Hi jikibel, traditional colonial homes are symmetrical withe the main door in the middle, your home is crying out for an addition on the right side, which might not be possible due to the shared driveway.

You can go with a transitional contemporary route if the you can't move the location of the front door, such as using modern materials and adding a porch across the front.

Your house is adorable. Planting more mature landscaping will help balance out the house. Plant a Lugustrum tree to the right of the front door. Be sure to keep it pruned so it stays around 6 feet. it will fill out nicely and keep its leaves all year round. Next, plant white camellia bushes on either side of the large window. Keep these pruned to around 4'. This will give the landscapin an elegant feel as their white flowers are beautiful. Lastly, fill in with some lower rowing bushes such as box woods. Have fun!

Photos # 1 & 2 An easy upgrade is to replace or restore the brass knockers and knobs and maybe add a brass kick plate. A new Colonial style mailbox? A new Colonial door-buzzer?

You'll professionally landscape after the major renovations, but you could plant azaleas (red), on each side of the door and along the front of the main house only (not sunroom). They'll grow well in VA & are not expensive. The tree looks good with the round mulch.

Talk to various landscapers about how they have solved a shared driveway problem (fence,shrubs or other). They can give you addresses & you can drive & see. Maybe your neighbor would be willing to pay for installation & maintenance of 1/2 of the fence or shrubs. Here's a little article on shared driveways. http://www.chicagometroarearealestate.com/sharing-driveways-in-elmhurst/

This article says "symmetrically-arranged dormer windows, and a front door flanked by decorative pilasters or housed under a portico." are often added to colonials. If you added an addition to the house & your house was less "petite", dormers might look fine. http://factoidz.com/knowing-the-architectural-styles-for-remodeling-a-home/

Photo # 1 new knocker and handle

Photo # 2 brass kick plate

Thanks for your thoughts. We've actually ordered new door hardware (polished nickel) which will make a huge difference. Thanks for the specifics on landscaping. That's probably where we will start for the smaller renovation. ... Oh, and thank you for the compliment on the tree. That was one of the first things we had installed and we love it!

Does anyone know where you can get a polished nickel mail box? Most are brushed or satin nickel.

I'm not a designer but...looking at your pic, the entry element and the add-on element look very similar and at odds with the rest of the house. So I played with the "Paint" program and decided having the entry as the contrasting element and blending the add-on made sense and kinda gave your charming house a whole new appeal. What do you think? (I'm hoping these load up side by side for easier comparison--fingers crossed)

Incidentally, dormers might not be a bad idea. it'll add height and presence to your house, I think.

The second I saw the thumbnail of your house, I knew it was in Arlington or Alexandria. Are there still bidding wars on such houses in spite of this economy? I love your house, it's very charming.

Anyway, I would recommend a spring trip to Williamsburg and/or Charlottesville to see the gardens behind the UVA lawn and Monticello. Take pictures of all the plants you love. Standouts for me in terms of ornamentals were always the combination of the redbuds with the dogwoods, the sign of spring in all its glory in my favorite springtime place (though be warned that redbuds will leave some detritus on your lawn). Something about your house also screams "BOXWOOD HEDGE" though I'm not sure how or where!

I think it's a charming house as it stands - Typical of the 1930's/40's when so much development occurred in that area to house folks who were moving to DC to work in the new government agencies...

I'd leave the house alone - It's not trying to be an elaborate Georgian Mansion as some other folks would have it be, it's just a nice little Brick Federal which pretty much looks right the way it is, except for the bay window in your screened porch - I'd replace that with a simple ganged pair of double-hung multi-paned windows.

I would definitely add a walk directly from the street to the front door as currently visitors have to walk up the driveway and shuffle around the cars parked there - Not very welcoming...

I agree with Becky - That this house is screaming for Boxwoods. Perhaps a low hedge along the sidewalk with an opening at the front walk where you'd have a white wooden pole with a Lantern and your house numbers...
...and up at the porch, flank the stairs with a pair of White Chippendale planters with Boxwoods or Geraniums - and consider a nice hedge of Holly as foundation plantings to the left of your entrance.

I agree with Becky about adding some hedges! I think a large hedge under the front window will help balance the asymmetry of the door.

jikbel: looked for polished nickel mailboxes and could not fined. One site said polished chrome was similar but polished nickel was "warmer". Can you use satin nickel or something else?

Yikes - don't like the chrome door - doesn't suit the type of house. simply paint your door, update your landscaping. change out your exterior door handle to chrome if you must have chrome, but not the entire door! For resale value you don't want to push too hard on the modern surfaces. Spend your money on lanscaping and adding detail to your front porch. Some photos for inspiration for you - good luck!

I agree with the comments above from Marie Hebson, just paint the front door and add some larger shrubs, boxwoods are great and very low maintenance. I also think a walkway from the front door to the sidewalk would improve the curb appeal lots
Good Luck

Charm beats large and stately any time! I think the biggest distraction is the bay window; perhaps replacing that and adding a chippendale style railing to the sunroom roof will give your home a more harmonious facade and add some bulk and height to the left side of the house, pulling it all together. As
the owner of a colonial with an offset entrance, I feel your pain...our solution has been to add symmetry with other architectural details such as fencing. Perhaps you'd consider a long, low fence...mixed materials (brick and wood?)...that opens into the center of the yard and follows a path to you front door. This frames the yard nicely, gives those approaching your home a sense of entrance, and opens up all sorts of landscaping possibilities! I like dormer idea for your big remodel and can imagine an addition above the sunroom...I think it would be charming to emphasize the contrast in materials there...make it wood, keep it the same color as your entry...just my two cents. Best wishes!

