I will see what I can do. The house is very square. I just did a round raised flower bed around the mailbox and tree. Will do same around the bushes. What about the trim color? White? Gray?

Light fixtures are on the list! And I just saw those pan ones you suggested at Lowe's today. Thank you!!

Okay!

We are installing a new door today. I need some advice. We put up the black shutters last week.

The trim is a blue that I'm not very fond of. It's on the eaves and around the windows. The trim around the new door is now exposed wood.

I don't know if I should paint the trim white? Or black? Or a third color... That my husband suggested... like a charcoal gray?

Should the trim color around the door be the same as the windows? And should I paint it all the same? Or should I paint around the doors and windows... White? And under the eaves of the roof, the charcoal?
Maybe the garage the darker gray and trim it white? I don't know! HELP!!

I would paint all of the trim white. I would do the door in a dark red or dark sage green. The garage door should be as close to the siding color as possible.

The best way to amp up your curb appeal is by changing the landscaping. Take a drive and notice the houses that catch your attention. Most of it is due to landscaping. You rarely notice that the shutters should be a different color or that the lights are too small....all things that are important, too. I would take out all of your foundation plantings, make curvy beds, and then plant more wispy, free flowing plants. You can usually get a free plan that you can then work on yourself...buying the plants from the vendor. Then be sure not to "shape" your plants!! Throw out those electric trimmers...:)

Thanks for your suggestions!!

I am a plant hospice worker! I pretty much will guarantee to kill anything I plant without a grounded root system.
Is there anything I can do to ADD to the landscaping to soften it without ripping it out? That terrifies me because the chances of everything going in the ground that's not rooted.... Will get massacred by 'Yours Truly'.

Also, I'm really not a fan of those colors you suggested..... Any others? Or I'll just paint the garage a gray, too? Does accenting the garage break up the look of the house?

My house is so square I thought it may help add some dimension to it. Is this not the case?

Next time you prune the hedging on the left, do not prune in between them. Allow the plants to grow into one another to form a solid block. Be sure to keep the tops trimmed below the windows so you don't block your view from inside. And no, you don't need to remove it.

I would create a square plant bed, starting at the corner of the walkway and squaring off the far corner of the hedge. Perhaps you could complete the front and sides of this new plant bed with Boxwood to give you two layers. In the center of the bed, and centerred between the windows plant a specimen tree like a Japanese Maple. You could then just fill the inside of the two hedges with a block of planting. I love the look of Hydrangeas, Carex Grasses, or Astilbe as infill for boxes like that. Keep it simple.

You could plant two specimen shrubs on either sides of the stairs to frame the front. Use something narrow, perhaps Skyrocket Junipers. To help frame the front you could also add a couple of urns with seasonal plantings on the corners of the front porch.

I don't know about "free plans" but if your local garden centre can provide you with a design for cheap I'd go for it. Feel free to present some of my ideas to them!

Good luck!

Thanks @arbordale!!

Those are some great ideas I will keep in mind when I go. I don't even know what half of those look like.

Also, it's been almost a year since We moved in. Those shrubs on the left were like little sugar cube shapes. Been leaving the middle alone. It's taking FOREVER to get them one solid shrub. Almost there!!

I will see which of those plants you suggested require little care. I try so hard and I kill everything newly planted. Wahhhhh.

I do like the decorative plants for the porch. I'm going to paint my front door first (we got a new one) and see from there!

Your home is a ranch style that is long, low and rather flat. So adding out and up will create visual interest. I would give the front door a pop of color with a cheery yellow. Painting the garage the same color as the house will only make it look longer. I think the trim color would work well. Maybe add a trellis around and over the garage door with 2 plants and a vine to grow up and over it.

And the landscape. Again, it only makes the house look long and low. It needs visual interest with different heights, textures and color of plants. Be brave! Call a landscape designer and let them come up with a plan. Then add the plants, put in a soaker hose and timer and you are set. And dont forget the big empty front yard. Add some trees for future shade.

Here is a before and after of another rancher. Notice they added a new front porch and overhang.

I love that before and after! Thanks so much. I really like all those ideas.

I do agree that a flat color on the garage would just be blah. Which is what this is giving me.... The blahs.

I like the idea of yellow. I wanted a bright green. Almost an emerald shade. Would that be complimentary?

I like the before and after photo you have! I LOVE the addition onto the from porch. That will be on my to-do list.

And I'm super lucky. I have a friend that use to do landscaping. She may be able to do some help with payment of wine.

i'd paint the blue trim white to match the window units and paint the door black to match the new shutters. then add larger in scale and more stylish lighting and remove the awkwardly placed siding from the chimney (brick or stone would make more sense) and square off the garage door openings. even though the shrubbery is in good condition, i'd love to see you remove it and create slightly curved flower beds and fill them with some softer looking and more colorful plants (flowering bushes, grasses and perennials).

I greatly respect Arbordale's professional opinion, but I still think that all new foundation plantings will make the biggest difference. Did you ever check out the beautiful fabric awnings that are available? One of those might be great for above your front stoop.

http://www.google.cz/imgres?imgurl=http://www.affordableawningsco.com/img/dome-fixed-awnings.jpg&imgrefurl=http://www.affordableawningsco.com/fixed-awnings-canopies.html&h=218&w=428&tbnid=I3cHMtFHbfaZ9M:&docid=V68XALoUPxXErM&ei=jzbnVcv4PMaZNryjuLAE&tbm=isch&ved=0CDYQMygzMDM4yAFqFQoTCIv8usL02McCFcaMDQodvBEORg

That is just one example. They come is many sizes and fabrics.

Okay. If I do consider pulling those.... Can they be replanted? Like, I have a pool in the back with a fence that is warped... If I use those bushes for a privacy lining... Is that possible?

Those are great suggestions about the chimney. I think it would give it another element! I will see what I can do. And the light fixtures are on the list. I need to finish the door first!

What about a green door like this? Thoughts??

Or would it need to be brighter?

Grapefruit! I didn't see your comment. The link for the awning isn't pulling up! Idk how I feel about an awning but I definitely would look at it!

that green is all wrong luv. its the same color as the broom handle in the above picture lol. hunter green or purple maybe...

Hahaha!! I was trying to find a brighter shade! And I actually think the handle is somewhat brighter? Well, that color is out. Ha!

I want it more of a emerald tone. Does that work?

I LIKE THE LOOK OF A BLACK DOOR

Kathryn, type in gray house black shutters to google images. lots of similar houses with doors to show you examples. yellow, black dark blue and white seem to be the most popular.

I will look. I'm hoping to spruce up the landscape in the spring!

Red seems so cliche to me... But j found red to really be nice with the grey! My door is not wood. Is there some sort of 'wood look' I can do to a fiberglass door? Any suggestions?

Photo below. The brown really warms up the house!

Advice?

I originally wanted to paint my door a bright green. I stumbled across this blue. I found two swatches as close to my home color and then the shutter color.

It surprised me that it drew my attention. Would it work for a front door color? My house is rather boring right now.

I also got two other swatches.

See below. I favor the solo one.

Wanted to see if I could make it work...

If I paint the door a color like that... What about the garage? The trim will either be switched to white or a darker gray.