I completely agree with Olychick

I'd either try to match the vinyl siding, or get close to the color of the brick, to make them blend right in and not be a feature. Perhaps one of our Photoshop experts could show you both, if they happen to see this post. Your blue door color choice is beautiful!

I def would not paint the garage doors, but if you want a change with the front door, that would work. Re the window over garage - I don't think I'd put shutters as there isn't much room on the sides of the window. I think they'd look skimpy. I know some people think it's too much trouble, but if the window is easily accessible, a window box would look pretty there.

Definite no to shutters on the upper window...rather think about boosting the size of the window trim to make it more prominent. I also agree that the garage should not be painted dark as it will make them more prominent. However, you could boost the size of the fixtures...they seem a little small for the expanse. I'm also not a fan of the style which seems very old fashioned victorian gas light vs. a house that has more contemporary lines. Same for the lamp post.

Yes to painting the front door a deep color and I'd not do the two-tone that's there now, but paint it all one color. Think of the house with cleaner, more simplified and modern lines.

What is that design in the brick above your front door? It looks pretty cool but I can't see it well. Is there a way to trim that tree up (or move it) to show the nice features of your home so ones eyes to not go straight to the garage doors? I had the same problem with my house. Once you open that area up, plant colorful foliage and paint the front door I think you will be amazed at the difference. It's all about tricking the eye away from the garage. I would then paint the garage doors a color closer to the warm shade in the brick so it will disappear a little more.

Edited to add: can you post a picture with a better view of the side of house that includes front door?

Hi. Thank You all for your suggestions. I removed the bushes on the side by the front door. I think it makes it look a lot cleaner. I will add some brightly colored flowers in that spot. I also trimmed up the tree a bit to show off the front door. I think I need some larger light fixtures as now when i look at the existing ones, they look small. I found a program on my PC and did a generic mock up of the dark doors and I have to say I kind of fancy them. Please let me know if you are still opposed to them. I think I'm just tired of living in the beige house and want a bit of depth. My block feels like a monopoly board.

Absolutely the only thing that matters is if YOU like them dark. I think it looks fine, too. I would not be happy living in a totally beige house either and, short of painting your siding and/or brick, it seems the best option to change it up.

Looks much better without the tree blocking that side.

What is your budget for the front revamp?

Have you thought about some type of paintable siding above the garage to better unify the color scheme with the brick?

Or, (I'm going to get beat up for this) how about painting that brick design all the way up and around that top window the siding color?

Elena, I tried to do a mock-up of my kooky idea above but it's hard to simulate a painted brick look. Sorry this is the best I could do. To me part of the problem is also the UN- matching colors of the siding and garage doors. I thought I had it but the garage got lighter in the transfer. On my monitor the original picture looks like the taup-y siding has a green undertone and the "off" color of the garage has a red undertone.

Anyway, I tried to tie all the colors into the same and bring the siding color over into the brick design over the door so that part of the house blended better.

This is the part I painted above door and around window and the two little doogies above the garage doors.

But, you might like the original way better.

To me, when garage doors are prominent and painted in a highly contrasting color to the house, it just seems like a big gaping hole. On the flip side, if you want to make those windows above your garage more of a feature, you could add some trim around them, in a contrasting color, one that blends with the brick or door.
I know it is more expensive, but if I was going to do anything with the garage doors, I'd switch them out for something with windows, to add some light to the bottom of my house. I just googled "Garage doors with windows" and found a lot of inspirational photos. Here's one which also shows a window with trim around it.

Went to close out my browser and saw this photo. It shows how changing out a garage door can add cohesiveness to a house and balance the two sides. In your case it is going to be tough, you have to decide which of the two disparate windows you want to mimic! I dunno, maybe someone smarter here can chime in on that. I'd actually be inclined to maybe also switch out that window above the garage door. My folks changed out a window in their house, (brick, no less) and it made a world of difference.

Justerrilynn, thanks for the mock-up. I get what you're sayin about the contrasting colors. The garage doors were the color of the siding at one point. They have just faded to this washed out taupe-y color. I do like the idea for glass on the garage doors. I work with vinyl so I'm going to give the doors a good wash and add some faux Windows to the top just to see how that looks. I'm going to start by painting the front door in a rich color. I will then see how everything goes from there. Another thing....I have a taupe colored screen door on there. I'd like to keep that because I don't have a front window and I like to keep it open (the cross breeze I get is fantastic). When I paint the door do I paint everything including the white trim around the sidelights and all of the trim around the door? Like these pictures? Also would this greenish/blue be a good choice for my door? It's Valspar Woodlawn juniper

I'm no garage door expert, but you might even be able to get windows installed on your current doors . . . just a thought, I could be way off base.

As to the shutters, if the shutters(faux or not) aren't sized to actually cover the Windows if shut then skip them.

I like the idea of beefing up the light fixtures first and paint the front door.

OK, I'm changing my mind. I think beefing up the window trim and painting it, and darkening the garage doors and the eave trim does dress up the front of the house more. Swap out the lanterns for something larger and more modern in a bronze and I think it would look nice. (Sorry, I can't do a good job of window trim in the SW color visualizer, but it does give an idea of how it would look.) I painted the window trim a softer color than the doors and eave trim otherwise it's too outstanding.

Ignore the front door color as, given how the program works and how the door is currently painted, no color gives a good effect. However, picking a contrast color for the door and painting it without all the white trim highlights will make it look more modern and outstanding.

