Trim in SW Pure White or Alabaster. Get new bold house numbers & mount above door. Get new door lanterns in copper with more meat to them.

Remember that all of your window treatments should look the same from the front. More modern landscaping would be nice instead of the old hedges.

Are you willing to paint the brick? If you unified the field color between the siding and brick, it is going to bring more focus to the front door. I'd like to see a more historic sort of trim and capital treatment to that. If the interior is to be very modern / transitional even, then consider a mid toned warm gray . . like bm Copley gray or bm rockport gray on all the brick and siding. Warm off-white shutters and trim - these shutters are throwback, but so is the house .. .I'd leave them since "right-sized" shutters won't fit adjacent to the larger window .. a glossy black front door .. . .

Thanks, guys. Originally we were thinking some sort of grayish color for the siding. It's tough though to imagine what it all would look like with the red brick. I think that bottom siding piece was just put on over the brick so there wasn't a 1ft piece of brick running through the middle. Kind of want to remove the all of the white trim around the door, maybe will replace with somethings else a little toned down (it's starting to rot) Considered painting the brick but all of the brick I've seen painted just looks caked on probably because there are 5 coats on it since the houses are older. Eventually we wanted to completely reno the outside but our budget is stretched right now with inside/addition. The front windows are nice and big and the old shrubs are covering them a bit. What sort of landscaping should I do, I'm sure that will go a long way!? I've attached the type of door we are looking at not sure whether to stain or paint. We want to get ride of the storm door. The area is full of high end homes where they have torn down houses like this or renovated everything inside and out so I don't want to go too traditional as not to fit in with some of the other houses. Ahh, the decisions...

Note: big pine to the right is no longer there

Brighten up with a neutral color like white... Or...Go with hardi shakes instead... Or...Revamp all Windows and trim... Add cedar shakes! For landscaping, I ground sprinklers for lawn, take out overgrown bushes and add mulch gardens. Go to local nursery for plant suggestions. Tell them how much you want to spend outdoors with maintenance.

I agree with Oasis, that the "shutters" as they sit are purely ornamental and too small for the openings. Investing in properly sized ones (that theoretically could cover the window if closed) will go a long way. Stay away from plastic! But the biggest problem I see is the lack of detailing on the lap sided gable in the upper left. If this had some vertical trim and edges, and some rake trim along the roof, it would look a lot better. If you could reside it and use a tighter lap, better still. The entry and hedges are quite appropriate to this neo-Colonial. Were the budget to allow, some replacement windows with simulated divided lights (i.e. real looking mullions) would add immensely to the curb appeal. Best of luck!

Simple landscaping, such as this, would really clean up the front (it's also an example of painted brick, paired with coordinating siding):

Agree with the above. I would also suggest adding a window box under at least the top window on the left -- a good quality one made of PVC and painted to match your trim and shutters.

Change the gable vent louver to be more discrete - it looks like a warped belly button! New siding, not as wide, would be better. Consider German mortar smear for the brick. and cedar for a casual look on the trim and gable. Joanna Gaines of HGTV's "Fixer Upper" used a nice teal green plus cedar shutters and dormer trim on the bottom house with German smear technique for the brick. Definitely pull out the hedges and install more airy, casual beds and foundation plantings that are low maintenance.

The door you posted is a nice door, but it is a bit craftsman in style for this house. It is also a considerable expense and you report wanting to do a facelift and save $ for later. That is not the best door for this house. You need a traditional door and you have one - wait - you might like to replicate the large window detail in the top half of the door after you live there a while.

I suggested paint for now because it is the least expensive element to work with and I understand that many of your goals will need to wait - you just want a bit of a lift out here to carry you through. Let's put off the question of painted brick - it would modernize the house, but it isn't necessary and if you are in a deep freeze thaw climate, not ideal (staining doesn't affect the bricks thermal properties). Here are some colors to try that should give you the lift you want without a big expense.

