Here are roof shingles you could consider.

Paint the window frames dark.

I think your home should look like this.

A mansard roof split-level. A house with a mansard roof and a split-level house are already hard enough to remodel/update just on their own, but now you have both designs in one house. You have your work cut-out for you. Good luck.

Houses like this don't tend to exist randomly in a neighborhood, so there are probably similar houses in the area. I would look for those, and if they look like they have been updated, stop to talk to the homeowners to get the name of their architect/designer and builder/GC.

Thank you! Great ideas!

This is a perennial question on this forum— search “mansard roof” in Stories here to find responses given to past user questions. Although mansard roofs are traditionally most-associated with ‘old world’ French architecture, I think it’s important to keep in mind that 60s/70s- built homes with reverse/inverted dormers, like yours, are inherently a modern take on the mansard roof. I wouldn’t try fighting that, as converting a reverse dormer to a regular dormer would likely be as complex construction-wise as just removing the mansard altogether might be. Assuming you are most interested in ideas that work with what you currently have (vs major construction), I like the direction lisedv is suggesting above.

Will agree that a split-level mansard roofed house is a very specific type and isn't the easiest to update. Will suggest replacing the existing garage door with one that has lites (windows) will help modernize the house a bit. Nothing helps the blank expanse of a flat garage doors more than adding windows.

I would have the house professionally power washed. Then you can see what color everything is.

I agree your architectural style is unique, but as others said, research the neighborhood first. Then look up mansard roofed homes and get design ideas. If you want to go black-and -white modern, use Romabio lime wash on any brick instead of paint.

Keep us posted! At the very least, you have a cheering squad.

I just moved to a neighborhood that has one of these homes and it is the only home around that looks like this.

It is not my favorite style by far, but they really did an excellent job by NOT having the focus be on the home but instead on creating a forest of trees and plants that surround it.

Your home seems to be doing this too on the right side, but the left is kind of bare. I'd find ways to landscape around the garage area, add some tall Italian cypress. How will you be using the open space to the left of the garage?

I would keep the home looking like one big monolith. Don't do anything to highlight the windows or garage or doors other than a simple, consistent paint color where nothing pops.

I promised updates on the house, so there you go…adding some pics with what we’ve done so far. Cleaned up the roof, added new doors - even got a garage door for the car port, I think it changes the house a lot ( looks better, right ? :-) ). Still a lot of work to do ( adding light fixtures, pot lights, painting the window frames black, landscaping), though… I need help, please, with some ideas for the front door and the roof of the car port. I think the front door needs some kind of canopy ( I envision something very modern) and I think the roof on the car port is too abrupt…anything that can be added to the roof on the car port that is architecturally linked to a canopy above the entry? Maybe the stairs need some modern touch, too ( glass on the sides?). Still need to clean up the brick ( in spring) —- I like the colour and is in very good shape).

Good choice of new shingles. The garage looks perfect.

Have you considered options for a new front walkway? If you intend to remove the two front trees, the stump grinding of roots will cause the dirt to settle over the next few years, so gravel with an edging may be a good workable choice, rather than concrete. The trees look like they are looming toward the house but that may be camera perspective, not real life.

The shingles are not new, just the old roof cleaned up. Two weekends of hard work and lots of stares from neighbours passing by :-)
The 2 trees in front of the house are parallel with the house. I know the house would look better if we remove them, but as long as they are healthy, we don’t want to remove them. We like trees!
Regarding the front walkway…it’s not flat, it leans towards the street walk. I was thinking small squares of concrete with gravel around them.

Are you in the PNW? It looks like it. Tree fan over here too. Great improvements. We have large pavers in our side yard and trees everywhere but they still need a flat surface to sit properly on. I would get a landscaper in and see what they recommend for pathways

Hehe…no…Hamilton, Ontario. The house is backing into Niagara Escarpment, so huge trees and lots of greenery in the summer. We liked the lot better than the house, so now we are trying to upgrade the house to…the lot :-)

Ah I misread the landscape. We are in Vancouver BC. Your project is great.