You have a very beautiful home. You mentioned color but that's not the first thing I'd tackle. Remove all the overgrown and puffball shrubs and replace with new landscaping. I feel they impact your home's curb appeal much more than any color choices or the wrought iron work.

Removing the balcony would be expensive and most likely leave you with a visible scars. I'm kind of fond of the fancy railing. It's unique. I'd embrace it.

A navy or medium-dark blue might update your shutters.

I agree about the landscaping. I've never found a hedge in front of a house to be attractive.

Personally, I can spend your money with all kinds of ideas LOL. But I think here, the landscape is dated and a bit boring really. The light fixtures, the front door could also use some love.

I do not like the fake porch, if I could spend lots of money I would take it out. Your lawn is beautiful btw. I would also agree blue or a sage or gray color would give some modern appeal.

instead of angled photos try to get a picture that is straight on.

Interesting - I like your theory about someone homesick for New Orleans LOL. As mentioned above, porch cant really be removed without leaving scars - and an overhang much deeper than the rest of the house, which would look funny.

Can the balcony be used, does it make sense to open up a room to it? Part of its oddness is that its obvious that there is no door and cant be used.

Whats going on under the porch, behind the hedge? Some kind of patio? You could remove the hedge, expand that and make it into useable attractive outdoor living space - framed in a border of flowering fragrant shrubs, 1 or 2 well placed ornamental trees (ie short, placed toward the side of the house), intermixed with perennials/bulbs. You could leave a few of the evergreens - its just the solid wall of them that is so unappealing.

What are the rooms on the lower level - would any of those benefit by opening up to a patio? .... or maybe it could be an actual courtyard and by that I mean a professionally designed walled space which fits architecturally with your house.... not an ugly cheap privacy fence from Menards! But then that gets to be expensive too - probably more than just removing the darn thing!

Otherwise, maybe just swap out the frilly iron work for something simpler/more linear, with strong horizontal lines as is fitting for this style/era. Also changing all the white to something less high contrast - would help de-emphasize it.