I have posted larger pics of the home so that viewers can see the scope of the home from all angles. To start, since the fireplace is so beautiful inside the home I would keep it as is and simply change the exterior colors to blend with the blond brick. The gray & dark gray trim is what is throwing everything off on this home.

The brick needs to be power washed to see the actual color of the brick. I would select a warm color to match the siding to the brick so the chimney doesn't stand out any longer.

Stain for the house that looks similar to this siding.

I think what you find jarring is the color that appears to go with nothing! My suggestion is probably a budget breaker, but it is pretty.

Save up until you can afford to install decent siding (Hardie products, plywood T1-11 with battens, wood etc) nothing plastic or vinyl. A more harmonious color siding and landscaping will do the trick.

What about bigger front windows, and widening the look of the front with a porch of some sort?

I’m not a professional - but I think instead of redoing all the siding on the house to match the chimney - just paint the exterior brick a color that matches or blends in with the house. I agree with another comment - that you should replace the chain link fence. I’d definitely use some of your budget on landscaping that flat and empty yard.

I agree with everyone - go monochromatic on the exterior and definitely make the windows larger in scale alongside the FP brick so that a pleasing balance can be achieved.

Then remove all the little puny bushes and go for drama in your landscaping! It will all pull together then.

Best.

Paint the chimney brick the same color as home exterior. Then in front of chimney, plant an Italian Cypress. Plant two more on either end of wall between the window and the corners of the wall. Then a few round flowering shrubs all along that wall in front of the cypresses. And then low hedges in front of that.

For the long empty wall near the front door , do a trellis with ivy either against the wall or in the courtyard so that from the road the trellis appears to cover most of that blank wall. Your options are unlimited with the courtyard

I’d suggest some flowering shrubs and colorful plants for the remainder of your landscaping.

So to me "complete inside/outside renovation" sounds like we are ripping down to studs or at the very least redoing every floor, moving some walls, new kitchen/baths...and 150k isn't going to scratch the surface.

From the two pictures here I would say your priorities are to find a paint colour that suits the brick and roof (because I would not paint the brick, myself) and put money into the landscape. That assumes there are no pressing problems like roof, furnace, etc that need to be addressed.

I like the look of charcoal with that beige brick but that will clash with the brown roof. Of course if you need a new roof you could choose black and charcoal shingles with some amber flecks.

Royal/cobalt blue is nice with this brick as well. There's a house in our neighbourhood with this colour brick. It's painted royal blue and it looks sharp.