Put a lovely rounded set of brick or stone front steps directly out the front door. Put the removed railing where the cement steps were and use that area in front of the right window for more seating/eating area. Then put shrubs or flowers on either side of the new central steps. Cool. :D

I love it omg where's that?

Definitely take out the flower bed. Is the paint chipping on the concrete? http://www.ehow.com/how_5942962_restore-concrete-porch.html Try this link to get a new look. You could do a cool stained finish for just a little bit of elbow grease. You could give it a cool stained finish. Paint the trim a medium to dark gray along with the posts and the half wall. Benjamin Moore Rainy Afternoon or Night Train. A few flowering shrubs in front. Mount some window boxes on the railing.

That's an adorable place. I wouldn't go to the trouble of demo-ing your planter box if you'll be moving on soon; I think if it were planted up with low junipers and evergreens the boxiness of it would disappear. Black trim isn't for everyone, but I happen to think that it, or a dark charcoal, would look sharp, take the least amount of money and effort, and help the rail to make sense and the planter to go away a bit.

We're definitely overwhelmed! I love all of the suggestions! Colors?

Maybe a color like that http://wiewirwohnen.tumblr.com/image/30275544387 ?

I love it. I would not remove the flower bed. I would paint it the same color as the rest of the concrete. Just plant beautiful yellow flowers in the spring. I would paint the post the same as the concrete which looks like it is chipping anyway. Add a few white rocking chairs or a small love seat looks like it would fit in the corner with colorful pillows and paint the railing white. Paint the front door a yellow color too. It is so cute. Can't wait to see what you do.

the biggest bang for the buck would be fresh paint. a soft yellow with white trim and a charcoal door OR a crisp white with black trim and a turquoise door.
install colorful plants in the box with 'spillers' covering the sides. add a couple of trailing hanging baskets on the porch. balance color with a big container garden to right near top of steps.

Martina G - I think you hit a home run with that house color. Paint can give you the biggest bang for the buck!

I LOVE the yellow idea! So cute!!

Paint the front door a bright color. Glidden makes an Apple Red that is popular -- not an orange red. Or choose lime green, yellow, cobalt blue, forest green, orange. Whatever you like, but avoid purple, brown (brown paint always looks muddy) and "girly" colors.

Plants will make a huge difference. Go for anything that will flower all summer and returns every year. That's perenials. Plumbago has lots of blue/lavender flowers and grows fast. It will come back next spring. Grows almost anywhere. Caladiums are leafy plants in greens, pink and red. Grow fast, last all summer if watered. Belong to the elephant ear family. Mums will continue to bloom if dead blooms are pinched off. Last into the fall. Cut back when they die off -- to the ground -- and they will sprout new in the spring. If you don't plan on living there much longer (a few years?), these will work. A great garden takes work, attention, money and time to develop.

Buy a big pot for the porch in a bright color that either matches or contrasts with the front door color you're going to paint. Plant petunias, pansies, coleus. Pansies don't do well in heat, but I don't know where you live. One can go in the corner beyond the steps. Paint the steps & porch -- black, perhaps? Depends on what color you paint the front door.

If you REALLY want to get sassy, paint the porch ceiling (light blue/aqua keeps away "haints" and spooks!-old southern tradition), put down an indoor/outdoor rug. Hang curtains across one end and the front (bamboo poles or closet poles work well for this). You aren't going to close them unless you party on the porch, but they add a charm and style that is terrific. These can be black/white stripes, a color stripe that goes with the front door color. They can be gauze, white cotton sheets, canvas, indoor/outdoor fabric. Tie back around the posts with rope. (I've always wnated to do this!) It's a summer thing. THink of the front porch as another room, a sunroom. It will be summer soon. Think ahead. Good luck. Post some after photos. We'll all want to see what you've done.

Yep, yellow. Paint your porch ceiling a pale sky blue and repaint the concrete porch and stairs that muted blue gray - carry that tone down onto the concrete foundation below the siding line all the way around the home. Use the color card of the blue gray on the porch and come back up one level for the front door color. Instant charm with paint.

Maybe take the house numbers off the door trim - their scale is great but overwhelms the trim. Mount them horizontally on the house just to the right of the door.

Ask for a hardy little evergreen groundcover that doesn't get over 3' and has a trailing / falling effect for the planter box.

So glad you like the yellow idea with gray. One of my favorite combinations. I would also add a big pot of yellows flowers and trailing ivy to the right of the door too. These are easy fixes since you will be selling soon.

I would say that if the planter would centered you could keep it, but because it isn't, it detracts. I'm with you - remove it. If budget permits, replacing the railings and balusters with simple square wood ones which would add heft to the house and be more in keeping with the Craftsman style. If you like the brighter colors, then I agree that yellow and white with red would be nice. If you want to go more with historical colors, and olive green on the body of the house with a light yellow-tan accent would be nice, and you could still go with the red door. Are your windows wood or vinyl? That will make a difference to what you do with a color scheme. I will assume for now that they are vinyl and will stay white. Also, the roof should play a part in this - what color is it?

Whatever color scheme you choose, here is how I would allocate the color: 1) the body of the house - medium tone;' this would also be the porch wall to the right 2) trim color A - white or light neutral; this would be on the window trim and the front columns 3) trim color B (optional) this could be a darker version of the neutral or another color altogether; for instance, with the yellow it could be a light gray (see photo below), light blue, light turquoise, etc; this color would be on the trim around the windows, the vent in the gable, the top trim of the columns and the top of the short column on the porch wall. 4) porch color - this can be either a match to the body of the house, depending upon what that is, or a darker version of the trim B color (e.g. dark gray with light gray trim) or of the house color itself (e.g. very dark olive green). 5) door color - a beautiful accent color just for the door (and which could be picked up in porch pillows, accessories, etc.)

Add some foundation plantings, as others have detailed, and you will have a really cute bungalow!

SO. Here's what we ended up doing.. were you curious? Also, the gross looking bush on the right of the white planter was ripped out.. Thinking about going a touch darker on the grey for the house color, and touching up white trim, ala the second photo.

Anything else we should do? :)

I like the yellow door. It gives your house personality.

Wow! What a difference a little paint can do! The yellow door is charming, Glad you decided to incorporate some landscaping as well. I always think that's the easiest way to boost up that curb appeal and add some character. I'm sure you spend a lot of time out on that huge porch, love it! Congrats, looks so inviting!

Thank you! Curious, any idea what the plans are in my inspiration photo? Also, think we should remove the aluminum awnings? They're on both sides of the house, and I think they're urgly!

Looks great. Yup, remove the awnings.

Absolutely adorable. Good job!

I know , I am about ayear late.....you did a great job , breathing new life into that house. .... job well than... just for fun , I added a new color combo to the mix

What about a seasonal planter on top of the pillar to the right of the stairs? That pillar looks lonely, and it would be a great opportunity for you to introduce some complimentary colours like yellows or blues.