Thanks for the input, Jessica. If you read my post, the photo is from when we closed the house in March of 2011. The grass is plenty green and plush now, so no worries and the entire driveway/sidewalk is being repaired next year

Miranda, we do agree with Jessica about curb appeal starting with the entry of your home. Since you just mentioned you were repairing the sidewalk/driveway next year, it appears you are already on the right track. The lights on the side of the stairs seem to be a nice touch, but what about different style lights?

http://www.lowes.com/images/LCI/Planning/HowTos/PDF/landscape_lights.jpg
http://www.lowes.com/images/LCI/Planning/BuyingGuides/LatestinOutdoorSolarLighting_hero_image.jpg

Depending on your specific style, we would also recommend painting the garage door. The red, although you are replacing the roof in a few years, does clash with the roof.

What about adding some hydrangeas or azelias near the stoop?

The first thing I would do is repaint the house and paint the garage door the same color as the body of the house. I have attached a photo of a great color combination for a red roof house, Khaki and cream. The previous owner emphasized the wrong things on the house, the foundation and garage door. To remedy that I would paint the house with a stronger color like khaki. Then get a large light to put on the blank wall next to the door & house number there. Consider painting the door a bright color like red it should be the emphasis.

Now clean out the grass next to the house and create a bed for flowers and shrubs and edge the bed. Go to a landscaper in your area to get suggestions for additional plantings. You will need some shrubs with winter interest like arborvitae to mix with the ones you already have.

Good luck.

Thanks Timberlane!

The lava rocks and lights were removed because they were not working from the previous owners. We had thought about something like this for future: http://www.amazon.com/Paradise-GL23158SS4-Stainless-Bollard-4-Pack/dp/B00378K71E/ref=pd_sbs_lg_2

Recommendations on colors for the garage door? It is original to the house (1950) and has been painted many times. We have played with the idea of replacing it with a more modern door, even though it is in working condition.

Hydrangeas would be great! I hadn't thought about them.

Dar - Thank you for your input! The house is actually sided with vinyl, and is fairly new from our records (the previous owners replaced it in 2004) so I do not know if at this time replacing the vinyl is a good idea/worth it.

Could we paint the foundation? Do you have suggestions on the roof color? Both of those things we can (and plan) on doing.

Those lights are very eclectic and modern! Is that the route you plan on taking? If so we would recommend a stained wooden door or something along the lines of the second image.

http://pinterest.com/pin/115897390383475994/
http://dreamgarageusa.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/Full-View-12.jpg

Another recommendation we have is to maybe add shutters in the same color as the new garage door. In order for the shutters to properly fit your larger window, you would have to purchase bi-fold shutters so when closed they cover the entire window. If functional shutters are not of any interest, flower boxes would also serve your home well and definitely add curb appeal which is what you are after, after all.

Bless my husband - he is home and sent me these photos. This is what our house looks like as of 1pm today, haha.

Timberlane - we'd like to go a little more modern and wondered if adding some wood tones would do the home some good. Because it is a ranch, I love looking at the old ranches and their modern, eclectic styling they had in their "order books" back from the 50's. (Remember our home was built 1950). I had also thought of shutters but was curious if doing short width ones (that would be non-functioning and not half the width of the window) would look weird.

I do really love the idea of a adding a lamp post to the empty space next to our stoop, I think that could be a lot of fun and add some much needed light since the porch light now doesn't give much off due to it being so small as to not be demolished by the front door when opened.

Since we are a shutter company, we are firm believers in the sense that shutters should be half of the window size. In your case, if you were to purchase shutters in a shorter width for the larger window they would just look silly. On all of your windows, you would not need functioning shutters but for the larger one we would recommend bi-folded shutters. We would suggest a board and batten style if you are interested in shutters because that would tie the ranch, modern, rustic feel of your home all together.

The wood tones would really look great, especially on the garage door.. We have had a few customers stain their shutters (an image is below).

If you visit our website you can request a free catalog, and learn more about the Board and Batten style.
http://www.timberlane.com/about_us/catalog-request

Those are beautiful, thank you! I had no idea there were different styles of shutters - those are much prettier than what I had been thinking.

