What about a flower box?

I would use some red paint and a stencil to mimic some pavers to outline the driveway and add some accents to the garage pathways.

I think planters with box wood on each side of the garage doors, accent with seasonal flowers. Small boxwood hedge along drive and continue to left in front of window. Taller plants behind small hedge by window. The eye will be drawn downward and across.

I do think shutters would look good in the color of your trim and garage doors. I love the house color and the roof, sometimes the simplest of change can have a big impact.

If you enlarged the overhang on the garage by moving it up and bringing it out another foot or two and supported it with posts and knee braces on the four wall areas between the doors that would add a lot of character. you then might change the wall lamps to hanging coach lights on the knee braces.

I would also consider a darker stain for the driveway.

NICE HOME! love the barn red! Yes, "real" shutters with hardware (so they actually close over the windows) on the window on the left and window over the garage. A flower box for the left window as mentioned above and false black iron hardware for the garage doors! (hinges and door pulls) very easy, big impact and adds personality to your home.

Kevin's ideas a lot less money than mine, and HO friendly to install. I like them, and will add that if you did the knee brace and post idea in a natural wood/stain, you could echo it as a pergola/trellis by curving the walkway off of the garage and into the yard a couple feet, perhaps with a dark walkway color. Then curve it back to meet the driveway.

I think that would soften up the rectangularity of the front.

great ideas, thank you!
I like the idea hardware on the garages, hadn't thought of that yet! the pergola would be beautiful, too.
I've debated a windowbox, but in the north I"d only get a few months of pretty flowers!

If possible build a small pergola that extends the length of the garage and plant a drippy flowering vine like a vintage rose this would break the line. Extend the front entrance with with a flag stone deck and sitting area. Summers will be great sitting outside in your front yard watching the kids play. More trees please...

Another great idea is changing the garage doors for barn type doors, still lift like garage doors, but are wood.. Would give real character to the house

Nick and Wendy are all over it! Sounding cool and easy to do in "phases" to save money! Just gotta have a plan of attack, you will get there eventually!

Always remember"a House is just a building, a Home is what you make of it." Put yourself in your design. Are you country, french or shabby chic? Don't just plant flowers plan a part of your yard for vegetables and fruit or nut trees.. These are great ways to teach your kids about healthy eating and its fun. Check out "Grow Food, Not Lawns" on Facebook, great ideas..

Am seeing a couple of Cherry Trees in the yard.. The spring flowers will accent your home. Flowers are pink

I grew up with a cherry tree in the yard, they are not fun to pick up off the ground. I'd take a fruitless flowering tree!

I never have fruit on the ground with multiple cherries and plums...lots of beautiful birds though!

The house feels a little lopsided. Very heavy on the right side. I think if the garage door were wood it wouldn't be so obvious. I would also try to draw more attention to the entrance. Perhaps a white low window box/planter across the porch. Also some large pots between the garage doors. I would also plant a large evergreen on the left side of the house to give it better balance and some additional shrubbery. It is a beautiful,home and you have a lot of great suggestions here.

I have very similar house.Red too but am planning to change soon.We built the garage doors like in above photo.Like here http://www.examiner.com/article/garage-door-color-ideas . We bought flat panel garage doors with windows and then cut wood and attached to doors.When doors are down they look solid but they go up in sections. Attach wood trim boards with stainless steel screws and glue.Fill holes paint door white.Voila' Looks Amayyyzzzzinng!
ps have garage door company recalibrate opener springs for added weight.My doors are almost ten years old and look like new.

U need to soften the hardscape with shrubbery and a few small garden trees they will make instant impact

The garage doors in the photo Wendy posted are Clopay Reserve Collection stained cedar doors. Several designs and wood species are available. Clopay also offers faux wood doors constructed in a durable composite material that can be painted or stained and stained steel doors. The benefit over wood is that they won't rot, warp, or crack, require less surface maintenance, and are well insulated. Check out the Canyon Ridge Collection and the Gallery Collection Ultra-Grain Series at www.clopaydoor.com.

A more dominant front door would be nice, along with all of the above. I think some landscaping, and good sized bushes on the left of the house would help balance the right side.

how about planters between the garage doors?

http://deciture.com/shop/outdoor/7/napoli-cube-planter/

I like the real shutters idea, but I would paint them a rich espresso, to pull out the dark browns in your roof. Matching the trim would be expected, and a little "matchy-matchy" Plus, dark browns and deep reds go so well together!

Shutters would look great! I would add some plants up the walk way. You have a great house overall! Good luck!

We did add tan shutters, makes the space look so much better! When spring comes we hope to replace the tree with a larger one, and new shrubbery that fits the space better, as well as some planters by the garage!
Michelle Lynne Interiors Group-I debated dark brown, but the house across the street happens to also be red, but with dark brown, so I didn't want to look like them! not sure why both houses chose red in such a small area!

Your porch is so dark. Is there any chance you could add skylights to the porch?

How about a rich olive green or darker tan as accent for shutters, some spruce trees for landscaping, planters or pots with a boxwood between the garages, and eventually changing the garage doors. A flagstone or pavers making a curved patio in front of the entry recess would bring it out and you could have a nice bench and maybe a low wall with some lanterns or lighting in it. The entry really needs it to become the focus. Beautiful home and great color

Since the garage doors are so prominent, I'd think about a carriage style door with more character. Immediate impact for a reasonable price. Here are links to a few ideas:


http://www.artisandoorworks.com/
http://evergreencarriagedoors.com/
http://www.realcarriagedoors.com/
http://www.carriagedoor.com/

I think putting corbels under the roof above garage and maybe one in peak of other roofs could work. Draw it out and see. I'd use larger ones--and not too fancy. What about larger lights?

One more thing--a railing on your porch would be pretty.

Sorry, last thing. Landscaping adds a lot of pizzazz, too. Good luck!

You could think about larger trim around your windows and maybe a bit of detailing under the peaks. A couple of photos. Very nice home you have.

The dominant visuals here are the 3 garage doors and the massive driveway. I would like to see the driveway with dark pavers or at least stained a dark color. I suggest a dark wood color for them and for the trim. Next I would add a trellis at both ends and between each or the garage doors and a pergola extending over all 3. Your climate will determine what you can plant in planters to cover them. If temperate enough I suggest bougainvillea. Otherwise yellow climbing roses. A window box on the window above the garages will also lessen the largess of the garage area. I suggest small boxwoods along the porch and in front of the window to the left with tall upright evergreens on either side of the left window. You have a lot of potential. I hope you will post the after photos!

If replacing the garage doors are not in the budget, try painting them a really dark brown or dark green.

If you are interested in the look of stainless steel cable railing for your porch feel free to visit our website . . .
http://www.thecableconnection.com/ultra-tec.html
or contact our office 1-800-851-2961

Faux shutters, or real if budget allows, would look great as well as moulding/flower box below the main floor window. Urns or plants in between the garage doors and would consider updating the garage doors too.