Select what style you want to execute.

You have a house with a great style as is, but I understand where you are coming from. You are correct that some of the foundation shrubs are overgrown. What direction does your home face? Are you in the north dealing with snow and ice? Or are you in the south?
To make your home more welcoming, you can start by removing the two overgrown shrubs, take a picture, and edit your post. Then start working on a plan by answering Beverly's question and mine. You don't have to execute the whole plan at once, but having an overall plan will help you spend as you can afford to. With exterior changes, the landscaping takes a hit too, so you might as well save new plantings for last. The exception is large trees that should be planted away from the house anyway and take time to grow.

As for the plan to make the face of your home more welcoming, depending on your answers, I can imagine a new driveway that flows into a wide walkway to a covered patio. That will require some changes to the roofline. If it were me, I would find an excellent local contractor with an architect. The better contractors have a go-to architect. Ask around your town, and go to "home-shows" to find a good contractor.

I like the home - simple and not overwrought. thoughtful landscaping will make a huge difference - I’d get a local pro to develop a plan and then you can install at your own pace

do you need to replace the roof? if not, look online for paint colors that jibe with brown roofing

Looks like a solid and nicely constructed home! If I had the bucks to splurge, I would update all the siding and not have it all running vertical. I can imagine a soft white with light taupe and black accents. The landscaping update will add to a its curb appeal.

^ 😍 / a simple white pergola over the garage doors could be nice as well

Great idea la la girl! That and updated landscaping will go a long way. Beautiful home.

The house itself is lovely; I don't think you need to do architctural changes other than maybe replace the garage and front doors and do a good paint job. Given the color of your roof, you're limited in the colors you can choose. But stay in light earth tones. Here's a pallette that might work:

I'd go darker for the siding and use the lighter colors for the doors/trim.

If you need to paint, I'd go with a warm off-white. If you don't, I'd paint the garage doors and shutters a darker color. The shutters could be a green or olive, if you like that.

I'd put edging in to give a sharp line between the driveway at the grass. And I'd work on the landscaping.

Beverly has shown you all the ways you can go choose one of those . I agree landscpaing will be your friend to brings this home to life . I love MCM so would tend to go that direction and this is my fave for inspiration for that look just to add to the choices

I really struggle to see anything in Patricia Colwell's picture that might be a good idea for your house. The gray color would not go with your roof. The landscaping is going to be a nightmare, keeping all that gravel in the right place, not to mention mowing the circle of grass without the mower kicking up any gravel so your gravel colors are mixed up. Plants tend to grow much better in the ground than in pots.

Sure, it looks great, but in real life? In a few years it will be a mess.