I would go with overhang/portico for front door

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Ladscape

Would you change colours of siding or brick? Im not a fan on the retaining wall either.

I think that tree is so beautiful. I suggest changing the color of the house.

1. White walls + black-framed windows (classic )

2. Dark gray / charcoal black (modern feel)

3. Light blue / sky blue (fresh and romantic)

4. Light green / olive green (natural and ecological)

Congrats on your new home! I think I'd likely focus on the hardscaping first if budget allows. Revamp the retaining wall each side of the driveway to either clean-up and paint it, replace with stained lumber or if budget allows replace with retaining wall block stone. (Can't tell if that's cement or wood.) Open up the entrance walkway, and if necessary, recoat the asphalt driveway. Then work on landscaping across the front.

On the house, I would explore doing a limewash on the brick to tone it down since it's only on the front of the home. Paint garage door and service entry door same color as siding. Paint main entryway door and surrounding door trim a pop of color.

Congratulations on your new home!

What is your budget for improvements to the landscaping and house exterior?

What are your priorities for changes?

Certain changes will be expensive. With an unlimited budget:

1) add landscaping. Front tree is beautiful, light pruning for it and any other trees that are close to house or overhanging roof.

2) replace windows to equalize the window heights on the left and right sides, including eliminating the bow window and white trim underneath it.

3) maybe add a front door overhang

4) make the siding, brick and doors more cohesive

5) replace or clean the retaining walls

6) replace or seal the driveway

7) the height between the first front step and sidewalk/grass looks uneven across the width of that step, which can be unsafe. You may be able to fix this with minor re-grading when you landscape.

Depends on your budget and the best way to decide is to create a wish list, get quotes so you can prioritize and if needed, do in stages. Your home is attractive and painting siding and brick, updating entrance and landscaping would have a big effect.

If wanting bigger changes: new windows (and larger over garage), update all doors and siding (decide on brick) and tackle driveway. It’s important to have an overall vision and if similar homes in the area were updated note what was done. Looking on line will also help a lot.

Beautiful magnolia tree.

First priority is the approach to the house to the family entrance. I suggest starting with pressure washing the retaining walls and driveway. Then install six-packs or 4" pots of annual flowers along the front with fertilizer and compost. While you enjoy driving up to the summer flowers, you can consider other changes for longer term, starting with deciding what your budget range is for the next year and next five years.

Would suggest your hire an architect. They should be able to give you some great ideas about how to enhance your home.

The brick above the entry door and white paint under the bow window disrupts the upper story siding.

I would even this out with paint and or additional siding. Then add a portico or simple gable roof held up by large brackets over the door as a rainfly. The over hang of the second story reminds me of the old Tudor houses in the Shambles of York England. There would be brick or stone on the first floor with white stucco and dark timbering were on the overhanging second story. While you probably don't want to totally recreate that style, you could paint the second story siding a lighter color and take the dark color from the brick for the trim and wood work for a portico/ gable over the door. ( Metal roof or awning?) The door could be a rich saturated color or dark wood tone.

Instead darker trim which you would need carry around all of the house, you could just use wood tones on portico and doors.

I would add azaleas or small evergreen shrubs by the front windows. and to soften or hide the retaining wall you could trail a flowering vine like vinca or morning glories over it and to add fall color put in few mums.

All depends on your budget and color choices.

Yes, hiring a professional will be recommended. They can give you insight for things that aren't visible in photos.

Since it's new to you... I might live in a year first. See where the rain runs off the roof during a storm, where does the snow need to go in the winter. Is the winter non-foliage good, or maybe something evergreen might be desired. If you want to garden, what's the summer sunshine like for your growing requirements.

I would think twice before painting the brick. It's currently almost maintenance free. If you paint it, it will need to be upkept like other painted exteriors. And you can never restore it to original.

I like the brick & the siding color is fine but what bothers me is the white on the garage door, bay window projectile ( ?, whatever its called j & the white around the front entry. I would try to minimize the look of that second door next to the garage. Where does it lead to? Nice landscaping will make a big difference, beautiful tree there.

I agree with beesneeds, you need to live in the house for awhile before deciding what to change. Go ahead and pressure wash the driveway and retaining walls. That will make a big difference in the way it looks. Just enjoy your new home and you will start to see what needs to be done.

What about painting gray siding. A mid-tone gray that complements the brick.

A wood front door or painted a wood-tone brown. An awning for the front door. Updated railing.

Simple enhancements since there is nothing wrong with the Mid-Century Architecture unless you want a remod. This gray is not a paint color...just a sketch to show concept:

Something like this would not block the arched doorway pediment.

Powerwash the retaining walls or re-working them and the steps as suggested instead of the house.

I'd paint the siding navy or a darkish blue and do the trim in a cream that matches your lighter bricks. I'd do the vertical siding under the bay window the same at the rest of the siding.

The tan isn't bad, to me, the worst element in your house is all that bright white on a house that otherwise skews toward warm colors.

I like the awning shared by @tracefloyd. Here's another rendition using a cream color for siding & trim to complement the brick. Black accents on side door, railing and awning. Retaining wall stone idea shown.

I like the idea of a black metal awning but I would install a rectangular one over the arched door aw there is nothing else with arches on the house, everything is rectangular.