thanks for the ideas , I really like the design! what type of trees are on both sides of the house?

The trees are no particular species, but are something small like you might make out of a variety of large shrubs. It would depend on where you live as to what you pick.

Simplicity can be elegant. Your house has nice proportions, a simple style, but enough interest to keep it from being boring. Too often, added porches or porticos spoil proportions, rather than enhancing the house.

Put in a bunch of large, exuberantly flowering perennials in the bed to the right. Consider replacing those stepping stones with a straight path. Or at least making the stepping stones into a straight path.

sigrid could you draw me a sketch of what you mean and are you suggesting a portico would look better than a porch?

I like this handsome little house. There are many similar where I live. (Actually, if there was a garage on the right, I’d say you moved into my old house!)

Is that a raised bed on the right? Fill it with annuals that would bloom and spill out the front. Petunias maybe. Colorful and cheap.

Cover the front door like yard said and enlarge the stoop and widen the sidewalk. We can’t see the sidewalk, but I assume it’s a narrow builder grade one. Replace the wrought iron railing with something a bit thicker and more modern. Maybe a better front door too.

A nice shrub/ornamental tree at the right corner would be great. Nothing that would grow taller than the house.

some ideas:

I absolutely love that design dig dougs..does the pergola extend to the right side of the house or just over the door?

DigDoug has taken an elegantly simple house and made it look funny. The pergola he put in wrecks the roofline making the house look funny. Further, you look like you have winters, which means you will get snow on that pergola dripping on your head as you enter.

I like the tree, the path and the bush he put in. But that pergola? No, no, no. It takes your house from simple and nicely proportioned to boxy and odd.

I think we should let the OP decide what she likes.

I do agree, didnt think about snow falling. I do love the look of a pergola but agree that it doesnt look good with our roof line. I think a gamble or something with a little dimension would like nicer. I do love the landscaping!

Brooke - The pergolas were suggested because you didn't want to spend a fortune. Pergolas are commonly used on ranch style homes.

New idea:

Why change the roofline? It's an expensive change for not much gain in looks. In fact, it's just confusing, since the break in roofline doesn't align with the change in siding with the rock.

The change, although more $ accomplishes the goal of a covered porch. Additionally, in my opinion it maintains the elegance of the simple roofline & is not confusing (I simply did this sketch quickly & didn't change the foundation stone. Another option to explore would be an awning for the porch.

Unfortunately, Dig, your first idea makes the house look like a mobile home. In my opinion, of course. The owner can make up her own mind.

(Not that there's anything wrong with mobile homes, but this house isn't one.)

@DigDoug

The changed roofline is easy to do on photoshop, but in reality, to have a covered porch extended in front, you either have to change the pitch of the roof, which means paying for new support beams for the roof, as well as a new roof, ie big bucks.

Or you add a new, flat roof over the new porch, which will look strange and reduce light in the windows. And looks nothing like your photoshopped pic. Also, in an area with heavy snow, the flat roof over the porch will not shed snow well and will probably need to be shoveled or raked.

But why do you think the house needs to be changed? The house is nice. It has nice proportions, a pleasing simplicity of line, and enough detail with the stone and siding to make it interesting.

It's got boring landscaping and you usually have good ideas for landscaping.

Please remember that this is an idea forum for homeowners. All ideas are welcome. Please add your helpful suggestions without criticism of other posts. Wishing everyone a wonderful day!

Thank you Sigrid....I would appreciate it if you would make positive suggestions on what you would do, rather than critique what I would do. This is not a design contest.

Pergolas are an inexpensive way to break up an expanse. I've seen them used when a split level ranch gets a second story designed to maximize additional square feet. That often creates an oddly high box, and a pergola along the front, at the line between the first and second stories, will make a world of difference.

In this case, think about what expanse you are trying to break up. A pergola won't do much for shelter and it will create shade, so if light into the house is a concern think twice before doing this. My neighbor has one with wisteria that in the summer thoroughly blocks light, but it is used to disguise the side of the garage. (The big thing here is to turn the garage sideways, so it supposedly doesn't look like a garage from the street. But then you have this really odd wall that no one wants to put big windows in, so it gets various disguises. I have a feeling "what do I do with this" Houzz questions coming our way when this trend dies out).

In your shoes I'd be thinking about how to visually lift the front facade - there's a lot of roof. I realize lots of people like roofs and that trendy houses have lots of roof expanse, but I've never been a fan. I have a flat roof hidden by a small parapet so my taste my not align with yours. To draw the eye up make that chimney more prominent and bigger: wrap it in a box and give it a brick veneer. If you are handy you can do that yourself. Be careful at the top that you follow all fire codes.

Thank you for all the advice. My husband and I are still looking into options. We recently did a lot of updates to the interior so that's why we are wanting to be cautious of spending too much. My biggest reason for wanting to add a porch or portico is to add curb appeal. We do also enjoy sitting out front since we have an open field across the street. Honestly to me we dont mind if it's full sun or shaded. There is a 2 car garage on the right of the house.