Miranda;

I would suggest that you try to define "curb appeal" and what your overall goals are for the front of your home. The first thing that the eye focuses on is the large tree in your front yard. I certainly wouldn't suggest removing the tree however the home and front walk should draw more attention than the tree. A suggestion would be to draw the eye past the tree and put it on the front porch. Until you added the recent pictures I wasn't really sure where guests were supposed to approach the home. If the budget would allow, I would recommend when you replace shingles in a few years to extend the porch area and add a small projected gable to draw attention to that side of the home. In doing so you could add two 8" or 10" square columns. This will certainly be eye catching. Also a well defined path or concrete walk to that entrance would invite people to that area rather than the garage. This will also pull the eye to the house behind the tree rather than stopping at the tree. I think a small landscape wall on the right corner of the garage to hide the garden hose and such would help make it look clean and well manicured.

Can you get your neighbour's permission to put a trellis on the next-door garage wall? If so, grow something showy there -- bougainvillea, clematis? Depends what works in your climate. Good for neighbour, good for you. Also, a great big plant pot to the left of your stairs against the wall, and something gorgeous in that, too. Ask your local plant nursery for advice. A generous fern, perhaps.

Timberline I like the modern door but shutters?

Dar, it truly depends on their style. If they were to add the shutters, the only way they would look proper would be if the larger window has bi-folded shutters, like I previously mentioned. If they were to add them, it would really tie in the rustic-modern feel that they are interested in. I also suggested flower boxes since we are not aware of her budget and there's absolutely nothing wrong with flowers. :)

We have thought of completely removing the concrete stairs and sidewalks around the tree, to bring up the sidewalk to a more natural entry. We haven't gotten quotes on that yet, however, just dreaming.

This would entail ripping out the stairs and all current concrete sidewalks, and repouring a new sidewalk closer to the house (about 1-2' away from the garage at the driveway point) and to the front entry, then another sidewalk that goes straight down the lawn to the public sidewalk in front of the home's entry, and additional landscaping that would accent that.

The current sidewalks crowd the giant tree (believed to have been planted when the house was built in 1950) and the root systems have buckled it in many places, hence the damage.

I appreciate the input Schutter Custom, and Rina!

As for the trellis idea, as great of an idea as that is, it is against our city's ordinance to have two single dwelling properties to be connected without additional permitting and rezoning.

Your house color is nice now. Maybe just try to match the siding color and paint the garage door or get a new one as others suggested. As far as painting the foundation,, that is a possibility but I was wondering if the foundation is faux or real brick. Another idea is to add a planter box along the entire front or a deck along the front.

Here's a house that looks like they solved a dilemma concerning the side entry. It seems obvious that this door is not on the front of the house, but the solution is a good one. When budget allows, you could add a porch all the way across the front that wraps to the side entry.The elimination of stairs on the front and beefing up the steps on the entry side, is a clear indicator of where to go to get in. Right now, your garage is too much of a "look-at-me" and prevents people from finding the hidden entry. I'd paint it more the color of the house, but to add interest to the front of your "no porch/no entry" house you could paint the "frames" that section the garage door white. It would be a subtle but nice touch. As for planting, consider low-maintenance xeriscape for your place. A local nursery can advise on native plants that hold up to the conditions with little water and still look pretty. A little retaining wall would be nice too. One caution though. Unless this is your "forever" home, don't get carried away and upgrade it to the extent that it appraises higher than the neighborhood average. If all the area homes are more like yours now, and you outstrip them with your enhancements, you won't see the money when you sell because the average home price there is less. Spend it on the inside with amenities to make your life better.

Dar - The foundation I think might be veneer red stone? It is the same stuff that is used on the chimney on the roof, but is very clean and precise given that it is 'stone' so I'm not sure. How would we be able to tell if it is or not? There have not been any cracks/broken places of the foundation or chimney that would make it easily recognizable.

A planter box wouldn't be a bad idea, either.

As far as mentioned of budget, we don't really have one but want to still keep it within reason. We do not plan on staying at this house forever (we plan on building in the next 5-7 years) but want to make this house beautiful while we are here.

