Yes, there was a house on here recently with an amazing ranch to craftsman look. Do a search, or perhaps someone else knows the thread I am talking about.

Here's a thought for your house. Paint the garage doors a color similar to your brick (is it light gray?). Add white trim around the windows, doors and garage door. Add interest by painting the doors and adding shutters in a color that complements the brick and the roof. (You can paint the white aluminum screen door the same color as the front door. My parents did it 10+ years ago in a snowy climate and it has held up perfectly.) Add a 5 foot wide bed of evergreen landscaping across the entire front. If budget allows, a stone facing on the porch would look good.

You may be more satisfied by bringing out the style of your house rather than trying to make it something it is not. Your house is a classic attractive shape and just needs some trimming to bring out its charm

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The colors are already Craftsman. Just change the white to green with good primer and paint and add some containers with rustic earthy glazes (bring inside in winter) or craftsman type details and some softer cottagey landscaping (such as hydrangea bushes) and there you go for not much money.

You could do a stone veneer over the foundation, but that can get a little pricey, and I think the money is better spent on landscaping to cover it up. Don't plant too close and get dwarf varieties.

I like those garage doors! The white doesn't bring out the detail. If the large window in the breezeway is vinyl, put a stained wood trellis in front of it, which could help hide the garden hose (?) there.

With a bigger budget, you could add a front porch with tapered columns. That would involve cutting into the roof and enlarging the stoop, if you can.

This house had an amazing transformation by adding a portico, but it's not craftsman style.

Thanks for all the suggestions! I haven't closed on the purchase yet. I eventually would like to do a porch. I guess curb appeal is where we need to start. The house is vinyl sided. What color should the garage doors be? Love the idea of painting the storm door and front door the same color ( it needs new storm doors) Should the breezyway doors be the same color as the front door?

This has to be the ranch redo into a craftsman masterpiece you were talking about:

[Ranch to Craftsman before and after[(https://www.houzz.com/discussions/before-and-after-exterior-dsvw-vd~1114791?n=123)

I would de-emphasize the garage doors by painting them a color very close to the vinyl siding, but darker. Hard to tell from a picture but looks like a beige with green undertones.

Have a look at the "after' picture that Mick50 posted. Notice the shutters are a similar but darker shade than the painted brick. Also notice that the new shutters are wide enough to look as if they could actually shut over the windows. That's why the proportion looks better than the original shutters.

I like the idea of painting the garage door a darker color. I also saw an idea for painting faux windows on the door (i'd experiment with that idea on paper first) and some decorative hardware.

I'm not a very good painter. The house needs new storm doors. Storm doors come in evergreen or cranberry. I will probably go with one of those colors. Painting the interior door the same color.

I bought this house because mine sold and we needed a place to live. My plan is to do some inexpensive things to see if we can love it, if not i know when something comes on the market we do love this will sell fast.

I don't have a huge budget but with my talented and very helpful brothers and all of you as a wonderful resouce I feel better. (My last 3 houses were built by my then husband so I'm a bit spoiled but I also have some knowledge).

But first things first....i need to pack up my huge house and barn with 15 years worth of stuff and move.

I'd choose evergreen over cranberry. There's a lot of red in your brown roof which I don't think would go with the cranberry.

Thank you! The roof would definitely clash with bright "aquaish" color i really like

Could see this kind of a porch and entry but make the details like posts & railing more craftsman style. Small gable over door and porch/patio running to garage. Steps down near the breezeway.

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Love that door!

Lots of good ideas here!

^^^ i know the porch i posted is not Craftsman but i think it would look great!

adalisa, that is exactly the house I meant!