Paint would help
Flower n plants in front
Maybe some pots with color

Plants around the light post with maybe a brick planter around it to match the house brick. Think I would keep the grey just freshen it up with a shade darker

Quick fix: change the light fixtures on either side of the front door to down lights and I would put two box planters under those lights with round, evergreen bushes. Get rid of the 2' high brick walls on either side of the front entrance way deck. Paint the front deck and sidewalk the same grey color as the rest of the house. Paint the house numbers the same color (more or less) as the window trim. Need to be darker or go white so people can see them. And maybe two more similar planter boxes on either side of the arched step that goes up to the main entry. You obviously have electrical to the light post. Remove that and replace with a lighted pathway to the house.

HI -- Nice house -- easy fix ! Paint the house "Ranchwood " by Benjamin Moore - this will go with the brick . Keep the black trim . Remove that little curved step -awkward -- and have a landing as wide as the whole brick entrance and widen the walkway the same width . You could stagger sections to make it more interesting and add some side benches and or planter boxes . Maybe get the front yard re -graded to level it off and add some retaining walls on the sides of the property to help level the front yard . Work out a landscaping plan -- local garden center or landscape designer could help you with that. Bigger black house numbers . Maybe bigger light fixtures /hanging lanterns. And continue with your red front door or a black in a satin gloss (your choice).

I'm a huge fan of painting window trim and roof overhangs white, or at least lighter than what you have currently. If you're into shutters, adding some to the large windows (not to the basement ones though) will make the front of your house feel inviting. Adding a planter/window box below those two front windows will also help a ton. Next, add some monkey grass (or similar plant) to edge the walkway on both sides. I'm a big fan of giving your front porch a pop of color... maybe with front door paint, maybe with colorful chairs, maybe both. It's a great house with good bones! If you decide to keep the current house color (after painting trim white), you're in luck! Gray goes with almost any colorful door choice. I like oranges and turquoise though. Also there's a dark espresso semi-gloss spray paint (Rustoleum I think) that'll revive that light post. A few flowers around that would make it even cuter. Perhaps the rest of the flowers leftover from the planter box project.

Thank you to everyone who has offered advice! I'm going to discuss the possible changes tonight with everyone. I'll post pics here. I am going to check out the benjamin moore paint color now. I've wanted to change the stain color for a while but the dark brown clad windows had me stumped.). Thanks so much.

By the way, shutters don't have to be "off the shelf" typical. CHeck out these links:

Home transitions... What you did with that house is amazing. I just keep looking at it! That gives me great hope!

Cindy crane, do you think I could paint light or white in those areas even with the dark brown clad windows and the "matching" dark brown gutters? I don't usually like dark windows because I think they look like big black eyes on a house, but I wasn't sure about lightening up those areas because of the dark brown that I can't change. Thanks!

I like the board and batten. Paint your house white…right down to the ground, chimney, front door....everything.

Leave your window trim as is and paint the front door that dark gray color, but in a high gloss finish.

You can leave the step for now, but knock down those brick whatevers and replace with a black railing.

Thank you for the compliment.

I think the issue with the exterior is that it is essentially a contemporary-style house, but the previous owners installed more traditional elements, so there is an air of inconsistency around the place.

You may want to start collecting photos of contemporary exteriors and create an Ideabook so you can figure out what is both consistent with the style AND pleasing to your eye.

I think you can break this down into three phases:

1. A color scheme: what goes best with the dark brown window casings?

The first picture I attached is obviously much different than what you will be doing, because they have orange casements on the window. But I like the "pop," and perhaps you can find a color that will make your existing windows pop a little.

2. How to make the entryway flow with the new color scheme

Red brick always looks more traditional than contemporary to me. You may find a way to make it work with your new color scheme, but I would think about refacing with a different type of masonry. This may also mean a new door and porch. Either way, I would definitely remove the short brick walls. The second attached picture is what I think is a pretty stunning entryway.

3. Accessories and landscaping.

Your current entryway light fixtures are colonial-style, and the house numbers are a fussy font with serifs. You can finish off your new look with more modern fixtures and house numbers.

You may want to update the landscaping with native perennials and interesting ornamental grasses. I don't know your USDA zone or light exposure, so we can leave that for another discussion!

