All I would do is add landscaping and change the door to a retro/modern style. Even painting it in a 50's color would do.

I agree with brickin. Really cute house as is. Don't add anything that would take away for the "feel" of the house. A simple paint job will do the trick. See these examples:

Samples · More Info

Samples · More Info

Samples · More Info

Thanks guys I like the ideas. I like the retro/modern front door idea (because it seems the least expensive haha). Also, are you guys familiar with any website that would allow me to simulate landscaping ideas on the above photo?

I don't think the house is boring at all, I think the lawn is boring. In fact, I think even extravagant changes to the house wouldn't look to me like a big improvement as long as the landscaping is what it is (or isn't). But I think even small landscaping improvements would make a big difference.

This is just me splattering plants in your yard, but it gives you an idea. I paid for this program at http://gardenpuzzle.com because I never can get the free ones to work.

love the landscape above. could you change the front door?

Nice job Erin.

Yes that looks great! Thank you. Any idea of price range for something like this^?

It depends, dontknow. I was tinkering with the program and just picked random things of different heights and color so you could see what I meant by landscaping making a big difference. Working with a supplier who normally sells wholesale but cuts me a deal bc I begged and I buy a lot to help my friends convert their lawns -- I probably could get all of those plants for ... eh ... $400? Retail might pump up to $500 or so.

A lot depends on the size you start with. If it were my yard, I'd get those two small conifers for around $30-50 each and they'll be maybe 4 feet tall at first? I'd probably spend about $150-$200 total for the two deciduous trees to get them as big as I could. The other shrubs and perennials aren't very much and grow quite fast. I'd expect it to take a couple of years to look settled. It depends on what species you pick and how fast-growing they are.

You'll spend a little on mulch, maybe up to $100 depending on what you choose.

Also, understand that I'm using the pictures on the design program, and what you see doesn't account for season. That pink thing ain't pink all year. I would recommend using plants with attractive and varied foliage (both in texture and color) rather than obsessing over flowers, so you don't end up with a huge pile of pretty in May and June followed by blah crap for the rest of the year. You can plan for some flowers at various times. But I think you'll be happier if you can get some conifers or other evergreen shrubs, probably some grasses, and some things with foliage in silver, burgundy, gold or lime green. I don't like variegated foliage. Don't know why, it's just a personal thing.

Talk to a local nursery for some help picking plants with the qualities that you want. If you like what I drew, you can use that for height guidelines. You can get away with planting really narrow conifers close to the house, but don't do that with those deciduous trees! Put something quite low-growing under the angled supports if you're keeping those (I vote yes, but that's just me).

Also, I would talk to your state's native plant society to get a feel for what native plants are generally available for purchase. Native plants will be less finicky in your soil and provide important habitat. My own landscape is nearly all native plants. You won't find all the dramatic foliage colors (except in fall, of course), but you'll find some winners and it's best to use native plants wherever possible. Like that thing on the far left in my picture -- from the design program I picked a butterfly bush, which is exotic, but you could substitute it with any native shrub.

Thank you^^.