Thank you so much for trying to ‘rescue’ me. I agree with everything you said! I don’t understand the lamp either and that door…! My preference is a farmhouse style, but I have no idea how I can make that happen. Love your door idea and extended front porch. what about that brick/siding situation?

Oh and this is my husband’s childhood home with many treasured memories, so we will keep it.

Do you love the storm door? You could paint it and the door black so it reads as one. I would replace the fluted round columns with chunky cedar or white square ones. Replace the downspouts with rain chains.

Paint the siding a medium gray to have it blend with the brick better, but paint the gable over the porch white. Use paint formulated for vinyl, if that is what you siding is.

I like your garden, but I would add an ornamental tree centered on the right side of the house out in the yard about where the lamp is. I would remove that lamp. Wonder why it was put there in the first place.

The walkway and the surface of the portico is different. I don't know if it should stay or go.

Wow! Thank you for that visual! That does make a huge difference! I agree-lamp goes!

I'd replace the lamppost and the overhead lamp. Because the big white hibiscus blocks the view from the driveway while backing out, I'd move it elsewhere. Buy a wider new door mat.

Updating a childhood home can be tough on the adult children. A coat of fresh paint inside and out can work wonders. Since a lot of memories are triggered by scents, take advantage of the opportunity: the "fresh paint smell" means "new". I suggest painting the siding around the windows a gentle off-white with a warm tinge that goes with the bricks.

If you are not ready for repainting: My guess is that there are some old paint cans in the garage- some touch up can go a long way around the front door and the door you use for the family entrance.

Really nice house and yard. You might see if you can "rescue" the lamp post (rather than removing it) by carefully -- so you don't get electrocuted -- (w/breaker off) remove any electrical and then remove the top lamp to replace that with brackets and/or other hardware for flower baskets.

https://www.pinterest.ph/pin/643944446695378729/?d=t&mt=login

https://www.tractorsupply.com/tsc/product/flower-pot-tree-8-ft-black-powder-coated-flower-pot-tree-fpt-8-fpt-8-1575425?cm_mmc=feed--GoogleShopping--Product-_-1575425&gclid=EAIaIQobChMIxbKj_ff-8QIVFOWzCh2O2QjMEAQYCCABEgKBUPD_BwE

In what room is that larger single window between front door and garage?

Would enlarging our front porch -- extending it with a shed roof on the left side between it and the garage/driveway -- darken that room too much?

https://www.pinterest.com/pin/253397916513364335/

The flowers planted on both sides of your sidewalk might be moved to outline the side of the driveway on the other side from the house or along a property/fence line and you could also create a walk path from your front porch alongside the house side of the driveway to the road/mailbox to outline and define that side.

https://www.pinterest.com/pin/614389574143271165/