yes to new garage door, no to awning.

work on the landscaping (including planters by the entry), as that will make a much bigger difference than you expect.

Well, landscaping is definitely required. I would paint the garage door a color gray selected from the brick. Enlarge the lantern next to the garage door and consider adding a lantern with a mustache bracket over the front entrance.

Hi Lani,

You may consider adding some striking exterior light fixtures to jazz it up.

We are the oldest open flame/electric copper lighting company in the U.S. and hand make every one of our fixtures in New Orleans, LA.

Considering your prominent entry columns, some substantial column lighting would be appropriate. The aforementioned mustache bracket lighting above the entry is also an option. Consider doing something different but complementary on the garage for secondary lighting. Check out our Governor and French Quarter lanterns, which are just 2 great style options for your home.

We offer a complementary design service, and scan scale out the proper sizes based on your door heights/roof-line heights. Feel free to email us pictures of your space and we will be happy to make style and scale recommendations.

Congratulations on your first home!

-Lindsey @ Bevolo

I don't think a darker g door will help. But replacing its top panel with one that has windows all the way across would make it look less institutional. Maybe some proportioned decorative hardware would help, too.

I'm pro shutters if they fit and are not too skinny. And some landscape planting would help.

No to the awning, I think. If you can find an example where someone has already done it in a similar situation and it looked good, show the example and get feedback.

Can you post a pic showing the house straight on so we can see the front door?

No to shutters. No to awning. Landscaping will really warm up your front. I need to see the house from the front and the other direction to have better advice for you.

I second the idea of lighter garage doors and also the windows / glass pane in the garage door. Lots of landscaping potential . Grasses along the left edge , red twigged dogwood or two on the right, If your climate allows, some climbing vines along the columns - Asparagus, bougainvilleas, mandevillas.

Thank you for all the great ideas everyone! I am not in the house quite yet and do not currently have a better photo of the front. I was thinking of painting the white trim a dark color to match a darker garage door and adding paneling on the tip of house similar to the picture below.

Also, the awning that I was thinking of would be similar to this house below.

Here is another picture of the front

Lani, I agree with the suggestion of a garage door with windows across the top. The current color of it does not seem to compliment the brick or roof colors...at least in your photos. You can take a closeup of the brick and upload it to Sherwin Williams' site for color suggestions to blend. Just make sure the color also blends with the roof. The windows don't appear to be suitable for shutters.

I would do the following if I were in your shoes:

1) Replace your coach lights with larger coach lights

2) I can't see the front entryway well, do you have a light in there now? If so, it disappears. Put in a larger outdoor light - contemporary in style to coordinate with your new larger coach lights.

3) Agree with the others about adding square or rectangular windows to the top panel in your garage door. Repaint the garage door so it is one of the darker brick colors in your siding. Your current garage door color appears, to me, to clash with your brick a little bit. You want the garage door to recede into the background and the front door to draw all the focus.

4) Change out your walkway. It is too skimpy. Here are a couple of suggestions for a new, wider walkway. Make sure the walkway is at least 42 inches wide, if not even wider.

^the key here is not only the wide walkway but a small terracing of the walkway with landscaped entry walls. This is more involved than the walkway in pic 1. You can do the large walkway with or without the small terracing. It brings interest. You also don't necessarily need to do the post and the wall, but your landscaping does need to be beefed up.

5) Paint your front door. I think your front door needs to be colorful - but not sure of the color yet. Something to draw the focus to the door. Something also that would coordinate with your landscaping flowers too. Landscaping is going to be the thing that elevates your home to the next level.

No to the awning. No to the siding at the top. Yes to painting the white of the roofline to match the new garage door color. I do think a garage with windows and nice exterior sconces on either side would be great. Also, large potted plants with a vertical shrub in front of each column. And, landscaping will do wonders. Not sure about the shutters. They really have to be the correct proportion.

Congrats on your new house.

Yes to painting the white on the roof line to match the roof. The white draws the eye up to the roof line, and away from the house itself. It will make a big difference to change it.

Yes to landscaping. You can always do more later but I don't think you'll need anything else. I think your garage door color is a bit too yellowish. It should be about the same color but more brown/gray, maybe a little bit darker. No windows, you don't want to draw attention to the garage door. One you get landscaping, no-one will be looking at the garage door.

No awning. You have a covered entry, an awning just looks cheap. Get rid of the white trim - try something close to roof color. Paint garage a color from brick. Landscape!

I like your inspiration photos. But I agree with some others, an awning not needed and I wouldn't put it at the top of my priority list. My top thing would be to fill that wall of brick above the entrance with something with some presence. And then many of the landscaping ideas to make your house look more grounded.

Agree with partim. No to garage door windows. The garage already takes over much of the facade. The entryway, not the place you park your car, should be the focal point.

Very nice home. It mostly needs landscaping and larger coach light. It looks as though there is just the one left of the garage. BTW - if there is an HOA, you may need prior approval to paint a different color.