To the left of the door is a small brick retaining wall, what are the bricks to the right that run all the way to the garage? Are they concealing a staircase to the basement? Or are they a planter with no plants?

Claire - it is a planter with no plants

Cbezak - We are thinking of painting the brick. Just not sure of the color. Once painted we would add plants to the brick planter. The plants around the large window on the left are all new. Any landscaping suggestions are appreciated

Please keep the brick as is and add lots of green stuff in wide beds. Maybe you just need to wait for the new plantings to grow a bit.

I think the house looks good as is. What you can do: pressure wash the brick, update the house numbers, lights, and mailbox, and call in a landscape designer.

Very nice house but you have not done much to enhance the best features.

Fill the planter with trailing plants as opposed to upright.

The trim needs more contrast.

Do not paint the brick.

I like the navy blue, but it looks washed out. Maybe give it a fresh coat of paint. White on the brick and a yellow door might also brighten it up. However, if you focused on the landscaping as the other poster commented and left the brick as-is, that would be fine and save you time and money too!

I did not expect so many comments to leave the brick. This is interesting. I agree we have a lot more landscaping to do, power washing, and minor updates.

Deanne - by navy blue looking washed out do you mean the shakes? That part of the house is actually an army green.

A LITTLE BACKGROUND - we painted the entire house 8 months ago when we moved in. Just not sure we love it. We were thinking navy blue shake, white/grayish brick, orange front door, and then stained horizontal slat veneer over the long brick planters in the front. The other option so to not be so wild against the neighborhood, is to do clay shake, clay brick, with white trim and stained front door and garage door. See examples below. Interior of the house is decorated to be mid century modern.

Nice house. Really like the yard.

With all that shade, your landscaping options will be limited to shade tolerant plants but that shade is well worth it.

Consider adding a small front porch w/forward facing gable and then working to make your front sidewalk more impressive.

http://feedercup.info/split-level-front-porch-ideas/split-level-front-porch-ideas-split-foyer-remodel-for-split-entry-remodel-home-remodel-ideas-front-porch-ideas-for-split-level-house/

You could also use some of the same brick or pavers you use to recreate your sidewalk/steps to line at least the one side of your driveway. Liriope is worth considering for a green outline/border if it will grow well where you live.

Follow your instincts into the MCM world. Make your neighbors envious with a typical MCM color combo like below. Consider changing the windows and garage door out to make an even more impressive mid-century impact. Don't try to make it what is isn't.

If the garage door is metal ... there are wood look paints for metal garage doors.

Don't put tall plants under the windows. Specimen plants in the planter. Add some color in the landscape. Paint the front door.

Groveraxle - your model looks good, however having the low lying plants makes that side of the yard look bare compared to the large trees on the other side of the yard. What we have there now won’t grow tall except for a tree diagonal outward from the left corner of the house.