Have fun! Good luck! Post pictures!

Light trim under the roof edge, with dark in other places: it might work... So many very finite adjustments in paint color can make a big difference. I've been looking up colors of houses and jotting down the exact house paint and trim names that are in people's pictures to help me make a decision. Because if you go with one person's trim color and a different house paint color, they might not work well together on your house.
Here's an example of dark trim with a lighter house paint, if you think that appeals.

I think painting the brick the same color as the house is an awesome idea. It'll unify the materials, and add continuity to your whole façade. You can enter anything in the houzz.com search box (try dark trim, painted brick, or something like that). It'll probably help you make a decision.

Personally, I would remove the stone (?) entry patio and replace with a wood deck. You could either remove the brick veneer and resurface with siding or leave the brick and choose colors that contrasted with it a little less. It's a very cute house but somebody did something foolish at the entry. Easy fix.

I'd remove the cut stone from the entry and replace with concrete. Stain the siding in an linen or taupe color. Paint the door deep brown/oiled bronze color. Oiled bronze house numbers.

Please don't paint it white!! I love color...and a rich color like what you have.

What is the tall building on the left side of the house? It is in shadows, can't tell if it Is part of your home or another building.

It's a modern house. It should get a modern paint job.
I would go with buff walls and bright red door. Keep the black window trim.
However I would change the surface on your step and platform in front of the door, as it clashes badly with the brick.... and somehow doesn't look authentic. Is it textured concrete?

I would go for a slate or flagstone finish on the horizontal, staying away from yellow tones.

I would paint it like this, also darkening the roof trim and adding modern sconces:

I would also remove the rounded single stair, replacing it with a rectangular one.

I love your brick and the entry landing. I would paint the door white. White paint on all the raised detail of the vertical architecture of the home. Paint the house numbers in white. spray paint the door lighting white

Changed my mind. white for the fascia and the triangle section on the right, to bring it together. I would add a white bench and red pillows on the right side of the landing step.

I would add potted plants on the landing. A few potted plants on the left walkway to camouflage the foundation. Landscaping.

Maybe widen the walkway path (same width) the entire width, not the curved step width) to the steps and narrow it toward the lower area in the photo.

I would extend the brick on the left and right of the landing (half walls) all the way over the house wall or remove the half brick wall on the right and add a white railing up to the house to go with the white vertical architectural details I mentioned above.

Something like this

Gypsyrose17: that area to left side of pic is the fireplace, and then more of the house covered in blue-gray rough-sawn cedar. Sorry that my pic is lame... I took it at a time of day when that area was in shadow.

Sstarr: thanks for making the pic of my house with a different paint color! What a difference it makes! What did you use to make this? It's so helpful for my "abstract-idea-challenged brain."

Others have provided some great ideas for improving your entry. My eye is caught by the down spout that crosses the entryway. I wonder if one down spout at the far edge would suffice, if unable to remove it, perhaps the lower part of it could be straightened to follow the corner of the house then painted it to blend with house siding in order to minimize it's visibility.

I would paint the home a tawny tan, leave the dark trim around the windows, paint the eaves ivory, leave the door red, remove the rounded brick step and add a long step of a tan/white chunk of slate as the next step down. It should be as wide as your porch area, then just angle your walk wider to meet up with it. Perhaps a bench on the right side of your porch and some pots in various sizes with plants on the left.

What about installing James Hardie fiber cement vertical siding to replace the worn and outdated wood look? You could also change out the front door with the two skylights for a wide and statement making double door. See this photo here!

I think the walkway is taking away something from the way the house looks. It's just to formal, boring. Adding color to it might help, or consider getting rid of it (last resort), and installing a slate walkway

I agree that your walkway is really taking away from the beauty of your home. I would widen it as LB interiors suggested, but i would resurface or re pour all of the concrete (including the landing). I would go with a stamped concrete in a graphic pattern and definitely replace the half round stair with a full width squared one. Also changing out the lighting and painting the door will really help with the curb appeal. Here are a couple examples from our project pages. Good luck and please post up some new pictures of your changes. We love a good before and after!

I think it's a beautiful home. However, I don't think the landing is salvageable... Sorry. I'd rip it out and start over. And you may as well redo the whole walkway while you're at it, congrats on the new home.