Love the pavers. I’d take my inspiration from that. Black linear planters placed by the garage is a good idea. You may want to consider adding some color, perhaps the garage door. Don’t be afraid of dark slate colored paint. Consider updating the garage door a wood w/black trim would be beautiful. Good luck your off to a good start

Here are some ideas:

Dig Doug--LOVE the visual! And so did DH! That's crape myrtle on the left & hibiscus by the lamp post? What are plants in the pots? Thanks so much for giving me a vision!

Lantana is in the garage pots.

I like Doug's design. I would repeat the same garage pots in the porch area approaching your house. I'd also use pots in these places with slightly more visual heft than the ones he pictured.

To clarify...are u suggesting pots on the R between the 2posts approaching the door? And does "visual heft" mean taller plants? Suggestions? Appreciate clarification😉

swampy, just a question...what brand are the pavers? The look is fabulous.

No more black or gray. Color!

Love Doug’s #1 photo. So enhances the home,

The pavers are beautiful! Another vote for Doug #1 photo.

I agree with Kelly Jones; attention should be drawn to the entry instead of the garage. Large, tall, colorful pots are preferable as she has, also, suggested.

The pavers are beautiful! I would like to do something similar to my own driveway. Can you tell me company and an idea of the cost? Thank you!

The pavers are GORGEOUS! Great choice! Why not bring the blue daze all the way down the driveway and around the light post? It would make mowing the lawn easier. Instead of the tall black planters, how about square or rectangular lower planters under 2 feet high, with a vining plant like bougianvillea or mandevillea, if you are in Zone 9 and up? If you are Zone 8 or lower, you can do them as an annual, so if you get a hard freeze that kills off the blooms and leaves, just cut it all the way back to the ground, and if the roots were not damaged, it will grow back. They are drought tolerant, so you can go away for 2-3 seeks and not worry.

Put a trellis right into the planter box so you have something to train the vines to A fancy design trellis is also an artistic focal point while the plant is growing. Once the bougainvellea or mandevilla grow above the trellis, you can tie off some fishing line to it and tack it up on the wall, training it just over the corners of the garage and doorway. Then get a small, solar spotlight and put it in the front of each planter box to uplight the bougainvilla or mandevilla. I'd be careful of putting something bushy and tall between the left doorway and the right side of garage door unless you want to relocate your address numbers. Having 3 planters across the front when they are not symmetrical is difficult on the eyes, I'd just keep it to one on each corner. Maybe if you get new, large address numbers (8" high or more) you can install them vertically on the left side of the doorway. It will make your address more prominent, and will "fill up the space" but it won't "crowd" the doorway like a planter box will. You have a narrow doorway, when compared to the 2-car garage opening, so if you keep the left side of the doorway "clear" of plantings, it will keep the doorway from being "cluttered" and it will make it open and inviting.

I like Dig Doug’s Design’s first idea .. you could add a low long rectangular planter box ( maybe Corten steel) on the right of your porch with some plantings with color, perhaps annuals you could change out every year if you like variety or a favorite grouping of colorful perennials . I really like the planters placed on either end of the garage but perhaps a bit taller and larger pots and on the right side of your portico entry get large block numbers hung vertically for visual entrance and for any emergency vehicles who might need to see the numbers more easily. Lovely setting and choice of pavers!

Oh My- Please don't plant Bougainvillea or Crepe Myrtle near the pavers.

Both VERY messy. Bougie will become a thug to wrestle with in two years.

Like the Blue Daze idea- also like Stralitzia (bird of paradise) but orange NOT white.

Both of these are low maintenance, not messy and visually a nice compliment to each other.

I'd plant them in the ground and let them get established. No pots for now.

Want a colorful tree to one side? Think about Oleander grown into a standard (tree) form. Very low shedding.

Instead of pots, I'd consider a wood tone gel stain on the garage door to visually mark an anchored destination at the end of the pavers. The driveway showcases the house.

