Thank you for the good ideas (and note of optimism). Curious what you think about the shingles and the shutters (which are purely decorative and seem too small)...any suggestions for paint colors? I'm leaning toward grey shingles, white trim and an aqua blue door.

Have you thought about painting the bricks on the lower level, here's a link to a story of remolded houses that reminded me of yours. https://www.houzz.com/magazine/houzz-tour-saving-a-brady-bunch-staircase-in-a-midcentury-remodel-stsetivw-vs~50306011

You have a lovely house, I would put in double front doors that would make it look more dramatic, also bring back the red brick to match your steps which would have a nice flow up your stairs. I suggest to transplant those small trees in the front yard, they block the view of the house and perhaps plant some azalea's, something that stays low but a lot of pop for color. You might also plant a lilac or wisteria in your front planter that would trail up and make a dramatic statement when its in bloom.

Wow. The mid-century model is so inspiring! Thank you for the great link! Yes, we have thought about repainting the lower level bricks - took an intermediate step (white washing them). As for bringing back the red bricks, the color of the bricks is problematic - a melange of red, black and orange that reads more orange --- not pretty! The bricks on the house are not structural...perhaps we should remove them altogether? I'd love some suggestions about colors given the unfortunate shingles and roof line. Lack of overhang seems especially odd to me. Again, we will do a major renovation at some point can't do that.

As for plantings, I love the wisteria suggestion! The house faces north - I'm wondering if they'll thrive in the location. Hmmm...the 'small trees' are actually a good size...not sure they can be transplanted but I'll look into that!

Thanks again!

I think I would remove or lighten the color of the shutters.

Remove the shutters. Paint the siding gray. Paint the door and trim the same color...possibly dark red. But, the white does lighten it up. Get new light fixtures. Replace the hedges with something " free form" ....not " shaped".

i really like the style of your home!

I like your house, how about adding Mullions and window boxes on the upper windows?

I agree, remove the shutters. Is your roof brown or gray? If it's brown, I'd do something warmer than the gray/aqua scheme you mentioned. Grapefruit's red door would be better. If you want to stick with blue, try a blue with more gray than aqua. You should also use warmer whites on the brick/trim to coordinate with the remaining brick and potentially brown roof.

Your home looks very nice as is.

The off center front door that bothers you can be fixed two ways.

The least expensive and least complicated way is to add a third post -- a second one near the post of the right of the pic -- to visually center the door. Remove the white board rail on the right side of the porch and the part that goes down the steps and serves as a handrail. On that right side, add bricks to the steps themselves but only in front of the two posts -- this is to create either a level wall the height of the porch on which to set potted plants or to create a raised flower bed. Then install a new hand rail on the other -- left -- side of the steps, and, if needed for safety reasons, matching railing on the right side of the porch. If you don't need that porch railing on the right side of the porch for safety reasons, I'd use simply a sturdy metal pipe style hand rail on the left of the steps and no railing on the right side of the porch or between the railing on the left and the garage for a less cluttered look.

The other way to fix the visual effect of the off centered door is to "fix" your upstairs roofline by adding steep sides to the east and west side ( creating dormers for any windows on those sides) and making the upstairs roof into a barn style roof, and ( losing the front hedge, of course), extend that upstairs barn style roof northward to create a larger front porch with the same barn style roofline, also increasing the size of your upstairs rooms by moving the north wall out, and solving your overhang problem and siding problem on the upstairs north side as well. Because you'd be creating a new upstairs north wall, you could choose windows more appealing to you. Because I cannot see the left side of the house, I'd speculate that you may well be creating a wrap around porch on the east side as well. You'd be relocating porch post to the right of your door to support the new upstairs extension and covering over the existing steps altogether to create a larger front porch, perhaps adding a ramp from the porch facing in the direction of the driveway along the current sidewalk path, and adding new front steps and a more updated front walk more visually appealing to you.

