We have a 70s split level ranch on a large corner lot in Florida. We need the front door to be more obvious and the landscape/hardscaping needs real help. To complicate things, the house is built on a hill with a side facing front door (door cannot be relocated) and a front entry garage with a deck on top that I like to call the "butt-face" of the house.

Some ideas I've had were to:

1. stain the columns and upper railing dark to bring out wood grain. Possibly paint the whole house (still neutral color family).
2. accent / beef up the columns ... add accent to gable above deck?
3. add an attached pergola over garage doors (and maybe front door area)
4. Remove pebble concrete coating and add a 2-3ft high hardscape wall up the sides of front steps. Would redo the steps all together for a more organic shape (possibly curved flagstone path?) but am limited by the location of the septic which is between the palm and the big pine... and also by budget.
5. Remove the pygmy date palm and/or the large pine in front of the house because they block the view of the already obscure front door.
6. Update exterior lighting?

More expensive than we probably have in the budget but .. have also thought of adding a galvanized metal roof over the garage deck and somehow tying in galvanized accents near the front door.

I do not like red/orange undertones or crazy bright colors.

Want to freshen up this "florida farmhouse" with awkward entry. Open to ANY help or suggestions!