More bang for your buck that way, gel stain holds up well in our area and it's easy to repaint the door if you don't like it.

(Central Florida- 9a)

Definitely a border flower bed along the driveway with concrete edgers of some type on the edge - put perennials for easy plants that come back every year, and add a few annuals each year. Lots of options there - choose plants you like. Grass should never butt up next to driveways, sidewalks, or houses - does not look good and harder to mow.

I normally do not like grey but since you already have so much, and the white garage door sticks out to much, I would paint it a light to medium grey to make it fade to background and the house and front door area pop out more. Paint front door a color you like - any color. Pink or salmon is nice, or ANY color. I would paint the trim on the house a charcoal color.

Hello, I love Doug’s #1 suggestion. Your stone is beautiful! As for traveling, Gardener’s Supply https://www.gardeners.com/buy/sedona-tall-planter-28-inches/8613525.html has a many self watering planters to choose from. All types of materials, shapes, sizes and colors. I have purchased from them and have been pleased. If you are not familiar with self watering planters, they have a reservoir that does need to be replenished. Depending on your climate and the plants that you choose, it can be a game changer for traveling or frequency of watering. Enjoy designing your front entranceway.

Paint the garage door, I think. It is so prominent and the whole facade is so white. I tried a tan/off white, but really like a purple leaning grey for the garage door.

i wouls put a bench on the right by the front door..🌸

I'm surprised no one has suggested a new garage door with windows, but I think that would open up the "face" and make it look more inviting.

Yes, beautiful pavers. Many have chosen the first pic of Doug's but I think not, because it calls even more attention to garage door. The garage door is already the main focal point of the house. Mary Jones' suggestion is much better because it calls attention to the entrance.

Realize that Doug's 1st pic looks good because he added a bunch of plantings along driveway, which owner basically said they were reluctant to do because of travel.

I'd suggest doing what detracts from garage and attracts attention to the entry.

Love the pavers! I would paint the brick on the house a gray shade to break up the white & definitely paint the front door.

The pavers are lovely. You made a great choice there, and have gotten some good suggestions for ways to enhance your entrance. Doug's first suggestion has gotten a lot of positive response. A key feature of his design is the stone-covered area with what looks like a water fountain next to the porch. It widens the entry area, giving the effect of an entry court and making the walkway appear more a focal point. Both pictures use this; the first adds more plants for a lusher effect, but that may not fit with your yard care schedule. The two planters with tall plants suggested by Kelly Jones also draw attention to the walkway and would be a quick and easy big improvement, worth doing even if you want to make more extensive changes down the line. As has been suggested, painting the garage door to blend, and the entry door to attract, would also help.

With regard to plants, I don't know where you are located, but please consider natives if possible, and please do not plant oleander, which is highly toxic. There should be nurseries in your area that can recommend appropriate easy care native plants.

Oleander is toxic to eat, chew on or use branches for barbeque kabobs.

So are many other commonly used landscape plants, if ingested.

Oleander developed a disease in So California and I'd say 90% of it has been wiped out in the last 15 years. I loved the salmon color smaller oleander variety. I had heard of people going to the emergency room when they cut their oleander back and then hugged bunches of cut branches to carry to the garbage can.

Oleander is all over Central and South Florida. Full sized ones are commonly used along the Interstate highways to help with pollution and erosion. Many hotels and resorts use the standard tree form in their landscaping. I like the dwarf (4 ft. bush) salmon colored ones as well- they are frequently available in our big box stores.

Tree diseases are real in various parts of the country.

Florida is experiencing a citrus greening disease and Florida citrus may soon be a thing of the past.

Many Sago Palms are declining /dying with no remedy in sight. These are native back to prehistoric times.

As with any pruning, protection against getting scratched or jabbed is recommended.

Sensitive people especially need to be careful.

Oleander tree forms (standards) are single- trunked and rarely need pruning of any kind unless they suffer damage.

