P.S I like the gray of your porch, and the gray/white of @Evo above...

I would suggest some shutters and maybe window boxs on upper windows. Landscaping is a definite. Maybe consider a wool gel stain on he garage door with the suggested arbor structure.. congratulations! You done a great.

I agree with many of the comments. Two things are: 1) The Garage, I will re-enforce that if you add an arbor to the garage front - repeat the arch theme of the porch and front picket fence - if you add a light, repeat the sconce that this next to the side door - as much as I like goose neck lamps - not here and 2) Less is more - remove the shutters on the house and remove the fake hinges & the double door handles on the garage. - Is that a removable rock between the house and the driveway remove it or define it - right now i can't determine if it blocks a natural path - but work with it in the landscaping process. - I would not add a cement drive but stone that would complement the rock.

you have done well. I hope you can post a final picture - You have accomplished much and have many good ideas to incorporate for the finish.

You could curve the shape at the top corners of the garage door opening to mimic the curved look at the porch or you could install a garage door with a curved window near the top - just a top curve, straight on the bottom. I love the colors, btw!

Can you replicate the nice curved line you have on the porch roof over the door on the garage? IMO, that would tie the two together. Don't change the garage door color. Maybe think about the driveway -- if you don't want it paved, gravel might tidy it up a bit. Then continue by the garage whatever planting you do around the porch. It's beautiful. (p.s. no plant will keep dogs away; it's a nice idea, but it won't work, and you do not want blue flowers in front of this house -- go white, yellow, peach) (i'm just saying)

love the color ;)

maybe some whispy plants. nothing to bushy or "heavy". i wouldnt overload the plants either. the house is gorgeous enough!

We definitely agree with a lot of the comments above: your house is beautiful! The deck looks great and you should use an arbor above the garage, but keep the arch-theme consistent. Same thing with the shutters: keep it consistent; we would get rid of them rather than keeping them. We love the bird bath in the front. You can spruce that up easily with some pretty iron accents, like a bird feeder hanging above, or some flowering bushes below. If you go with iron we support Laura Murphy's idea of a wrought iron chicken or lighting with wrought iron as a base.

As for the door, that's our specialty..

A lot of curb appeal faux pas is to spend your money on repainting your door, when you should invest by replacing your door entirely. Rule #1 from BHG to boost curb appeal is a new door (bit.ly/2nhDHW2). Stats say it gives you a $8K value increase on home worth.

We also love these HGTV before-and-afters shots (bit.ly/2o8rQy4) for some inspiration! The farmhouses really show off their charm by using their door as a balance and focal point. We use Therma-Tru doors on the daily to help customers bring more curb appeal to their homes. A huge part of that fit is, of course, color-matching. We'd suggest checking out the new 2017 Catalog here (orepac.com/doors.html). Feel free to look at OrePac's custom line of paint and stain colors for Therma-True doors in the FinishKote catalog. Let us know if we can help at all!

The door is actually new. I selected the same style door as the original 1920s door but due to budget constraints I selected a fiberglass door (opting to paint it) vs a solid wood door. I wish I could have saved the original door but the damage was too extensive.

Glad to see you found a style similar to the original 1920s door! We definitely think the brown you picked out would go well with rustic style, but if you want to go for something bolder we suggest a more mahogany-rich color:

1. http://photos.hgtv.com/photos/viewer/door-/back-door
2. http://photos.hgtv.com/photos/viewer/door-/rich-wood-doors
3. http://photos.hgtv.com/photos/viewer/door-/barn-door_style-wood-door-to-bathroom

Definitely think that will look more charming!

Attached below is a close up picture of the front window with the shutter. The second contractor that stepped in after the building code issues with the first contractor did the best that he could to address issue that the roof should have been a few inches taller. If I remove the shutters from my house how should I address the top of this window? Please note that it was my intention to repaint the shutters in BM Black Bean Soup color.

so many questions....kids? pets, love to weed, formal vs natural, direction from which sunlight comes, drainage, soil acid, driveway staying, budget, fence staying, piles of snow in the winter....see. I would just love to sit and chat on your lovely porch and listen to your likes, dislikes and memories you hope to create.

Love it! A lot of good ideas...I'm in the process adding a copula and weather vane on top of my garage. Good luck! Very nice transformation.

Add a zingy color - turquoise goes well with red - just look at early/vintage adds for Coke. Paint the garage door and the front door. See how you like it. Paints easy enough to change. I've always thought that houses look best with 3 colors - even if one is white. The extra pop makes a HUGE difference! If you do paint the front door, remove the storm door or replace it with a solid pain of glass or screen so it doesn't hide the color-pop. Good luck!

