That is a very cute house! I agree that the siding should eventually be changed, and I would want wooden posts rather than the black metal. The front door will be more lively with a brighter color….teal, pumpkin, eggplant, coral? Creating curvy planting areas along the foundation will provide more interest, and then add some other plants/flowers interspersed with the current taller plants.

A new color and a new landscaping plan would go a long way to improving the appearance.

What if you just chose a fun color for the door? A bright color would make it pop. You could do window boxes with a similar color flower. It is such a cute house.

Prune your shrubs. Create a garden bed on the left side of the house. Adding curves to the front of the house will help.

Adding rounded posts will help. Yes to a softer, less harsh trim color. The black draws your eyes to the window and then right next to the window you can't help but see the diagonal lines. Take the emphasis away from the windows.

just trim up the shrubs and paint the door a light color.

Is the house blue or is that shadow? Is the house white?

Either way, soft greige/taupe for trim. A bright blue door for a focal point. Soft blue porch ceiling and above the door.

Keep the black wrought iron...I love it.

I don't have software but I sketched my concept. Paint colors tbd.

Add a curved, layered garden bed on the left as Kendra suggests. Do keep your current shrubs trimmed below the window sill. Add a small ornamental tree at the left corner, not too close to the house. Get advice from a small garden center about which shrubs and plants grow well in your zone and conditions. Notice that a large hydrangea on the side of this house extends the footprint of the house as well for a wraparound effect.

Transitional Front Yard - Mequon · More Info

Not a pro ... but I love your house just as it is, except for the landscaping. Better landscaping in my opinion would add a lot. The black iron columns in this instance are quite nice, and the black trim compliments them. I like the unique angled siding, as Sigrid says it is funky and to me in a nice way.

Cute house.

Shrubbery growing up above a window sill always looks scraggly and overgrown. Trim those down or dig them up and plant something else.

I like the wrought iron posts. I agree that the window trim color looks harsh. I would go for something lighter. Also like the idea of a colorful front door.

Oops I accidentally hit send too soon.  I may be in the minority here, but I think this house would benefit from shutters on the front first floor windows.

Also yellow door depending on whether you lighten trim or not. You may not need to if you get a bright, light door.

1407 East Clarendon Avenue · More Info

Posting this one so you can see how a left side curved bed could enhance your house per @Kendra:

Yes to light trim.

Marblehead · More Info