I think I might look for a siding color that was closer to the brick so that the only difference would be the texture not texture and color.

if i put shutters on the upper window, i think i would like them best is they were light, like the siding rather than dark... they would add a little 'interest' but not stand out too much... i don't know how easy it is to 'beef up' exterior trim, but if that's an option i would look into faux wood options to avoid having to maintain that area, especially if your siding is vinyl.

you could go either way with the garage doors, but the dark does make them more prominent imo... i think the door painted in that pretty blue color you show would look nicer/stand out more with a lighter garage door.

Well I have been having a good ole time spending money on your exterior today lol. Still don't know what to do with the garage doors. Both doors with glass look too busy. Without glass so plain.

I painted the brick. Normally I'm against that. I do like it on your house style though.

I think PinkMountains garage doors are the answer. $$$$ it's only money hehe.

I don't even know what house style this would be considered. When we built it, I was overwhelmed and let the builder help me with color choices. I'm loving this look!! I love the awning above the door and I've always wanted to do that! *squee*...As for painting the brick, I have to talk to DH about that. I'm not sure he will go for it. I painted all our oak in the house and he had a minor freak out. So with that being said, would it be possible to mock up everything you did but without the painted brick? On the painted eaves would I paint all around the house or just the front face of it? Do I paint the underside of it or just the trim directly under the gutter? What color were you thinking? A cream? Sorry about all the questions, I'm giddy I've been in this house 13yrs and ready for some changes.

Hey Elena, I'll get back later as my son is coming over. Your garage doors have been driving me nuts! Windows are just too busy over such a large area. It takes the eye completely away from the entry area. I like the simplicity of this.

As to your request here it is with the brick.

When I cut and pasted the brick it came out too bright so I had to dim the whole picture.

Here it is with windows. To me it's busy but others may like it.

Dumb with Windows on only the double???

Personally, I'd leave the garage doors as they are but paint them the color of the siding.

However, I'd try to make the entrance door more prominent, with a bright color (I love the aqua blue./green) and also an awning (it's practical, too), plus some colorful plants, including on that corner of the garage, perhaps something climbing.

I sure wouldn't paint the brick because of future maintenance.

That 2nd picture is perfect nosoccer! Would you do that across all the doors or just the double?

I have been hesitant to respond, but here it goes!

Your house colors are similar to mine. Previously, we had beige two-tone doors, painted by the builder. We loved them for awhile, but the next door neighbor also had them, so we decided to do something different after living here for 6 years. Also added the shutters that many seem to hate. I like shutters!

Anyway, we painted the garage doors and shutters a gray/brown, a color we took from the brick. We also have windows on the doors, which along with the beefed up cream stucco, I think helps with not having "black hole look". We have received many compliments from neighbors and friends over the years. We also had our light fixtures and front porch bench repainted. they had both faded. See photos below.

Along with window panes in your doors (yes, you can buy just the window panel replacements for some door brands), I have another idea for your garage and front window nook.

Although I like the idea of shutters, I think what you really need is a faux or real eave vent, like the one shown here. Then beef up the trim, or add shutters. Whatever pleases YOU and your husband!

Haha...I was so busy putting my post together that I didn't see where nosoccermom suggested something similar. We posted around the same time frame and certainly think alike! :)

And I forgot to post my house photos!

Old doors

Old front

New

Ok, I tried the pergola along the whole front of garage's and to me it looked horrible. I think because this is a road facing bank of garage doors that combined are hugly bigger than the entry part of house, so it doesn't work. I then tried just on the small garage side and it didn't look as horrible.

But I still don't like it. Imagine this along the mile of garage facing front. Hmmm, it seemed like a great idea but just looked like bad cake decorating.

Still, some of you may like it. It does break it up a bit.

Wouldn't it be easier to paint the siding to match the brick rather than the other way around? Can you not paint siding, is that what it is? If it is easy, could you find a spare brick and take it into a paint store for color matching. I did that with a paint blotch on top of an old dried out can of paint once. They actually had a machine that read the color and were able to match it.

I think shutters look good from and adornment perspective, but they read "off" because the space is so narrow. I think I would explore beefing up the outside window trim for those windows. NHB22's non brick covered windows show good examples of window trim. I'll bet you could even find a trim that mirrors the shape of that curved top window. There are lots of ways to trim windows on the outside. My SO is a trim carpenter, just ask him, lol! (Believe me, you will hear more descriptions of trim that you will ever want to know, TMI!)

If I did add windows to the garage doors, I would investigate getting bigger ones that take up half the door width, not the little panes. I agree with Justerrilyn that small windows all along the top are too busy. I like how she did a non-window example too, showing how you could add some symmetry and interest just with painted trim. Not sure how that would look in real life though, I have not seen it done, maybe goofy. I would bit the bullet and get new doors. Nothing too busy though, Justerrilyn is right, you don't want them to be the focal point, just less of a blob.

Just tried a very bad mock-up using pergola type awnings for largest garage (garage doors change to dark painted or stained arched windowed doors), front door (changed to dark painted or stained glass doors) and one over the top window (trim changed to dark painted or stained). LOL

I was too lazy to re-do, but I think the house would look good without the pergola over the garage and just have the awning over the front doors that justerrylynn fabricated earlier on. Not sure what to do over the windows, but do like the darker garages, the darker trim, and the front doors in my mock-up.

My head is spinning. Lol. I love all of these ideas. DH said we are not painting the brick. We can paint the siding since its vinyl. The front door is fairly new so I'm not going to replace them but I don't have a problem painting them. I like the look of both the dark and light garage doors. I love the awning over the front door. I feel so confused on what colors to do but I'm leaning toward the dark since it will make it pop against the neighbors houses that have the same faded garage doors as I do and same color siding. They both have red brick and I have the light color. All the mock-ups are fantastic. Thank you so much. I have some decisions to make.

Elena are you keeping the same garage doors? If so and you want them dark perhaps you could do a wood look.