What a wonderful house! You've done an incredible job. Love the color. The garage is very cute, but you might consider adding a small eyebrow or square window in the space above the garage door. As well as adding some architectural interest, It might be nice to have the natural light in the garage.

A little metal shed roof, supported by brackets over the top of the garage door will add a huge amount of attention without to much focus on the garage.

Really lovely home; good work! Consider: lifting the lower branches of the magnificent magnolia, remove the scraggly shrub by the far right picket fence, add low "anchor" shrubbery to each side of the front stairs and one toward the end of the porch, in fill with annuals and even some annuals in large low pots; the previous comment about fragrance is great; Herbs in a foundation garden work wonders and kids love helping collect some for cooking (safety scissors always). Mulching defined garden space is important and makes the ground stay hydrated which helps make weeds easier to remove. Remove the scraggly shrubbery by the picket fence. Depending on your sun exposure and climate zone think about hydrangea plants somewhere; small hybrids available now. Anchor the front stairs and the far corner of the porch. A local or even "national" nursery will help with some choices. Good luck.

The large tree is gorgeous, but needs trimming up :)

With such a gorgeous traditional home why not just save up for a proper detached garage like the one we built? It would be better to match the scale of the building as well as add (with the correct elements) more suitable styled, more useable flava to an already great home. It would suit a jewel box style garage that would elevate the front yard visually even further. Ours really upped our curb appeal and home value too. Love the choices you've made thus far tho! Very sweet.

As far as just the garage itself, I think the curved trim that mimics what you have on the porch would be nice. It would tie it in nicely.

Lovely home! Beautiful paint choices.

These just came to my inbox and I thought it might be helpful.

http://form.rejuvenation.com/ats/msg.aspx?sg1=21b3715371e7ed4a8dbab77a7d814715272d9dc4c81cd6ce6b9b96d403cb1a81

https://www.pinterest.com/rejuvenationinc/patio-and-deck-inspiration/

Landscaping, driveway, will make it pop! Beautiful home, love the paint choice and trim! Maybe use a pebble stone look for drive and walkway!

Big gooseneck light over the garage door in black.

Love your renovations and house colors. I like making the garage door same color as house but would like to see the trim around garage door same color as well. This would keep one's eye on standout porch and not be drawn to garage. If garage and trim are monochromatic it wouldn't jump out as much competing with porch. Light over garage is good idea.

Beautiful home. House should be the focus and the garage just fade away. Right now the large amount of tan color I am seeing is drawling my eye to that instead of the beautiful home and porch. Blend the door opening away. Maybe the darker color putty or a shade of red to tone on tone it. I see on the top roof edge a darker putty that could look well. Add a fixtures over the top of the door. Depending how the home sits extenuate the left side wall instead of the garage, with 2 gooseneck industrial fixtures. Make the bed below catch more of the focus than the front off the door. Hubbardton Forge # 302701 or 303003

or30271 really like that on or something like it for the spot. Dave Nyce

I think your garage is adorable as is - I love the doors and the hardware on them. All I can think of is maybe a gooseneck barn light over them?

Hi, I have some additional thoughts about your landscaping. My husband and I are working on our 19th century house, too. A huge improvement to any curb appeal and a vital preventive house maintenance is advice we received from three certified arborists: prun back or (for us) remove all trees overhanging the house/garage. Consider contacting the US Extension Service either through the local state University or online. All manner of free research based home advice and even leaflets and lists. Have you considered redefining the existing circular walkway and driveway? Adding pea gravel to both would be a good historic choice and saves money. Hardscaping can be added later. Finally, one picky point...the bird bath is too small in scale for its current position; consider moving it to the porch foundation garden next to the garage. This is a beautiful place, trust your own judgment and use the advice that most speaks to you.

a small suggestion - lighten up the magnolia in front of the garage - thin it out a bit and make trunk more visible. and yes, trust yourself!

Beautiful house! Two things bother me about the garage. One is the left side of the garage because it looks like an afterthought. Not an ntegral part of the house. But I don't know how to fix that. The second is the triangle expanse the over the door. Could you add a barn-style down light in the centre? It would break up the large area and provide a nice downlight wash on the door and ground

I think the garage is cute, nice proportions and I like the substantial door frame, fascia and corner board details, and doors. But I have a recommendation not yet offered to make the garage look more period original to the house. The next time you reroof the garage, extend the roof decking to create an overhanging eave at the gable end and put reduced-sized brackets as on the house. If you don't do the arbor (my favorite suggestion offered above), you could put a ledger-board across at the base of the gable and then shingle above, as on the gable of the house. I did these things (without brackets) for the front gable end of a 1941 house that looked like a cottage except for the eave-less (naked-looking) front gable, and it looked really great. Didn't cost much either, I think about $5,000 materials and labor (me doing the painting). Want to say that I appreciate that you've worked to restore, rather than 'update,' this house...for example, that you tried to keep the original front door. And I think your colors are great; on the garage I'd stick with same-color 'tomato soup' door and let the nice frame, fascia and cornerboards in your taupe/tan be a touch of contrast.

