Amazing how these are two total different areas from front to back. I would say hire a designer. I don't think it would take much to give it a modern refresh. You have a great house. I would change the hardscaping for sure by resurfacing the steps, change the brick on the walkway and maybe brick the driveway.

I'm in a different camp from Nancy. I would keep the brick but change out the old ledge stone wwit a large stone profile - manor type stone all in gray tones to contrast with the blond brick. New front door / screen stained a driftwood gray to work with the stone. New garage door with carriage door windows and style to balance the beautiful windows on the front elev. Yes, lose the old metal filigree post for a tall square column. Use the new stone ttour rework planter - provides good retaining function at split. / stairs. Siding over garage needs to run horizontal - be painted to match brick tone, not trim.. Lighting is good scale, pull it just longenough to spray w/ oil rubbed bronze spray paInt - Ivory trim would be better tan/blonde tonally one shade deeper - test sw blonde

I like the garage door idea!

Re. brick & stone together, I usually don't care for it, except around front doors - that staggered look, with various size stones. But that's just my opinion - I'm not a huge blond brick fan.

Thanks for the feedback. @VizX, I contacted some architects and they wanted $12-14K to design/draw the front of the house. While their work looks nice, that is too much for my budget for drawings/design. When you suggest a designer, what do you mean and how much should I expect to pay? Ultimately I would like to hire some sort of designer.

I went to the stone/brick yard to look at replacing the angel stone with something more modern. They can cut the brick I have in my backyard addition to 1/2" slices to allow for refacing. Here are some pictures showing my new brick with various stone. Regarding new stone vs. the existing angel stone, from attempts I've seen in our neighborhood, I'm not sure some of the new stone suits our house/age.

I've included a picture of a house where they re-colored/stained the angel stone and generally cleaned up the front of the house. What do you think? I wonder if this would be a good direction to go in?

What city?

I would replace the light fixtures with something prairie style. (echo the roof line of the house in the roof of the fixtures? maybe too obvious) Remove the scrolls from the pillar and railing and paint to match the light fixtures. I like the real brick and stone you already have. Is the brick disintegrating? or can it just be steam cleaned? If disintegrating, you may have to cover it. I LOVE the stone you have. Very authentic to the prairie house style, which is red hot stylish again. Can you access the mullions in the large replacement window? If so, remove some of the mullions to get the look of a custom window treatment in prairie style. I'll draw it out for you.

I'm in Toronto

on the right hand side of the garage the brick is disintegrating, but if we remove the planter box there should be enough to fix it.

Yep, none of those stone profiles would be right, I agree. I do think that cleaning up your angel stone is a fine choice - at least it is real stone where what you were looking at is manufactured - won't work well with your brick from my perspective. Don't try to match tones at all - and the profiles they showed you are not right either.

A charcoal stone ledge that would contrast is what you want if you change - something like http://canyonstonecanada.com/Product/Stones/NaturalStoneLedge# this profile.

You might just clean yours up and stain it - but that does leave a problem at the planter - perhaps you could widen your stairs? Refacing the planter with

Thanks libradesigneye, I think getting rid of the planter and widening the stairs makes sense, We could then put in a steel post surrounded by a decorative column to replace the scrolly black one.

In terms of design elements what do you think of shutters? or ornamental fixtures, decorative moulding?

Thanks.

Your brick is called cream city brick in Wisconsin. The Prairie style includes planters, so I'd avoid harvesting replacement brick that way. You may find it relatively easy to source the brick for repairs. Originally it was a low-fire brick, so it was more subject to water penetration and then spalling during freezing weather. The downspout probably leaked at some point. Others in your area will have the same brick, and same problem, so make calls to find a mason with an open pallet of this brick and the repair is a quick one so long as the foundation isn't damaged.

http://www.google.com/url?sa=i&source=images&cd=&cad=rja&docid=Ha0wUfsCmL5PQM&tbnid=EI-qDFkeQzOhrM:&ved=0CAgQjRwwAA&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.dreamhomesource.com%2Fhouse-plans%2Fdhs%2Fstyles%2Fcraftsman-house-plans%2Fprairie-style-house-plans.html&ei=tyOkUfrdJ47pywGBvYAg&psig=AFQjCNG5IIOv52IHnsbEbxmgwn_dlWBktw&ust=1369797943700465

I second libradesigneyes recommendations.

Before you do anything you need to have a pro sort out for you what the moisture source is for the failing brick and the heaving. If it's systemic and you don't deal with it now, you'll just be doing this all again in a few years.
Avoid painting over brick, especially in a masonry veneer wall with no drainage plane unless you have had someone analyze the vapor profile of the wall and know what permeability paint you should have on the outer plane. If you use a paint with the wrong permeability you risk even greater moisture damage.
Ask the same architect if they can provide some building science consultation for you instead of pretty pictures. If they can't, find one that can. A few $K on expert advice will save you 10x that down the road if you don't do things right.

I appreciate the thoughts and ideas! @ReSquare, the spalling brick near the drainpipe occurred because the pipe was knocked off from time to time and melting ice would pool in that area, hence the damage due to the freeze thaw cycle.
The planter box heaved because its plants were routinely watered, but it is not lined. Apparently they used to line them with lead in the old days, but ours has no lining.
We are not planning on painting, but considering staining - www.permatint.com

Hi just wondering what you ended up doing with your angel stone. We are trying to figure out our options as we heard removing it would damage the brick underneath.