The first thing I would do is get rid of that porch!!! Then install shutters the color of the roof. Paint the front door red, get new bigger light fixtures and add decorative hinges to the garage door. Install new fresh gravel in the driveway and honestly, I would get rid of the pickett fence. Install some landscaping across the front of the house. My final painful to hear suggestion.. Relocate that trellis you just installed.. Too fussy for the front of the house but it would look beautiful I'm sure somewhere in your backyard.

SORRY - Forgot to tell that we have different bigger light fixtures up there after having removed the brass/gold stuff. And we have a new front door that is painted purple. Not quite sure that we want to rip off the picket fence yet as our baby has not figured out how to open the gate to run out to the road

landscaping would help. I suggest that you think of planing something between the fence and the road. Perhaps native plants or mixed shrubs.

I can certainly understand your concern about the fence and the safety of your baby.. Guess you are thinking of going a little more bold in your color choices than I had envisioned. Shutters the color of your roof would still look nice with your purple door. If you can't replace the existing porch it would look look better to be painted your trim color. Sounds like you are off to a great start!

I agree to paint your porch the white color of the trim/fence. Plantings next to house with flowers will do wonders. I'd also plant a tree left of center and plant colorful flowers all around it. For the driveway, just get a couple truck loads of gravel. Gravel works in a rural setting. You have the lights flanking the garage door so that would "guide" you into the garage. Landscaping, paint front porch and new gravel. Done. Keep the front "ditch" area weed eated down will look nice and clean too.

I would get rid of the deck and build concreate porch to give it a home look!

There are a few things that can make a dramatic change in the overall and current look of your house:
Let us try first, to identify the problems; natural wood front porch that mainly connects driveway entrance to elevated main access to First Floor, monotony in the roof line, fence that creates an impresion of a smaller front , naked windows, unpaved driway, lack of landscaping.
I believe you can break the long roof line in the front by recessing the front door into the house, while creating a portruding masonry porch with a small gable roof that connects above, perpendicular to the house. Another small poligonal roof above the bay window will add to this break and add some interest to its features.
The porch does not need to have all the steps in the same place, or too many. You can start moving "up" by using ramps as you approach the house and locate preliminary steps around the porch, or even place some of them inside the house, which requires some framing. The fence should probably be removed to help in the visualization of the front as one space and not fragmented. Adding shutters to the other windows will also make a difference, use a dark grey or slate color that will give you some contrast with the siding.
Finally, the use of paving, granite curbs and bluestone walks with some basic grass and planting will complete the picture, which could try to integrate the tree in the front. Good luck!

SORRY - I havent given you guys the full details. This pic is from 2007 and so havent taken any new ones lately, here is one from google maps and even then this picture is old by 4yrs!

A - in the area from the picket fence to the road I want to put a flower/shrub area
B - inside the fence I want to put a little table with 2 chairs so that people can sit & enjoy the shade on most days
C & D - I want to make a little brick wall which runs along the ditch area
E - put a little brick wall which defines property edge
F - Roughly where the new roof meets the old
G - you guys are right - gotta do something about that porch which is off the groud by almost 4ft
H - I want to dig and level it off a little bit so that it can be extra parking as well as a place to work on cars - hence making it level.

you can see on the bottom of the pic what it should end up looking like, the blue dot is the pole in front of the house :(

Pretty wide place for improvement. I guess some landscaping will do for it. Put some plants that will height 3 to 5 feet between your garage and the yard to separate the space. Then in the line of the first window from the left, you can put a table with wooden benches around. I have this one in my own backyard because my family enjoys spending time outdoor at night.

I got my outdoor lighting from http://www.buytikitorches.com in my backyard. You can check them too if you need it.

You have big plans that sound great. Not sure your neighbors are going to be happy about you working on cars in the front yard. Maybe you can find a place behind the house?

I guess if my neighbors dont like it, they can come and talk to me about it. No way am I taking my cars to the back of the house - no way to get cars to the back