Something simple. Add an arched trim above the door. Remove the iron hardware. Add a light above the trim in the middle of the building. I don't believe garage doors should be a focal point of the house, so I would leave it the same color as the house and the trim the same color as the house trim. Love the porch.

I like your iron hardware. It goes with the house.

The answer was right next to your fingers for the door I think the color is mahogany for the garage I'd do cobble stones and red Hawaiian

Check out laser cut lattice. I saw this product last year and was intrigued. http://www.acuriolattice.com

I just so totally love what you've done to your house...gorgeous front porch, fantastic colors and the garage is a part of your wonderful house and should be treated with the same respect, not made to be invisible or fade into the background...you've got the colors, the garage door is wonderful with the look of being double doors and yes, a light added up at the peak would be really good. I live in the desert of the southwest but my home state is Michigan and your house takes me back to the wonderful areas outside of Detroit, the farm land and the beautiful farm houses that dot the landscape. Take care of your treasure and would love to see more photos after the exterior is all wrapped up. Good job!

Muy buenas ideas gracias

Do you have some money left to put in a new driveway of brick or pavers? It could be more on the tawny tan-gold color to follow the color palette. And then the landscaping with a few colorful flowering shrubs and some dark glossy leaves. Your house is charming!

We just finished doing our house from foundation up Craftman Style. We have the old fashion barn door garage. We had it finished in a wood finish med. brown, I don't remember the exact name of color but with the hardware in an Oil Bronze they show up beautiful. Front Door will be the same color as the garage just not finished yet.

Sorry, not liking the color. I would go Navy and White with nice landscaping. Garage does not bother me either, a vine or cute light might help.

I'd absolutely like the opportunity to provide some ideas on landscape/hardscape design and installation! Pinnacle Properties is just down the road in Williston and we service the greater Burlington area and have been doing so since 2001. Bob@PinnaclePropertiesVT.com

Just to add my 2 cents: Love the gorgeous house and porch style. I think the colors are rich and interesting but I don't love how they look together. It's a bit ketchup & mustard for me when in combination. The garage door is exquisite! I would highlight it more as it gets lost in the red color of the house. If I were to repaint the house, I'd do the house in a light/medium tone color of brick red, gray, tan, or slate blue, and do the trim in white, and the garage door in white, and the front door either in black or a color that pops nicely with the house color. That would really make the garage door pop. I like the barn style light fixture someone posted above, and it would be great above the garage door. The light fixture should match the porch lights. Craftsman style might look nice as well. Landscaping would be a huge improvement and there were already excellent suggestions there. I don't like the idea of the arbor over the garage. The front of the house already has a lot going on and I think the arbor would detract from the impressive porch and would make the overall effect way too busy. The overhanging eave suggestion someone made would be good if it's in the budget but I'd prioritize the landscaping over that. I like the idea of vintage-looking stone pavers going a few feet out from the front of the garage, matching pavers going a few feet out around the base of the porch steps, and then either paver walkway and driveway or gravel in a color that coordinates with the pavers.

The hardware on your garage door looks way too small. The 4 corner/side pieces should be 2-3 times larger. Also, I agree a gooseneck black light centered between the top of the door and the peak would look good.

You're already getting excellent suggestions. We agree that a new door and lights would be nice.

Why not mimic the design of the porch over the garage using the same detailing. It would tie it in all together nicely.

Your garage is looks like an addition. The trick of doing an addition is making it look like it belongs. If you could add to the left side of the garage and make it look like it attaches to the house will help quite a bit. An Arbor is not a bad idea. Unfortunately an arbor might draw too much attention. I think having an eyebrow across the front using the same metal roofing that you have in your front porch will give you an even flow.

Dan you are correct ... the garage does look like an addition. When I purchased my house the garage was connected to the house with a breezway. I had the breezeway torn down and then added an addition to the house twice the width of the breezeway. I have never been happy with that corner...

Love the suggestions... Of all - Evo is spot on. The garage Pergola is exactly as I would suggest.. I love your colors and commend you on a project of immense proportion. Continue on and Thank You for showing us your delightful home.

Love love love your house color! House sparkles with color choices. Garages are hard as garage doors aren't attractive. I've always painted my garages all one color for trim, door, and walls to make them recede rather than stand out but that's just me.
Love all your work , your house is a gem.

I have done a visual of your home I was thinking of having Pampas grass, agave, and low potted with gravel for the front, gladiolus, hibiscus, hosta, with some greenery for the side of the home.