Of course if the original poster's home is not in Florida, it is my error... and none of this matters a whit. Right?

My entire surrounding neighborhood used to be nothing but shady tunnels of trees when I bought my place 13 years ago. Since then 10's of thousands of trees have died in my city including my entire street. They say it is a 'disease' of the Ficus tree but clearly they would not be dying if they weren't already stressed by drought conditions.

Lake Arrowhead, known for its pine trees has lost 90% of them. No one is as upset as they should be because everyone has a view of the lake now!

I would remove the palm on the right front of house. Lights on each side of garage door. Bolder house numbers.

Too much white everywhere. I would change the garage door for sure.

Just returned from WONDERFUL vacation & am overwhelmed & thrilled with all the comments & suggestions! Need some time to process all & make some decisions...THANK YOU ALL for your inspiration!! 🥰. Be in touch ...

Wasn't sure how to get info to you ... pavers were Flagstone "Victory" in white/pewter. Total was just shy of $10/ft for about 1500 sq. ft. of pavers including walkway to backyard, driveway & front porch.

It is lovely stone. With your gray roof, you have more than enough gray and it’s time to introduce some color.

First thing I would do is remove the palm near your door, as your goal should be to highlight the entry, not hide or camouflage it. Plant some low- growing perennials at the inside curves of the driveway, in line with the front door. Make sure they are not tall! If they are colorful they will attract the eye right to your door.

Agree! What are your thoughts on painting brick "eyebrows" on house and/or garage door? I appreciate many comments on accentuating walkway/entry. What are your thoughts on pots? TY!!

No on the brick painting, but definitely invest in pots/landscaping

Re: gel stain on door as suggested by uptowngir2, I LIKE that idea and can do myself :-). Wondering if charcoal is TOO MUCH gray/black, or I should go with a brownish stain. Looking at General Finishes Gel Stains ... thoughts??

If you are going to stain your door, definitely use something that works with your already-present gray tones. Not brown.

Get a few small pots of stain in colors you like. Maybe a driftwood color, weathered teak, something mid- range- remember, a second coat will often darken the appearance of the color.

Narrow your choices down to 3. Test them like you would interior paint colors. 2 coats. (Try large pieces of MDF board to test on)

In my opinion charcoal is going to present as dirty or dusty black.

Brown is like greige, many interpretations, can be made with many different base colors. I have used browns with greys and the right combo is very rich looking.

Be open to something new, you may find a color you hasn't thought about that you will really like!

It will take a little patience to do your homework, but it's hard to go wrong this way.

Thanks so much for your comments re: garage door. DH reminded me this am that our HOA has to approve outside "paint" and we've not seen any stained/wood look garage doors ... so it may NOT be possible after all. In which case, I'll have to look at light-med gray. Again ... TY so much for the encouragement. My 2 "decorator" girlfriends are in MI and traveling. I LOVE these discussions! :-)

you are most welcome!

So here's update from last few months. Widened the landscaping a bit (incl. triple roebellini on L side of driveway), brought blue daze down around light post, invested in a couple large self-watering pots, and now getting ready to PAINT! S/W City Loft #7631 for body of house (lightest color in pavers), Greek Villa #7551 for trim, and Iron Ore #7069 for front door and ?? garage door (house or trim color better??). Having hard time visualizing such a dark garage as afraid that'll make it a focal point. COMMENTS WELCOME!! Also, wondering if ceiling or entry & porch should go lighter trim color or house color?? Do have 8" house numbers purchased for R side of entry. Still a work in progress, but getting there :-). THANK YOU ALL!!

Sherwin Williams has a color visualizer on their website. You could try the colors on your picture. https://www.sherwin-williams.com/en-us/color
I vote for the dark garage door/front door to add some interest to the house. Love the Iron Ore color but if you’re not comfortable w that go a little lighter than Iron Ore.