Is that a hedge? Whatever it is remove it ! Looks like a small area in front , between the sidewalk & house, I'd landscape that area, don't know your zone, I would take your dimensions &'pictures of your house & yard & seek the advice of your local nursery.

Agreed, the hedge has seen better days..

If you like the hedge but want it to be thicker, you can cut it down to about 3-6 inches from the ground. It will come up again and look tons better. Then you can cut it toward being thicker and richer. If you plan to keep it, leave it until the fall. Cut it down then.

Yes the first thing would be the stair railing, the hedges you have are during winter time? Maybe paint your trim a brown or a green color. Your address numbers, do change to a bigger or a design that would stand out more. High light your mail box other than your trim color.

Ken

You're not doing that bad as it is, because at least it's honest. If you want to get into actual remodeling, extending the roof overhang would add some character. This house easily could be made into something really cute.

What color is the siding? Is it pale yellow?

Put a front porch with the living room windows under the a new roof line that goes across the building. The new lower roof line should have an accenting front peak should be a gable (currently it is a hip roof) above the living area windows and sloping down to the left corner (looking at the picture) of the entry area (not straight across on top). The rain will flow left and right off of the house.

The stairs should start below the 3 entry area windows to a landing and then 2 stairs up straight in front of the living room windows. The landing will need just perfect railing perhaps with installed lanterns; and railing on the top porch all around except of course the opening of steps leading up. The two steps up to the new porch area can be the length of the porch and the landing could be the length of the porch. So great for holiday decorations. Plan the start of the stairs leading to the landing accordingly.

Make the column that holds up the corner of the new roof on the right, as looking at the photo, something with style and mass to balance the entry area weight. The peak of the roof should be centered over the living area windows.

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I'd consider using a very dark color as the accent color for trim and stairs - but play with the chips first, to get it right. Using only yellows/browns is going to keep it looking a little drab to my eye. But that's me. Using a contrast with a deep tone will help make it pop. I tend to dislike different tones of a single shade unless I'm going for tranquility - and tranquility isn't usually what one aims for when trying for curb appeal, but pleasing contrasts. It can work, but then it needs something to offset it. Think of the classic pale grey house with black/charcoal trim and a red door. The pale grey is sharpened/brightened by proximity to the black trim, but it's the red door that pulls you in and grabs your eye. So - what bold contrasty color is a favorite of yours? Moroccan Blue, maybe? Using that on the door and window boxes, with a sharper variant in your trim color/stairs, might do the trick. But check your colors in multiple light conditions before you decide!

Great ideas! Thinking about dark gray for the window frames and stairs and black for railings, mailbox and exterior lighting. Should I also go with black house numbers.? Still thinking about door color, blue is a possibility. Should flower boxes match trim? Inside.is cottage, going for a farmhouse look.

Yes, accent color blue for the door will be charming.

I did a quick search and I see that there's a lot of drab blues out there passing for "Moroccan". So I grabbed this link to make sure I'm communicating. The color is added to different bases, and in different strengths, so there is variability - but at it's best it's a strong, bright, intense blue that hasn't been toned down with black. On this page, scan down to the 10th picture - a blue door behind a bag of dry blue pigment. That's pretty close to what I meant. BUT: your eye rules. Your light & the exact shade of your house will modify what looks best. I do love the idea of charcoal trim and black house numbers, railing, mailbox, etc. But if not blue, you'll need something bold to really make it all pop! (You may want to get black hardware- door knob etc. - too.) Don't know about the flower boxes... matching trim sounds right, but I'd want to do everything else before making that final decision. You want enough charcoal to make it crisp, but not to overwhelm it. Here's the link - have fun! http://jamesclear.com/photography/morocco

pine green trim is a good match as well as the blue.

That lower picture suggests that terra cotta or burnt sienna might be a good trim color - I like the terra cotta steps with the house and blue door. (But personally wouldn't introduce it as a fourth color w/ house yellow, charcoal, blue door) But if the blue is too bold for your tastes, and not pleasing, maybe a terra cotta or burnt sienna door with charcoal trim would pull it all together for you. Either combo seems yummy to me.