It looks as if you have a hedge literally under the existing roof line between the front porch and the garage. To make this second option work, you'd need to lose that short span of roof/overhang between the two story part of the house and the garage altogether, perhaps giving you a good reason to update the windows between the garage and the two-story part of the house. Where you take that roof/overhang off, you could put an arbor from the two story part of the house all the way to the right side of the garage rather than a roof/overhang, enabling you to keep that part of the hedge or opt for hanging baskets and wind chimes hanging from the arbor and planters and/or bench below instead..

If you do this second option the right time of year, you could relocate the hedge rather than destroy it.

It appears in good shape and so paint will do wonders. With those shingles, I would just go with a grey and I would paint the brick the same. The shutters and trim can be a lighter shade of grey, but I wouldn't do white which seems too typical. A new, more modern looking garage door can make a lot of difference. Paint it to blend in with the house, not white. Your landscaping needs a lot of updating and that can make a huge difference also. Rip out those shrubs and design new beds. I would consult a local nursery and they usually have designers on staff; sometimes for free if you buy their products. Glam up the porch with shade plants in pots, some bright furniture to counteract the dark shade, and do some trim work on the posts to make them more "cottagey". I think your landscape can play a big part in the update. Good luck.

https://www.houzz.com/magazine/5-pro-tips-for-the-best-home-exterior-updates-stsetivw-vs~4294100

The off-center front door is not bad. The only way it shows up is if you use a critical eye and are looking for problems. It shows up in the second photo but not the first which is how you & others will most often see your house - from the driveway. The right side is a good place for pottery, plants, etc.

Once you know your color scheme an updated garage door would be a consideration.

what about beefing up your columns and just adding spindles and railings across the front and making a porch and going with rockers and a cottage look get rid of railing on the right do not replace?

Having two boring identical chairs on either side of the door emphasizes the off-centeredness of the door. Bright, interesting chair with address number plate above it on one side, potted plant on the other? The lights are a bit boring. I agree that losing the straight shrubs would be a great improvement. Light gray house (including brick) with darker muted teal trim maybe? Lose the shutters? I love the window box idea someone mentioned. I think the whiteness of the house and the straight shrubs are your biggest issues. I hate shutters, but that's just my issue. Have fun with it.

If you're not up for renovation now, I think you get the most bang for your buck by freshening your landscaping -- I don't think your house looks bad! There's too many rectangles everywhere. The severely hedged shrubs, stark front steps. Replace the shrubs with some softer, rounder shrubs or perennials. Perhaps hang some beautiful flower or fern baskets to the left of the front door. Cut out some rounded corners of your lawn -- maybe a curved bed including the dogwood? tree -- and fill with groundcovers or low maintenance perennials/grasses/bulbs. Assorted potted plants flanking your steps, and remove one of the chairs by the door, replace with something taller. This all would provide a "fresh" context for your older home.

I think the single best thing you could do (obviously my own opinion, of course, lol!) would be to soften the look of the house by adding cottage gardens as W Brown shows in the second photo.

Then, imagine how charming it would be for a house in a beach community to have an extended porch toward the garage for a welcoming seating area as guests arrive or neighbors pass by.

The railing adds to the asymmetry and divides the appearance of the house. By moving it, the look also would be softened. I like the idea of a soft gray on the brick. Can't wait to see what you do!

Tons of potential here. A covered porch like yours has lots of opportunity to become a real head turner. Here are some examples of successful covered porch projects that may give you some ideas.

I think part of the problem with the off center is that there is only one hand rail at the front. Removing the existing hand rail and putting in a metal rail on both sides would help or install another wood railing to match the existing one. Paint would do wonders and I think grey would be a good choice with perhaps a black trim. A red door might give it a pop. With the brick in the front I would use a brick red color as opposed to a bright red. I agree that the bushes are a little to sculptured and lack color. Some hanging baskets at the porch area would add color depending on your climate and the amount of sun. The shutters at the upstairs windows could be a little more decorative or perhaps a little larger to give it character.

