Bad lighting but that’s the door/siding combo!

What are you allowed to do? Most HOA's will limit what you can do.

A flush or recessed light above the front door, under the overhang, for a nice glow there at night. Other than that, landscaping, perhaps a bench. What is allowed/not allowed by the HOA?

Can add stone work, landscaping, decor. The HOA is pretty chill here from what I can tell. Any structural changes would need approval (and aren’t ideal for me to do right away, the structure is set already).

Didn’t think of the front light idea, thank you!

Attractive house! If there will be

if there will be two cars in the driveway and not enough room for visitors to walk up driveway you might consider a walkway to the street. Do you know if that is a Canary Island Palm tree in the middle of your yard? They get very big and IMHO out of scale in smaller yards. We gave one away to a landscaper in a previous house if they would remove it.

Only my car 🤣😅 but I was thinking of maybe extending the driveway/walkway with some paving stones? And oh man I’ve no clue what the plant is but I’ll look into it, thank you!

Can you make the driveway the entire width of the garage? That way people can more easily walk past two cars in the driveway. Also, our walkway starts mid-driveway, to make it less distance for people to get to the house.

(Photo taken pre-landscaping.)

So I can’t adjust the actual front pavement (standardized for the builder) but a house in the development did this which I might copy!

Definitely do that addition, on both sides of the driveway. And line your front walk with it, too.

I think it's pretty nice as these things go. The landscaping will help a lot. I love the front door color.

Not sure about HOA approval but at some point you might consider a garage door with windows. It would add more interest by breaking up the ”wall” of garage since it’s so prominent. It would also help if the garage door was the same color as the siding instead of white. Nice house!

I agree the front door color is 👍🏻!!

So I was thinking about getting the little magnet kits that they sell for fake garage windows/handles… are they frowned upon?? Because honestly they look pretty good to me 🤣

You could do a little pergola over the garage door. I couldn’t find a great photo, but something like this:

Check with building codes before you get too excited about the drive extensions. In many places that is not allowed. THe driveway can legally only be X wide at the curb. Contractors won't perform the work and it would need torn up upon moving. The homeowner may have done this illegally.

Perennial grasses along the driveway and stone with native perennials down at the corner. Stone makes great interest. You can buy them by the bag and there are a variety of colors. I have a blue stones...almost navy.

On either side of the garage, in a docorative planter, grow Sweet Autumn Clematis. It is a gorgeous plant and in the late summer it flowers and is sweet smelling. Use fishing line, tied to the sconces, to give it a support to climb.

The garage is prominent. What if you paint it the same color as the siding?

Etsy has some great, creative house numbers. You could put them over the garage door.

https://www.etsy.com/market/unique_house_numbers

Aside from landscaping, I'd get an upgraded garage door. It's the majority of the front of your house. At least get some window in it, if not a carriage style door with some interest like the cross bars here.

Victorian Carriage House · More Info

@SusanL's pic has a nice garage door. I'm not a big fan of pergolas, though.

Cute house!! Get a better looking garage door.🙂

A wall pergola and upgrade the garage door.

Since it sounds like it's only you living there at this time, I would look at doing things that won't require so much maintenance, such as a pergola over the garage if it's wood you'd need to maintain that. The downspout on left side of garage, I would landscape the walkway from driveway to entry walk so that area includes pretty gravel and plants instead of the grass there where all the rainwater will be traveling to. If budget allows, see about having windows added to the garage door. A nice entry welcome mat and pot of flowers will be pretty at the entrance.

You will need to ask the HOA gods what you can do with your house . Landscaping is a must but who knows what is allowed for even that. The garge door is pretty boring but agin what can be done . My advice talk to the HOA so you know what is ALLOWED thne come back with that list . Sorry but I can't tell you how much I hate HOAs

Seriously, many of the suggestions made here, while lovely, will probably NOT be approved. A friend who is a Master Gardener was appalled at what was installed by her landscaper. And, planted in soil that was ill prepared for gardening. Have them plant the MINIMUM in your yard. If you have any choice at all regarding trees, etc., okay the least difficult to remove and discard. Then…replace them with shrubs, trees, plants, etc. that will be placed in ground prepared for maximum growth. I doubt that many of the “cute” additions to your home will be allowed by your HOA. You might check with the developer to find out the make of your garage door. It might be possible to remove the top panels and replace with windowed panels. But your HOA might require uniform garage AND front doors. So….check first. And, petition your HOA if you and neighbors want to personalize your homes.

