Updating your home really depends on your budget. If you have a large budget for renovation you can tackle more than just the surface cosmetic issues and I would suggest your hire and work with an architect. If you have a smaller budget then the items you listed sound like good choices - new railings, garage door and siding. If that is the case I might suggest removing the siding above the garage door and continuing the brick. This would necessitate installing steel to span the garage opening and support the brick above. You would need to have someone with structural experience (an engineer) to determine size of steel and if it is doable. You could install a nice looking vent to keep the brick from being just a large, blank facade.

It's difficult to see what is supporting the porch roof on the left corner. Is there a skinny column? I would suggest installing a larger column that is tied into the porch to ensure continued support. Think it would also just look better.

Paint is a very popular way of updating brick and stone. That would be an easy way to update and unify the look of your home but as I tell everyone, once painted brick and stone can never be unpainted.

Good luck with your renovation!

I have a smaller budget so I am looking for more of a cosmetic update. Not sure of Colours, styles, etc. We will definitely install a new railing with a proper column. I like your idea for above the garage. That huge space drives me crazy! Thank you

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What draws my eye first is the area over the garage. The profile of the vertical siding is very "busy". You could change it to a board and batten style that would be simpler, and less expensive than adding brick, which is going to look different even if you could find the same brick as the existing brick and mortar has aged. The old saying is that everything needs a touch of black. I think maybe your touch of black could be the front door. I agree that you need another column, even if it's not structurally needed. Darker taupe (gray/brown) on the siding and possibly the trim would add some depth and work with your existing brick and stone, and be much less expensive than painting the stone and brick, which I don't normally recommend.

If you're interested in seeing some virtual makeovers showing how these and other changes might look, check out my website, Creative Visual Concepts.

What colour siding do you think would look nice? I was thinking of updating To a nice black garage door. Would it be too much to do black siding above the garage and a black front door?

Siding and garage door black would be too much drama. You can go with black doors and trim instead.

Wow!! That looks great!!

What do you think of a walnut garage door and black siding? This is Amazing

The stone (Sandstone?) has pretty "rose"/brown shades. The brick reads strong yellow. The garage door, and pavers next to the drive, are grey. The trim elements are white. TOO many colors.

IMO, biggest culprit is the brick to stone mismatch. The shadings in the stone should be your guide going forward. Pick ONE shade from the stone - have the brick, and the pavers, stained that shade. Many options to choose from, harmony with the stone is the goal.

Siding over garage should run horizontally - following the direction of the stone.

That's all for now, need to think further.

PS - those tiled steps scare me to death! So slippery when wet.

Bump for @Celery. Visualization, Rendering images. She's one of the wizards on exterior renderings.

Takes me way too long to type...so once again, I'm late to the party.

I completely agree!! Way too many colours happening. Thanks for you input 🙏🏼

Here is what we have done so far! I am still unsure about the area above the garage. Should I continue with black siding all the way to the top? Or do a bit of cedar at the top? We are thinking black door and trim. Thanks for any thoughts/input!

Looking good!

Continue the black lap siding up to the top. Or paint the siding you have there to match.

I did a mock-up of cedar in the gable for you to see.

Wow! This looks great. I totally love the garage door you chose. I would put the black siding up level with the top edge of the brick pillars on either side of the garage -- so maybe one more board? Will you use cedar that is the same as the door above the black? Maybe you could use the same cedar for the front door and trim it with black....but then you get into the question of making the white trim around the window black also.... Looking at the mockup that celerygirl did, which relieved the window of its white trim, I'd say definitely go for it!