I think you have a nice house, especially if it has the views that you love. I like the grey color that you mentioned with white trim and a blue-grey door. Gives it a Cape Cod cool beachy feel. I would whitewash the bricks on the steps as you did the front--it looks nice. Change out the lights to something that is larger--more dramatic to be seen better and put some plants outside that front door--showcase it make it seem larger and it won't seem so off center. Make it look centered with large urns (make them black for a punch) and lovely plantings. I agree that the shrubs need to go, they are past their prime! Not sure what your area is, but something that is free form and has some good color, bushes and plants--dark and light greens with some purple mixed in--would go nicely with grey/white/blue-grey. Looks like there is a small brick "planter area" around your shrubs. A stone veneer over that would add some interest and natural elements to the front as well. I would also add some trim to your front porch posts--make them more substantial and heavier, will add some interest to the front. If you can change the handrail--looks plastic-y; either remove or make it more interesting. As for the shutters, that's personal preference. I think houses look naked without them unless they are a style that does not need shutters. White might be nice to blend, but add some size to the windows.

Until you are ready for your exterior reno, here's where I believe you will get the most bang for your buck. Remove the shutters or get larger ones. Paint the exterior any color you like but use a darker shade for your trim and accents on shutters if you keep them. A single skinny rocker placed on the right hand side as well as a planter will take up the visual space created by the uncentered entry. Choose a complimentary color that you LOVE for the door. New exterior lights that come further down on the wall. Your current ones are two small and quite boring. Any remaining money should be spent on your landscaping which will make a huge difference. The planting bed to the right would be a great place for an outdoor sculpture. Consider commissioning a local artist to create a work you love and is uniquing you! Your place has great potential and is not as bad as you currently feel. We Houzzers want you to love your home, inside and out.

I also think the house is lovely. While I'm a fan of shutters, yours are out of proportion. Either properly size them so appear functional or remove them. The orangey tone in the brick can be enhanced with it's appropriate complimentary color. Orange and blue are opposite on the color wheel. If you're whitewashed brick is coral, aqua may just be the perfect color. When you find it, the scheme will look intentional and the whole house will pop. All the brick should match for a cohesive look.

Beefing up the columns and replacing some minor landscaping sounds like a good, temporary fix as well. Decide whether to go for the cottage look or something more dramatic and work from there. Keeping what you can and spending just a little can go a long way 'til your ready for a major overhaul.

I, along with the others, think the house is lovely, although perhaps a bit boring. You indicated that you live in a beach community. My thought is to paint the house a beautiful shade of gray (not too dark) and to give it that beach type feel, paint the trim a bluish-green shade, something that mimics the Gulf water. I agree that the shutters are out of proportion, so they would need to be upgraded or not used at all. A few plants, i.e. Boston ferns, would make great hanging plants for the porch.

Most definitely remove the shutters. Put snap in grilles (muntins) in the windows. Two over two would make a big improvement in the beachy look. I, too, would paint the entire house white.

I think your ridge beam could accommodate a cupola.

Hi deborahmdances

My first impression is that there are textures in conflict and the entrance is overcrowded.

1st thing I would do is get rid of the banister over the steps, but keep it on the porch section, ditch the chairs and place a bench or settee along the remaining porch railing.

2nd remove the hedge under the left front/lower window next to the porch, it is hiding your lovely home and crowding the entrance.

3rd The current sawtooth shingles in the top section of the home and around the front window next to the porch conflict with the brick/texture. I would replace the
sawtooth shingles with horizontal James Hardie Board siding as horizontal
will complement the porch/lower roof line. Do the same at the
front lower window section to the left of the porch and it will pull together the top and bottom of the home. I would go a blue-gray, dark-red/blue-red (barn red or darker) that complements the brick. The color isn't great in this photo so it's a little hard to give exact color advise, but you want something that complements or picks up the tones in the brick. You mentioned already white-washing the brick, and it is hard to see exactly what that looks like by these photos. Brick is always a strong feature on a home that people make the mistake of trying to fight against by covering it up...I say first try to make it work for you by addressing the surrounding elements.