For now, I would keep the door you have and work on the surround instead (you mention deterioration there). I do think getting the gable closer to a mid tone will help unify the house, but I would move away from the blues. Since you are modern inside, consider a bright color on the front door you have - against the red brick, I'd suggest a bright golden yellow. Historic bm dorset gold is a good choice there .. http://www.benjaminmoore.com/en-us/paint-color/dorsetgold

Then, you can paint the shutters you have a deep gray - test bm ambler slate

http://www.benjaminmoore.com/en-us/paint-color/amblerslate

Test this (mid tone outdoors) non-blue sort of neutral gray for your siding bm shaker gray http://www.benjaminmoore.com/en-us/paint-color/shakergray

Open these links on a good color monitor, to see them together. Finish with crisp white trim - these colors will bring both a little dignity to the traditional form but also impart a little sense of the fun with which you have attacked the inside .. paint is always the least expensive and most impactful choice. If you are having the trim and framing around the door addressed, know that you can paint the rest of the lower band out with the siding and beef up the trim surround around the door . .here's a decent image up close of some traditional trim details with a little bit of a crown.

The rest of the trim band under the siding can be finished with regularly spaced small corbels and painted with the siding so as to distinguish it from the door trim . . . here's an image with the small corbel / almost a large dentil moulding detail for the face of a colonial. These small moves will cost less than a new door, but give you more bang for your buck.

@ libradesigneye, May I interject and ask how painted siding holds up (asking for myself)?

saralallynash - it depends on several factors. How harsh is your climate? Was it brushed in or sprayed? Was the preparation thorough? If a good quality paint done well, it is about 15 - 20 years depending on your location and color. Colors will fade somewhat, and a deep dark color is harder to maintain in a high sun /high heat environment - not really recommended if you have temps that top 95 degrees regularly and have no shade on your home.

How many times will someone recommend German shmear?

GL - its "hawt" right now since everyone saw it on "Fixer Upper!" Just an alternative to painting brick and suggested when someone is considering painting it.

Don't paint the bricks and mortar, they need to breathe.

I am not sure if it is appropriate in designer world but I would put shutters on gable altho I like them gone on the brick.

I don't think the smear will work with the neighborhood. I'm a fan of brick, just not necessarily this shade. Doesn't seem like much can go with it. But then again I don't know anything about design.

I was wondering what the house would looking like without the shutters, I kind of like it. Could be that, as someone mentioned, the shutters aren't sized right and are blue!?

It's just awkward with the siding on the one upper left corner of the house. I'm sure it would look a lot better if I carried it all the way across but not sure if I want to go there yet.

Dark blue is in in 2016, terracotta, the colour of your bricks, is coming back in 2017. In bricks it never went out, and is maintenance free.

@BeverlyFLA - did you use a particular color for the siding in that pic?

I might paint the white band to blend with the brick, and the gable some color -- not sure what to suggest.

I would first remove the shutters, the hedges, the wrought iron rails, and the window treatments. Pretty window treatments add much curb appeal. I would not paint the siding anything gray or blue. I would stay with white or off-white.

To keep the cost down. For now : How about a cream color above like BM white dove , a really pretty deep blue color on the door and shutters on just that window above making sure they are the appropriate size for that window like they would close and using the ( beveled ) look shutter and hung correctly like shutters should be with the hardware . And maybe a flower box under that window. A kick plate on the bottom of the door and new lighting by the door. And landscaping for updating. Take the shutters off the other windows. So many ideas there can be made depending on the cost you want to put into the home right now. Your house can be amazing on the outside if cost is not and issue. I would make sure the front windows have consistant window treatments like plantation shutters. Since you have great red brick to the house. I hope ideas are helping.

It seems the trim on the top of the gable along the roofline is missing. Not sure why that is. Wider trim around door and windows would look nice.

Oh, I see someone deleted trim around door. I would suggest not to remove it.