Just requested the bylaws… I think I saw the rest of the neighborhood looked cute so I wasn’t too concerned as long as I could add my backyard fence 🤣🤣 they definitely approve pavers and landscaping to some extent, unsure about all of the garage stuff! Some people already swapped out front doors or painted different colors, the garages I can’t remember so I’ll do a drive by this weekend!

Get a black ceiling light for the front entry that matches your garage lights. Change your door hardware to black and get fun address numbers in black. I doubt those will be refused by your HOA.

The change of your garage door (and a pergola) would be a huge design addition, but get permission. I don’t think it’s necessary to change your gutters and downspouts. Add a small bench and a potted plant at the front door as well.

Landscaping is the best design addition you can do but make sure you have a wide berth for what you’re allowed.

There is no way a tract builder put in a more rare and expensive palm, so assume it is a generic variety. Probably cabbage palm. If you are allowed to replace the landscaping, consider putting a Sylvester Palm in that spot ... a more unusual palm, much more attractive and a good size for your front yard.

If you want your house to have more curb appeal, replace the cement driveway with pavers.

If you want your house to have more curb appeal, replace the cement driveway with pavers.

That's an expensive way to get curb appeal.....$$$$.....while looking totally out of place in what looks like a starter tract home.

The OP described the exterior as boring ... pavers would certainly pretty it up!

They asked for ideas and gave no budget.

Improving ones house will never look out of place in any neighborhood.

I agree that pavers wouldn't fit this neighborhood. Even though it's plain, your house is well proportioned, tidy, and simple in a good way. I think that landscaping alone will make it really great (and maybe a garage door upgrade, down the road). At this point, if it were me, I'd be saving all my money for all new furniture.

Use great caution planting anything right along the driveway. The drive looks just marginally wide enough already; no need to hem it in with plants. Plus, visitors don’t want to open their car door and be forced to step into a flower bed.

Canary island Date Palms aren't rare or expensive and the tree can’t be a cabbage palm because that has fan fronds and the tree pictured has feather fronds. It’s always nice to know what a plant is so you know what to expect!

Improving ones house will never look out of place in any neighborhood.

Ha....This forum tends to use the word "never" a little too much. Context is everything.....

"Sorry but I can't tell you how much I hate HOAs"

I can't tell you how much I hate my neighbors letting their son put his hooptiemobile up on blocks in the driveway for a year and a half.

Don’t assume you can install a fence of your choice. Again, HOAs sometimes limit the height, type, and location of fencing. Not something you can assume. BUT…if you get a group of people who want the same style of fencing as you, perhaps you can collectively petition your board for permission to construct what you want.

Not concerned about the fencing, already confirmed I’ll be good!

Ok so I can definitely adjust the garage at least a little!

And some of the landscaping is pretty intricate so that’ll definitely be my primary focus!

Keep checking the neighborhood for other upgrades you’re considering. Is there leeway in how you post your address numbers? Outdoor lighting? Good to know the garage door can have windows.

Are you allowed to put a white pergola over the garage to minimize the impact of your double garage that's wider than the actual house?

Garage addition · More Info

Not a big fan of the garage pergolas!

How many want to bet the HOA won’t allow any pergolas on garages?

How many architects won’t allow any pergolas on garages?

@Mark Bischak - Why wouldn’t architects allow them?

That pergola is going to become a spider nest.

I used these backlit numbers on my old house and really loved them. If you could put them over your garage door, your party guests and the pizza guy will always find your house.

Here's a picture at night (this is old, before the door was stained and the brickwork repainted):

Please share your decisions & final photos if possible.

Please share your decisions and final photos when completed!