Hope this helps and these ideas work for your budget. Enjoy making your home fit your dreams!

I'd paint out both the brick & shingles in a soft gray. I'd keep all the trim white, including the shutters & garage door. Remove the single hand rail and give the front door a more balanced look by placing a chair on the larger side, a large plant on the smaller side. Paint the front door a shade of red that ties into the brick on your steps. If you plan to do a major renovation later, this would make a big difference without spending a lot of money. If your budget allows you to do more now, I'd invest in landscaping that will stay, grow and get better and better until you're ready for the big fix.

Really like someone's cupola idea -- you could go more nautical and find a ship weathervane for atop it.

If you opt to repaint, consider shades of grey and/or shades of blue/grey.

Your porch is small and adding railings would make it seems even smaller. I'd even remove the one you have on the right side of the porch or, perhaps, at least consider painting another color it to make it visually disappear rather than stark white to emphasize it.

A bench on that right side could serve the same purpose as the rail and, with the single chair on the other side, the difference in the seats would de-emphasize the off center look you clearly notice -- probably a lot more than anyone else. It's really not that bad; you have a pleasant looking home.

Consider removing the handrail on the right side of the steps because they serve to emphasize the off center look you don't like. Create a new handrail on the left side of the steps, perhaps with black pipe so it visually disappears unless needed. Consider adding flower pots on each step on the right where the handrail now is to create a border if working on the steps themselves right now is beyond your inclination or budget.

I like your choice of colors for this house
(grey shingles, white trim, aqua blue door) these colors will compliment the
white-washed bricks. A few changes to the porch and yard will make the front
more attractive.

For the off-center front door I suggest
adding a statement potted plant on the porch to the right of the door. Choose a
beautiful pot in a color that suits the front door and a plant that will
tolerate shade, such as a fern. The potted plant will be a focal point, drawing
attention away from the off-set door.

If you like the idea of
a vine growing up the porch, I recommend something smaller than wisteria which
is a huge vine (20 feet) and would require a lot of pruning to keep it small. A
more manageable alternative is a honeysuckle or clematis. For example, John
Clayton Honeysuckle (with yellow flowers) grows 6 to 10 feet. Clematis
Sugar-Sweet Blue grows 6 to 9 feet and is fragrant, plus the pale lilac-blue
flowers would go nicely with your color scheme.

As other people have
suggested, it may be a good idea to remove the shrubs on the left because they
are too large and dark. On the right, it looks like you have a low flower bed
which is in shade. You could add some small shrubs such as boxwoods and some
ferns and variegated hostas which will tie in with the fern next to the door.
Add some pale river pebbles as mulch for texture and to 'lighten up' the shaded
area. (If you remove the large shrubs, you can do similar planting on right and
left)

You have a beautiful
tree in the front lawn and this can draw attention away from the features you
don't like. I suggest removing the grass around the tree, being careful not to
damage the tree roots. Create a circular bed, add some fertilizer and mulch
(you could use traditional bark and add some interesting rocks or river
pebbles) Line the bed with an tree-ring edger (the edger prevents weeds/grass
growing into the bed and gives it a 'pulled-together' look). I like this grey,
textured edger here.

These changes will add
some symmetry, color and texture to your front yard and you will have plenty of
curb appeal without too much effort and expense. Best of luck with your
project!

I'm not sure of the condition of your windows... and since you are looking for cosmetic changes you probably aren't looking at replacing them right now.

But perhaps you could add some charm by adding window grilles/muntins to the existing ones. It would give it a more Cape Cod look, especially if you go with your grey painted shingles. I think it will also look nice with the current sidelights beside the front door.

