Thank you Jansgirl, I'm wondering if there is a way to elevate the style. Perhaps a nice wood front door, and new smaller shutters that fit the window better? Taller bushes in front of the left window to cover the blank space? Different windows?

i love this little house. a nice cedar window box under kitchen window would be perfect and help shorten that space between window and ground. you need to change those shutters. they look high because of the window sill. paint those black or do them in wood also.

this would be perfect with your house.

holidays you could change the flowers.

as for the front door, get something with glass (you could do wood or find one to paint) and think about doing a full side-light on the right side. this door is perfect (but only one sidelight,,,unless you can fit in two like this)

You could add a more substantial front porch which would add interest. Hopefully some of these will make you chuckle but its meant to give you ideas.

Cute home, maybe a new garage with matching front doors if you like wood?

Darker pathway and less of it, bushes under the shorter window?

That garage door is a stunner.

It is an attractive house now. It only needs minor adjustments.

Rework the shape of the beds. Remove the edging. Paint secondary door same color as house.

I'd remove the shuttersn (and the white grid), they just add to the wide short window issue. And they are not wide enough to "shut" over the window. A window box would add depth to match the other window.

Darling home..... not a lot to do! Love Beth's front door with glass!! That would make a huge statement. You could get a wood door with the lights at the top as shown by another.

larger lights flanking the garage and love the flower box ideas!!!

I do like the shutters with the home and window box... they just need to be replaced to scale as they look dwarfed and as Beth mentioned, "high". With the window box and her photo inspirations you can better see the size/scale.... I love the arched beds and flowers..... Down the road one day if you go with wood or wood like door and garage you could do the walkway/paths in other than flat cement to give it a little more charm...which it has plenty of already!

I think the ideas of adding natural wood are great! If you can't change out the garage door, it would be easy enough to add wood detail over the top of it; then finish with a waterproofing deck stain. Remove the shutters, and add wood trim around the window, extending down to incorporate a window box. Last but not least, make the two grassy sections to the right of the sidewalk into landscaped beds. Using a combination of evergreen and colorful perennials would ensure you had some year-round beauty.

Thank you all so much! (we got the house!!) I love the wood garage door idea, and a wood framed glass front door.

We're looking to get new windows and are wondering what would look best? We like the modern look of black frame windows, but are pretty open. Any ideas?

You could consider a neutral brownish-grey window. This blends with most colors.

And we're on to windows now! I was hoping for thin frames however Aluminum windows are not an option because the climate is too hot here. We're looking at vinyl as an alternative. The question is what type of window would look best in each of the front windows? And should we get the colonial grid (Muntin) design in them?

I'm thinking it might be best, to let the most light in using the the awning window for the smaller window (above the kitchen sink) and a casement window for the longer window in the office.

I'd love to hear your thoughts!

Thanks!

The two below vs. the crank windows is a better option. I've not seen crank windows in ages and they can be a pain and I feel dated. My mother in law had them in her 45 year old home.

I have the casement window from Anderson that I just put in my new bathroom. If that's the look you're after, then use it. I like the vertical ones over the awning type.

the window over you kitchen sink would prob be one that you want to allow the most light and air, no?

I couldn't do this one, above. doesn't open enough.

standard side by side slider

and your vertical casement. this is a double casement.

Thank you! I like the idea of the side by side slider. My only hesitation is - would it shorten the window too much or look too busy from the curb appeal?

(+ here's a picture of the existing window from the inside)

Nice kitchen! Looks like a great house, congratulations.

I don't think it will shorten it. you can get a double hung window or the double casement window. (with or without the grids)

It's a nice house. New windows should fit the existing opening. I don't think the short window is a problem at all, and new windows shouldn't make in shorter. Also, what a great location for your kitchen sink window!

I would go with just a really nice, substantial window box and skip the shutters entirely. They don't add anything, and there is no room for them on your other window. Why pay for them? Just remove the existing ones. Maybe you can use them as shelves in your garage.

Another solution would be to add trim (paneling-type trim, imagine something like a recessed panel cabinet door) below the window, but that would involve the brick and be much more expensive than a really nice window box. Get a custom one made to be the exact correct size - don't let it be skimpy in any direction. Pay up. It will make a really, really big difference.

I would just paint the front door and garage door (the person garage door on the side, not the car garage door) to match the house trim, get slightly larger black sconces on the garage, and add a really nice window box also painted cream. If you decide to eventually paint the whole house, you can consider other colors then.

Consider waiting on the windows. Replacement windows are expensive and the work is not that disruptive. You want to make the right choice. Ideally, if you have a window box, you would have in-swing French or casement windows - $$$$$. But you can always water the box from the outside. Which is another reason to prioritize the window box. It is in a location that you won't forget about, and you will water the plants and keep them alive.

How many windows are there total in the house? Are the current windows original? What it the material?

The landscaping is nice and neat and the lawn is in pretty good condition. The landscaping can definitely be improved - the current beds are a little too cutesy, and I think the plants are too small, but it's not bad at all. This seems like an easy house to move into. Kitchen is a decent size, older so you aren't paying up for someone else's renos, but still very inviting and nice.

Awesome thanks! I think we'll take the advice and get a window box made for the window, possibly removing the shutters. The shutters may be the thing that's bugging my eye; they're making the window seem even more wide and short.

There are only 8 existing windows in the house that are aluminum. Plus 2 walls of huge sliding doors/windows out the back. See photo attached.

When you say you would paint the front door and side garage door the same color as the trim, are you meaning the white/cream color? Would it be too much white? We are thinking of a wood door with large piece for glass.

Oh here's photos of the interior windows I mentioned.

Hi everyone, working on the exterior - so far have painted the door black, found some shutters to replace the existing - the new ones would be the right height for the window and a couple inches narrower. Do you think black shutters with a white flower box under the window? Also going to add a row of tall grasses as pictured to fill the gap between the bottom of the window and landscaping.

I wouldn't do white flower box, do a cedar. and make it look like this

doing the tall grasses may be too much. you want the trailing flowers to be the star, without competing w/tall grasses. tall grass against the brick off to the right would be ok. I'd plant some yellow flowers under the window.

give it a coat of spar varnish to keep it looking like this for years.

Is it possible to tile that front patio? you have plenty of room for it. Would really give you some great oomph for that spot.

I'd do something in the black and white like cement tiles or black ostrich slate.

or, for super cheap and easy option, Porch Paint with a stencil

you could do whatever colors you want.

at the very least, get a nice outdoor rug (but painting it would look so much better)