is one of my favorite looks.

Good luck. You have a great base to start with.

J

James Hardie split shake siding in the gables .
There is a great return in investment

the first thing I would do is remove the railroad ties retainer wall and replace with stone that matches or complements the stone on the house. Repaint the siding in a dark olive-khaki and replace the garage door with something rustic to complement the stone and siding. touch up the trim with a rich, deep red paint.

You have a great place! I'd replace the wood facing with horizontal wide lap siding and change the garage door. Then I would box in the stone covered post at the entry area and paint it. Landscape architect could do great things with the yard.

This house has a lot of charm but like most homes these days it is all about the garage. A new garage door with some windows would be a huge change. Replacing the retaining wall to bring the stone on the house would make a world of difference as well. Some interesting plantings to connect the home to the landscape will also make it feel more inviting. A client of mine has a home much like yours, They just had it painted a deep grey-brown that really gave the home some presence and richness. they left the porch area a lighter shade and did the door and garage door in a natural wood that played beautifully against the stone. Good luck you have a great foundation to start with.

What is your budget?

I like the stone personally! but since your garage is front and center you need to purchase a nice high quality wood door. Paint the other trim a darker color that coordinates with the new wood door and stone. Add some foundation plantings and maybe hosta or ground cover under the large tree, also landscaping lighting. If you have it in the budget replace the wood wall with stone or allen stone to compliment the stone on the house, but change from a right angle corner to a rounded one to soften the edge. I like to have a bistro table by my front door so it looks inviting, a small patio area adjacent the the front step would be appealing and it gives me a place to have my AM coffee. In front of the retaining wall also do some planting evergreens for low maintenance or perennials for color.

Looks like the architect really made a mess. Remove all the wood in the gables. It doesn't belong there. There is a certain way of doing that and your house does not have the bones to do it. Replace that wood with stone if you could match it up. Replace the garage door too.

It would be money well-spent to get a landscape designer/architect to design a plan that you could implement all at once or perhaps in stages. A good designer will also be able to help you select colors and updates for the house front, and help you visualize the change.

Otherwise, I agree that the railroad ties have to go and the corner should be rounded. Replace with a stone that will not compete with the house stone. I also agree with Old House Guy LLC that the "tudor look" wood pieces should be removed before painting. I agree with the other posts to put in a new garage door, lighting, and paint. The front door area needs to be lighter/brighter. What about shutters on the front window to the right of the front door? They should coordinate with the new garage door.

Take down that garage door and replace with a carriage style door. Then paint the entire house including garage door an antique gold color with a brick red or dark green window trim Plant giant liriopes all the way around tree in a circle. Add tall evergreen holly pyramid shaped at the corners of house with layered bedding wrapping around the front and side of entry porch. Plant with dwarf Nandina, sasanqua camellias and liriopes like around tree. Soften edges of beds by curving out and around corners.

Once you paint that stone it can never be unpainted. Think hard about that option!

I think I should clarify. I meant paint all the wood work on the house. Not the stone! I would never consider painting flagstone.

I don't the wood is the biggest problem, just the color. It depends on the budget! if money is a issue the big impact items like the garage door and plantings will give the most bang for the buck. The lighting,the door, shutters are all things that could be done later.

I saw this on HGTV tonight and liked it. I thought you could do something similar.

Paint the white garage door. It's distracting. I believe there are gel stains for this purpose.

Your home is charming and has a lot of potential.

The very first thing you may want to do is replace the garage door with a carriage style door that complements the timber pieces on the gables. Then I would determine the paint colors for the gables and accent trim. *The reason being is that you may have a limited choice of colors for your garage door and if you can't paint it you will want to coordinate the trim with it. If you can't afford a new garage door just paint it the base color of the gables. I would then add sconces on either side of the garage door - it would be a charming accent. Perhaps you could also find a coordinating pendant light to hang in your entry way.

When it is time to paint I would paint the gables, the trim and accent the timbers...gold, green, red, or brown are very strong colors and may compete with the strong color of the stone. You may want to go with a softer, more neutral background (perhaps a stone color with a soft hint of gold - beware of pink/taupe undertones, khaki would also be a good choice), accent colors on the timber could be stronger . Try one of the paint store simulators to get a better idea. Adding shutters on the window would add value as well...again find shutters in keeping with the timbers/carriage style.

Your home is adorable, but the tree overpowers it. I understand the argument about keeping the tree but once it is in bloom it will make the house very dark - plus it's too big for the house and may present a liability if it fell. Add new landscaping with a tree on the side.

Don't worry about the rr ties...you would never get your money back by replacing them with stone. Plus they mimic the timbers on the gables.

Finally, search Houzz for homes with stone exteriors to get color ideas.

Good Luck!

I see how someone may think the tree overwhelms the house but a tree like this adds a whole other dimension and meaning beyond just looking at the house...Your home is in the forest...not just a suburb. I would not take it out unless it's blocking your sun in cool damp climate. If it's a hot drier climate it's a real benefit...almost priceless.