Just some thoughts... She's a beauty btw.

Pop of color on your door (DEEP RED, ORANGY/UMBER OR GIVEN THE AREA A DEEP NAVAL BLUE Go High Gloss)
raise the height of the entryway so you can get a attention grabbing light fixture above. Add copper flashing to it (so sexy).
Wrap around sunroom windows (with mullions) and sheer curtains
Can you extend the sunrom because then you could use the roof of the sunroom for private relaxation space

Is that old cedar fence yours. If so then Add a Lutyens style fence


Not a fan of dormers unless they can match or mirror the windows but I do love a cat's eye dormer (think they call them "eyebrow"
Port Cochere for the shared driveway and separte by a lutyens type trellis

Annual plantings and a bench around the tree.
Bluestone walkway from the curb to the front door to break up the grass.
Roll back some of the grass from the front curb and put in more annuals, and Hostas and small grasses.
Put prettier shades on the upstairs windows. The ones there scream don't look at me. A house this beautiful should invite folks to walk slowly as they pass by and STARE AT ME.

I think your house is adorable. I would start with a X motif white railing over the flat roof. If you can get it into your budget I would replace the bay window. It really looks dated and distracts to all the other great aspects of your home. I would go with large windows in place that coordinate with the others. Finally- Window Boxes! You windows are looking a bit smallish. Window boxes would really be a great investment. I purchased mine at Hooks and Lattice.com They make gorgeous white composite boxes that are super low maintenance and come in many lengths and widths. Finally, I would update the front yard plantings. I am seeing Box wood hedges. Good Luck!

I think someone else mentioned painting the door- YES. Love that idea. I see Bright sunshine yellow in a high gloss. Red is totally appropriate- but also totally expected. Have fun!

I love your house it's very charming! I think a railing simple white railing around the flat roof would add a lot interest. We have that on our flat roof and it makes a huge difference.

Some new shrubbery would be nice but overall I really love the house. I know it's kind of a stretch but would you ever consider painting the brick? I love painted brick and it would suit the house. Just a thought! Good luck!

Cute house! Have you thought about changing out the shutters, or even just painting them a color that contrasts more with the brick? And I think the railing on the flat roof is also a good idea. Also, pretty easy, window boxes under those two windows on the second floor.

I thought some simple boxwoods and white annuals and a brick front walk would add some nice symmetry.

Sorry, here is the upload of the photoshop pic.

Sorry again, technical difficulties

Wow! Awesome. Thank you! .... What great ideas everyone gave. We definitely plan to put a railing on the flat room, change out the bay window, get better shutters, etc. ... I had not thought about changing out the front door color (I love the classic black and white...and when we bought the house everything was navy blue) but have thought about getting a 5 panel door and staining it) love the ideas for landscaping!

Becky Harris--We are in Arlington! Good eye. Yes, still bidding wars! It's insane.

Cute house - I think window boxes would be a good addition along with the landscaping that was mentioned before.

This is how the house looked when we moved in (except the shutters and front door were navy blue). Should we put the pathway to the street back (some of you suggest a pathway ans we have the stones in the backyard)? Thanks!

The house looked so much better before - Those paver steps were charming as was the willow tree...

Some willow trees can wreak havoc on pipes so that wasn't necessarily a bad move.

Hi - I would say put in a walkway in brick pavers to match with the house brick edged with a gold brick- but don't make it straight. Nice and curved starting from the left - kind of in line with the front window- and plant boxwood on the sides or some other low growing flowering plants in one color. Daylilies would be great .Then plant a beautiful ornamental tree to the front right of the front door. Maybe something like a Pear or a Weeping Birch. A nice color on the front door would add some life - maybe a rich red. or emerald green.

Thanks, again, for all the suggestions. We have a lot to do this spring! ... Any suggestions on where to get flower boxes for windows? I'm guessing they might need to be custom made. ... And, yes, we removed the willow tree because we live in metropolitan area and they can do great damage to your basement.

We are also doing the front landscaping at our house - now going into summer # 4 and I am still looking at dirt . $3,200 for the front sidewalk and $1,600 for grading - $200 for each tree - three and still need maybe 1 or 2 more . New fence started last yr. and need to finish this yr. $$$ not added up yet and I still don't understand why dirt costs sooo much - it's dirt after all. So $$$ and time and having trouble getting help- ehhhh ! SO do you still want to do it ? Just making fun - anyway Good Luck with your project and I hope I helped a bit !

Thank you all again for all your design help! We have a lot to do this spring. A few of you mentioned that we should paint the front door a different color. What paint finish/sheen do you suggest? Satin? Gloss?

Either one is fine - your choice - I prefer Satin myself. Just please don't paint yellow as said before - you will have every bug of the summer on your door and yellow is the lest liked color for a door, they say.