I actually think it looks beautiful. When the trees fill in and the shrubs grow up, I think maybe it will look bit different and you can get more advice then? Do you have pics when the trees are full?

How big will the shrubs on the side get? If they are tall enough, they will cover up a bit of the wood on the bottom front. In the spring/summer, you could put out hanging baskets.

Thank you! That is a great point, ature landscaping will certainly make a huge difference, maybe I should thinking in a more long term way. This is the current state so I'll have to wait!

I have to agree it looks nice.

Maybe paint the ceiling hanit blue and the doors white. You could add two ornamental trees out in the yard.

It is a lot, and it looks unfinished. I like houssaon's suggestion. Paint the ceilings of both porches, and add some trim the doors and windows. (Personally I suggest white for both, but I could see light blue looking good too.)

Then take a step back and see what you think overall. If you still don't like it, consider staining the wood a reddish (cedar) color.

Also, you could paint the particle board roof. If that is what it is.

I think cjanging the railing would be the best answer to something you can see through so maybe glass panels and keep the cedar frame that would look great IMO or maybe leave the bottom one and just do the top IMO too much wood .Then a walkway from the street the same width as the stairs and then go work on landscaping.

I don't think glass panels are the right kind of look for a house like this, and that's a lot of outdoor glass to keep clean. But replacing the slats with something thinner is an option -- cable, thin conduit, or skinnier wood slats.

This is what the conduit would look like (the top pic used a thinner pipe). I bet it would look really nice if that part was painted black.

Here's a more creative application. More work, but it's pretty:

I like the wood (why would you buy this home if it doesn't appeal to you?) painting it would be a horrible mistake.

You could stain it a darker color and do a deeper black on the body

These are the tones you want

I'd do a vibrant door color

then tackle the landscaping

More options

or

Love this, thank you!!

It’s funny, I’m on the se coast and down here (myrtle beach to the Florida panhandle) that house would be entirely white, maybe blue doors.