I have a little cottage with a larger tree and front entrance a bit like this in NV. I found my self often sitting in lawn chairs between the house and tree in all the good weather. I came o realized I wanted to make it a hang out so am planning a low to the ground decking between the house and tree connecting to the walk. I am even considering surrounding the tree with the deck or a bench made of the decking a material. I was going to use pots because it's a small flat area.

With your two layers and a rock wall, a lot can be done in the way of plants to accent a living forest feeling...and even create some privacy while making the yard more accessible and usable if you wanted. The deck may be too much for you or this place...but even just the rock wall, which you could vary the stone lay out so it is a natural looking cliff, with various plants on top, some draping and in front of it, sounds beautiful.

I agree with all of the comments about subduing the white garage door, false window above or even cedar cement type shingles. I also think brightening the front door color would help. The storm door does add nice shine and light. How about extending a paved patio in that landscaped curve with bright potted plants and maybe a table or bench? Be careful working with the railroad ties because of the tree roots. Keep the tree as long as you can. Add trailing ivy or phlox over them for now.

wouldn't it be nice to get a peep from homeowner?

Very.

http://www.njdoordoctor.com/carriage-house-style-garage-doors-nj.htm

You know it depends on how much you want to spend! These are a few comments that wouldnt be terribly expensive. I would replace the landscape timbers with rock and landscape around tree incorporating some rocks. I wonder if that is stucco over garage, etc. At least take the trim pieces off of it as it is confusing your style and looks more like a Tudor type trim. Doesn't go with style or the stone/rock. Either paint a different deeper tone (after removing trim) or replace with "concrete" shingles and paint them. Have you considered some type of accent over garage? I would definitately replace garage door with a carriage type also.

Paint is the least expensive fix. But if you want to really change things up -- get rid of the Tutor. Pull the faux rock off the garage. Lighten up the house entry. Consider stucco or siding on the garage so that it has less visual weight than the house. Either lose the landscape ties or replace them. Use container plants until the construction finished.

Paint the stucco, trim and garage a dark taupe with a hint of green. The darker shades of the large tree trunk are a good reference. If budget permits then remove the tudoresque timbers and replace with stained shingles (in the same color tone in a semi transparent stain, slightly lighter shade as recommended for painting the trim and stucco). Replace the garage door with a carriage style door with windows also painted the same color as the trim. Replace the light fixture over the garage with a more decorative bronze finish lantern. There are several great landscape ideas recommended above to enhance your curb appeal. No white trim please.

I'd emphasize the Tudor-type trim by painting it a dark color that matches some of the stone and paint the garage door the same color so that it ties in. I like the idea of a mustard color for the main painted area. The railroad ties look very tired. I suggest replacing them with stacked stone or pavers in a color that ties in with the stone of the house. The front door is barely visible, blocked by a massive pillar (or is it a wall?) that obscures the entry. It's probably required to support the roof, but I recommend removing it if possible. If not, I'd remove the stone and cover it with siding and add trim to match what's over the garage, then paint it in the same colors. The house is so angular that I'd also recommend adding some curves with landscaping and/or remove the sidewalk and steps, replacing them with curving, stamped concrete stamped concrete tinted in a color to match the stonework. In addition, paint the door a lighter color so that it stands out more and if it is surrounded by siding instead of stone, that could be painted to match the area above the garage, and including the "Tudor" trim. In general, the door and entry need to be lighterso that they can be easily seen from the street. What do you think?

The driveway and sidewalk pathway looks tired, replace it with stone pavers or stamped concrete. Use edging pavers to break up the broad single surface and create more interest. Use stone or brick that ties to the stone on your house. If you have the budget replace the retaining wall with stone as well. Good luck.

That tree is incredible. How about a swing? Nice heavy hemp rope and a board would be a cheap improvement. Its simple and would make the space seem fun and inviting.

Your home reads as the garage from the angle in the picture and the garage is a very simple flat surface which doesn't really give you a lot in the way of visual appeal. I would suggest painting the siding a darker colour, something fairly neutral so that it doesn't pull focus as much and added a new garage door with some windows (or fake windows) to it to give the garage more depth. It will also help the house look more balanced as you have that big window on the living side.

Updating some of landscaping will help too. If you like the bush on the left side of the garage I would suggest adding one to the right side of the house as well.

And one thing that always makes a house look inviting is a swing (be it tire or regular) on that tree. It adds a sense of fun and playfulness to the space in a way that makes the yard feel like an extension of the interior instead of more ornamental as a lot of front yards feel.

a beautiful garage door might be all your house need. in wood.

WOW! Just read all your comments! Thank you all so much for the advice! So many great ideas! I will go back thru them and pull ideas. New to the houzz online community and it is wonderful!