@decoenthusiaste You hit the nail on the head. This isn't our forever home and we know what the homes around are house appraise for and do not want to spend so much that we outprice ourselves and blow the money for no reason (hence the unlikelihood of a wraparound porch or extended gables, etc.) but instead smaller item things that could really bring the curb appeal up so it isn't so boring to look at.

You need to remove the big tree or your driveway will buckle again. The roots are going under your driveway. I think railing on the stairs. Paint the garage door or purchase a new door. Shutters on windows and large house numbers over the garage door.

I suggest a sidewalk straight to the front door from the public sidewalk. That tree's roots are never going to get smaller; they will always cause heaving.

Try putting a porch light and big street numbers out next to the front door.

Applecandi and Apple_pie thank you. We know the roots are going under the driveway and sidewalk, hence the buckling now. But moving the sidewalk up a few feet so it is not crowding it so much now (it is about 3.5' in diameter) would help, and also make more sense since the sidewalk coming from the driveway is on that of a small incline.

The driveway will always have roots underneath it, but we also will be taking precautions to helping this last a big longer - the previous driveway has no rebar in it (which it should) which will help with the cracking at needed stress points, rather than wherever it pleases (there were also no stress points put in the current driveway either). Removing a beautiful, 60+ year old, healthy maple for a perfect driveway: never gonna happen.

Hi Miranda, because of the funky layout of the front door and the massive tree, consulting with a local landscape designer would be a huge help for you. One question he or she is sure to ask you relates to circulation and flow: where do you expect your guests to enter from? Where do you and your family enter from? My initial reaction is to slide the steps over so they're closer to the front entry, as that's a huge visual cue. If the path that runs from the front door to the driveway (parallel to the house) is primarily used just by your family, that could get a less formal treatment, like dry-laid 2x3 flagstone slabs. Not only would this be a cost savings, but they could be reset as the tree roots grow.

You have a lot of opportunities to create something really cool. Seriously, find the right designer. It'll be worth it!

@Revolutionary Gardens- That's exactly where we'd move it. Everyone who comes to our house cuts through our front lawn directly in front of our entry (as do we when we park on the street). It's the most natural flow from the street.

Thanks for your advice!

Yeah, I figured. I've been doing this a long time and never had a client say "man, I really wish we had a walkway that ended right where the driveway meets the street!"

Lose the tree, red door, awful stairs and drive way for starters, shutters are a great idea and put in lots of bright plants and maybe a little picket style fence out the front. Why not totally level the front yard side it is flat and have a proper path, also enclose the front porch areas.

Keep the tree! but paint the garage door..use plantings at the walkway, add a post lamp.

This house needs a good exterior landscape plan. Perhaps a few limbs on tree coils be removed to open up more light.
The sidewalk should be wider and
The focus needs to be on the front door.
Peonies so not have a long bloom time so I would not place them along the driveway.

I would consult with a landscape company that employs an arborist and a landscape designer. Pay them to draw up a plan and install in stages as your budget allows.

Sorry for typos (auto correct) :(

The first thing I noticed is that I had trouble locating the front door. I would try to add some focus to the steps and small porch. Maybe add some stair railing, and some large pots of bright flowers on each side to emphasize that. I would also consider changing the structural post to something a little more substantial, maybe framing around it to make it appear bigger. Is it a 4 X 4? Going to 6 X 6 would look good, IMHO. One other little thing, the porch steps do not appear to match anything else on the house. Maybe cover with tile that matches the foundation or the siding in color? After reviewing your comments on the chimney matching the foundation, and that it is in great condition, I would not paint or refinish either one. My go-to plant for foundations in the densiforma yew. It grows fairly fast, is easy to prune, and will cover that foundation if you don't care for it. If your new siding is gray, I'd look at some shade of gray roof, but if you are in a warm climate, don't go too dark, as it will collect heat. IMO, if you repaint the garage door, your roof will look better, but I don't know about its age. As for the garage door, if it is working well, paint it for now. Yellow and gray are popular now, and were when your home was built. Choose a strong yellow that will pop against the gray. Add some vibrant yellow flowers &/or pots near your front door to bring the color across the front. These are mostly inexpensive changes, relatively. If you plant to move in 5 - 7 years, that is what I would stay with in modest renovating.

Last post before today is nine months old. Not sure how these resurface. Any update from the homeowner?