I feel the 1st thing I would do is remove all the over growth in front of the home to see it. You may need roof repair or replacement. I can't see the front door which is key to know and see the front entrance making it inviting. The dormers, one is way to small the other looks like another entrance. I would try to get some
uniformity on the roof even adding another Faux dormer which they sell kits that have mirrored windows and are not a real dormer . Both or all 3 being the same size and spaced in a balanced way. Any home can be made to look great.

Wow! you have got yourself a project! ; ) I d need more photos t help percolate new ideas. Love the French door idea. I cannot see the concrete slab; what size is it and does it go up against the wall or just in fromt of the garage door? And where does that door "upstairs" (?) lead? Is this place a 2-story?! Looks like a cottage rock wall up and around one window, left of garage door, which I think is absolutely charming! And I can see how you got the French door inspiration! Is this the front of the house? I cannot figure out what that is in the foreground on the right. These are the kinds of projects I love! Have a Great Time!

"Dormer"!! LOL! That's a dormer?!!! Looks like a birdhouse! LOL!

Trust me you CAN do it....I can say that because we've been there. our home is 168 yrs. old and had not been lived in for many years when we bought it. It took 2 yrs. to complete the restoration and then began the outside gardening etc....I'm a fanatical flower gardener I'm afraid. Cut everything down you aren't going to want and clear out "whatever" you won't require. Doing that will make it look 1000% X better right away.....then......you'll be able to have a better idea of what you might want....you will want the front door area to be obvious and make a statement at the same time. Yes, French doors would be nice. In my mind, I can see gardens in a curve across the front....you may want something taller at one end like a smaller sized tree....you may have seen some of our pics of our front yard (I have 23 large flower gardens) and there is no doubt where to reach one of the two front doors....a dormer(s) in front would be nice too or a portico over the front entrance just something that would break it up....have attached some pics of the gardens that are up close to the front of our home and I think you can see how they just add to the entire look....I'm in Canada so the flowers that you see in our gardens may not grow as well as yours becasue of the difference in climate....I love the Phlox, Cone Flower, Batchelor buttons, creeping phlox....our home is grey with white board and batten on the front of the addition so because those are both "cool" colours I have stuck with "cool" colours for the flowers in the front yard....using red/pink/blue/purple/white and lime green sweet potato vines but no yellows, peaches or orange....those are behind the house instead and mix in with an entire rainbow of colors....have fun....

Thanks for all your comments so far. The actual front door is in the center of the house to the left of the ugly yellow garage door. The concrete slab I was talking about is actually a concrete wall lacking rock to the far left. The garage and concrete flank the front door. My uncle built this house himself and actually gathered all the rocks from the property.
I am not sure what that "dormer/birdhouse" is doing up there, we are probably going to just remove it when we repair the roof. There is an upstairs with the cathedral ceilings and that is where the stairs go to.
On the foreground on the right is like an area to plant flowers and such.
Sharon, your pictures are beautiful! Great Job, thanks for the inspiration.

LOL Your gold not yellow door color is the latest looks. As are oranges Aquas/Teals and all the 70's colors. I like the Gold and using a avocado with it would look great and is of the newest color trends. History always repeats it's self in colors , styles and fashion too. Do you need the 2nd floor entrance if not I would remove it off the exterior. If the front door is that close to the garage door I think it would look best to just use a large window instead of french doors. I feel the home is to small to have more than 1 front entrance of any kind.

Thanks for the update "K." I agree with Kevin, now that I know what I thought was a window is the actual front door; a large window (with panes) would give you the look of French doors and give you the valuable interior design space that French doors would not. Because we can only see the front , and have no idea how large, and shape, it is behind makes me think the outside stairs to the cathedral room are an inconvenient necessity, as staircases do take up a lot of room.
What thoughts do you have going forward with the access to that upper room? It's difficult to suggest ideas for the right side of the house due to those stairs and not being able to see the rock-faced flower bed and what's behind/beneath the stairs, just as it is, actually, for the left. LOL Once the property is cleared and new photos are posted I'm sure the inspirations will begin to flow! Dream on!

1st thing a brush hog. Then post pics. I can see potential
In a shoe box but having only one directional picture leaves little to work with when so much is over grown.

Yes , As I said spend a few days just removing all the over growth. I feel there isn't much you should save. Landscaping should frame a home not cover it. So get a chain saw, a weed whacker etc. and remove everything so we all can see the home. with the nice pitched roof and some of the stone I can see you could really turn the place into a sweet looking place with a lot of charm with the stone. Welcome visitors with a charming front door with a pop of color for starters. Then you will be on your way for a great start.

These are typical old homes in the countryside of N.C.. After clearing away the overgrowth I think a country style naturalistic garden would be in order. Have a traditional Carolina stone fence built in front and a little cottage garden with native flowers, trees and shrubs.

Honestly? Raze it to the foundation and start over. Assuming the foundation is in better shape then the house

what potential and fun project, pictures after all the brush is cleared away, definitely remove the dormer. I like the French doors. A stone wall in front with a cute cottage garden one other reader mention this.

Search Houzz for timmys_girl. You'll be inspired.

OMG! How fantastic! You are going to have so much fun! I agree, take away all the overgrowth, then post another picture so we can all see exactly what you have to work with. Will this be a weekend house or will you be living there full time?

We plan on moving there full time in a few years. It doesn't really look like it, but it is about 5000 sq ft, so it is going to be some work. I should be going there soon so I will post another picture when it is all cleared out!

5,000 sq. ft!!!! WOW!!! great to hear you'll be posting photos again soon! May I suggest a good one from atop the stairs looking down at the area you first described, please?

Sure thing!

did your grandfather live alone in a 5000 sq ft home? Huge amount space, can't wait to see outside/inside pics

Love to see how this went, any updates?