Thanks again,

Sarah

agree w/most of the above-esp embrace the stone/barn theme! pick colors from the stone- a dark almost black for the trims, roofline, eaves, and a medium dark tone for the wall areas in between-I think the reddish colors will look better than mustards or greens, but go "dirtier" than you may be used to inside-look at Benjamin Moore or Sherwin Williams' Historic palettes. Do a new garage door-they can be pricey so get the best you can and dress up the front w/a great new light fixture. and find a nice landscaper to work with what you have got-plenty of room for improvement-but you've got a great place to start with!

how about a rain garden in front of the wooden retaining wall, probably could channel water from driveway and house to there

What about taupe-y charcoal paint? Like Sherwin Williams Urbane Bronze. Instant update, looks great with golden/orange-y stone, and wouldn't fight with the color of your gutters and down spouts. If you could remove the batten trim and install a big, beefy gable vent on the garage, that would give additional architectural interest for not a fortune. Anchor it all with a stained wood garage door, and stain the RR ties w/charcoal stain + add Blue Rug junipers to spill over. And....it is not possible to remove Old Man Tree. He has seniority. :-)

If you live near a University that has a landscape and/or architecture major, upper level students will give you advice at very low prices. Post a note with a professor or on a college bulletin board.

A lot of focus on paint, which is great. But it's the rock that is dated. Are you going to paint over that? Of course replacing it with modern rock would be great but maybe not in your budget.

agree that rock is ugly

I like the rock. It just needs to blend better with the rest of the house.

If it were me and my budget allowed, I'd replace the rock with James Hardie cement siding, which comes in many styles and colors. I think the rock looks very dated, heavy, and foreboding. It's not a welcoming color or texture, but I prefer classic, traditional styling because it's always attractive and never goes out of style. Plus it's so easy to change if you get sick of the color. But it's your house and your decision. Good luck.

I like the rock very much. It has character and architectural/historical reference. And I find it very cheerful. The only thing I find a bit heavy is the pillar to the right of the door. A trellis and rose might fix that. I'd go for the very nicest trellis I could find, so that it still looks good in winter.

I agree with Rina, the pillar looks out of place and distracts from the interesting roof lines. But when I looked closer I think it already is a trellis with a plant. It should go and add color light in the entry way to make it pop.

I like the big light photo shopped into the peak.

I wonder if it would be possible to strip the siding and stain it to go with the rustic charm of the stone...would swap in a carriage-house style door for the garage to continue that. I'd leave the tree as it is; I'm very fond of large trees in the front yard--they're both friendly and give a sense of privacy as well as the ecological contributions they make. I'd soften the corners of your raised yard with some plantings--something very soft and textured, like moss, sweet alyssum, so on--tucked into the corners of the railroad ties. I'd pull out the bush by the garage and replace it with something a little more romantic--say a rosemary or myrtle topiary. I see the whole place as having the potential to be whimsical and a little fairy-talish without being overly cutesy; go with the less-expected options and I think this could be truly charming.

I can see where the tree would cause challenges for any kind of lawn - if you want a hassle free, manicured lawn year round, consider EasyTurf - same look and feel of grass, but you don't have to worry about maintenance issues, over-shading, watering, fertilizing, weeding ... Check us out at www.easyturf.com or here on Houzz.

Cheers!

George

Your house is almost identical to mine. Same exact rock work. Same porch. Almost same design. Learn from my 28 years of experience with paint colors. When we bought our house it had been stained dark brown. It was very heavy & ominous looking, so we painted it dark yellow, trying to bring out the sandstone colors of the rocks. That was ok, but not great. I got tired of that pretty quickly. We replaced the garage door with an almond color, which is MUCH better then white. Then painted with a sage green, with a darker olive green trim. This rock is NOT UGLY, as some have said. There are several houses in neighborhood that have painted their rock, which I don't care for. This rock just needs the right color combinations to enhance it and not conflict with it. Staying with the more neutral green colors helped tone down the rock colors. I also tried painting the front door a dark orange-red, which wasn't as complimentary as you would think. Repainted it black and is much, much better. I also have planted azaleas en-mass along the front of my house. I would suggest the light yellows or cream colors. Azaleas are evergreen, very easy, low maintenance plants that are drought tolerant, survive in clay soil, with semi-shade (north side of house). Here is a nice plant color to consider. Good luck!

Post a pic please!

I agree with many of the above, to replace the RR tie wall around the oak with stone, however, where you have the space, just add soil and taper it down to meet existing grade. Remove the sod in the area shown, and plant ground cover and spring bulbs, then bring your guests in around to the right of the tree into the front yard, not into the driveway, and welcome them with plant beds or color filled pots and pavement and seating.

Welcome, I'm glad you could stop by, can I get you some coffee?

Your photo does not convey welcome. Work on it.

cascio.offsite@gmail.com

Ha! We have the same house kinda. Next year I'm going to reside with board & batten, played around with colors on Behr's website. This ironstone is some tricky stuff!

Natural Stone driveway is the way to go....