I also agree that simply arranging objects asymmetrically beside the door will camouflage that it's not perfectly centered.

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So many great suggestions! My heading is spinning with possibilities! I love the grey shingle, white trip and aqua blue front door color scheme (Though I guess we'll need to white wash or paint all of the brick work. 'Thiskidd''s suggestion that we may be better off embracing the brick than fighting it also makes good sense.) As for the landscaping, I had not considered how important that can be. I guess those yews will have to go! Honeysuckle or clematis by the front door would be great...and would probably be happy in the location.

Just a note that the front porch is really a large overhang with a landing area by the front door. Perhaps an expanded porch would make sense in the future, when we're ready to take on more substantial fixes. Also, the roof shingles are a mottled grey/green/black asphalt (hard to know exactly...).

Thank you all so much for the jolts of inspiration - and great advice. Note to suezbell: I'm intrigued by the barn style roof idea...and will keep it in mind when we're ready to tackle the large fix!

I'd like to see some color - bright paint on the front door, colorful flowers in the planting area to the right of the door, nicer porch chairs (or just one). If you want to spend more $, new door without sidelights, maybe extend the porch toward the garage...

Paint the brick a charcoal gray. The second story can stay just the way it is as it is adorable! The architectural split in planes between the two levels and also a material change makes it the perfect way to transition to a contrasting color.

I actually like the sawtooth shingles, but I'm the kind of person who would ask if they could all be taken down, the paint removed, the whole works sanded/stained/sealed with a light colored natural tone and then put back up (or just replaced with new unpainted, sealed ones). If I was adventurous, I would consider stripping all the trim to see if it could all be left natural too, or else paint it all bright white or aqua as was suggested. I would take the opportunity to remove the shutters but might add a little wood framing on those windows to break it up from the shingles if it works for you. As for the off-center front door, I think another banister on the other side of the porch would help disguise it, by framing the steps to attract the eye. Use of asymmetric furnishings and plantings on the porch have also been suggested, and I agree. For a full renovation, I'd take the whole front porch off and start over, paving the sidewalk with the brick from the steps...oh what do I know...

I like your house. Yes, the shutters are too narrow. Figure they should be each half the width of the window. Pretend that if they closed, the shutters would cover the window--for real. I think the landscaping is old and tired. Might want to contract with a landscape designer to provide a designs. You can purchase the design only and plant the foundation planting season yourself which would save money. You can add small areas for seasonal color in the planting beds and/or a couple of large pots with seasonal color.
The outside chairs are not charming no matter where they would be used. Replace them with rockers on each side of the door
Remove the outside lights next to the door, too high and style seems wrong. If you have lights installed in the front porch ceiling, visibility for whoever is on the porch is significantly improved, bugs do not hover near the front door and the light fixtures can be simple and less expensive.
The red brick edging on the steps bother me. Think I would try to whitewash them to blend the look into the rest of the white brick.
I predict changing and refreshing the landscaping, change the chairs to rockers and the porch lights creates a different improved look for the least amount of money. Then step back and decide next steps. Also think that you will discover that the bones of the house are very nice and there is nothing wrong with the sawtooth design of the wood.

Make your ugly duckling a beautiful swan.

Older post. Update? Nice house with lots of potential -- curious; what did you do? Pics?

I agree with Bryan Anthony about painting the brick, and I would suggest a lighter off-white shade for the brick and the upper story. i also would suggest a bright white for the trim and for the risers of the steps. I do like the dark roof and black shutters.

I agree with another poster about having two handrails to flank the front steps. I understand your favoring a center door, but the large window to the left of the front door does create balance in the design. If you want a Victorian look, have a carpenter add overhangs with corbels along the edges of the roof. A balcony with a white rail across the front porch roof might be something you would like, especially if there good views from this side of the house. I personally like your house, and I think the basic design is very pretty.