I would leave the windows, just like they are. They look nice. If you plan on a portico eventually, I would wait, on doing anything to the door, since that could get in the way of the portico when you do have budget to put one on. I would put some money into landscaping. The round ball shrubs are not attractive, and the flower bed is straight. Curve those beds out a bit, so it is more interesting to look at, and put some pretty shrubberies and flowers in there. Is there no walk way to the front door? I cant see one in the photos. If not, you may want to put in one..

No. Wood trim on windows on brick houses is recessed behind the face of the brick. On a wood house heavy wood trim proudes as a way to protect the window. When you take a detail from one type of construction and tack it on another it looks fake (because it is) A neighbor has done this, big pvc headers tacked over the windows on her brick cape cod. Hurts the eyes. Or mine at least.

The portico is far enough in the future that I'd like to make some improvements now, hence why I'm considering the larger front door trim.

There is a straight sidewalk to the left of the front door so curving the landscaping isn't possible without a new sidewalk.

Hallett & Co - I understand your point about combining styles. I'm at a loss as to what to do to add some charm inexpensively.

Not a pro. I think lush landscaping will make a huge difference. Maybe someone will be kind enough to do a mock up. The plantings that are there look too small and skimpy to me.

Brighten up the front door and shutter color. Landscaping will help immensely as well.

I think it would be fine to beef up the door trim, but honestly I would just save up until I could do this. Note the windows are essentially like yours, the entrance is the feature that should draw the eye.

Hallett & Co. - That is exactly the look I'd like to have if money were no object. The quote I received for a portico was $10,000 which is much higher than I expected. I just did the roof, furnace and a/c so a portico isn't happening anytime soon. For now I need to put lipstick on a pig, so to speak.

Don't waste money on add ons that don't fit the final goal. Landscape for now and save for the portico, I think the estimate you received was low by half if its like the photo I attached with stone steps and iron accents...

Your house is a classic style with great proportions. If you want to change something, add more flowers to the landscape. That said, nothing is going to look charming on a dreary day when Spring hasn't quite sprung yet.

Tacking on PVC doodads to a classic house is going to work as well as adding some ruffles to a classic navy blue blazer. The result is unlikely to be charming.

I guess this is where I should share that the only money I spent so far was to a landscape designer who came highly recommended by multiple customers. The landscaping was done about three years ago. To the far left (garage wall) are white hydrangeas and a lilac shrub that isn't visible. I'm not in love with the ball like boxwoods but I'm hoping as things mature it will fill in.

Agree that landscaping is the answer - you have a lovely house - no need to stick anything on it - focus on the yard, landscaping has amazing $$$ ROI

Sigrid - That made me laugh!

FYI - The pic was from winter. So, yes, dreary. The tree to the far right is now blooming as well as a lilac bush not visible on the left side. The original plans for the house were a large palladium window above the front door because it's a two story foyer. The other homes in the neighborhood have that but the original owners of my house put in the double hung windows instead. Not what I would have done but to each their own.

Slightly off topic but I don't like how the mulch line isn't visible from the street. I like seeing a crisp edge between the grass and mulch. Is it worth building up the height of the landscape beds or regrading the grass to be slightly lower? I feel like that would help.

Thank the original owners for not doing that Palladian window, what you have is MUCH more classic. I don't understand the garden question- put in a metal edge to demarcate between the mulch and the sod.

^ agree with Hallett - we have steel edging running along our beds, holds mulch in place, easy to trim grass against it - looks very crisp.

I do have edging. It's a little hard to explain, but the original picture is the view from the street. In this picture I'd like to see the mulch between the blue lines from the street. I think it would help visually.

So you want to connect the two existing beds?

Everything to the right of my front door is one bed. You can't tell because the grass is higher than the landscaping bed. This picture might explain it better - see how you can see the edge of the mulch bed? The grass isn't higher than the mulch bed. I think that would make my house look better from the street.