HI It's a beautiful home. I would paint the door soften toned red and for the shrubs are over grown, They are covering the porch and railings detail. To show your home off put in different colors of shrubs for different colors through out the seasons. Depending were you live the scrubs would have a better chance of maturing if they are about medium size when you put them in.. The ideas i have recommended will make your home more and welcoming . best of luck . Belinda from Michigan

With black and white, you can do many things. Instead of classic black, I suggest since your door has so much glass you go bright for winter with a lovely bright yellow. Something like sw bee http://www.sherwin-williams.com/homeowners/color/find-and-explore-colors/paint-colors-by-family/SW6683-bee/

Hmmm...I like the idea of a softened red for the door, but bright yellow--arghhh!

I would love this next to the front door.

yes ,it would perk up your porch for the season

Hi.....Your home is lovely, I would suggest you wait until spring before making any changes.

Looking for ideas for the outside so I'm ready when it comes.

I would wait until you have your landscaping plan.

All bushes will be removed and replaced with smaller bushes and color. Very nice flowers boxes on the rail. A very dark green bar harbor wicker sofa and chair will on the porch.

Hi....Well in that case......Black shutters and front door, ceiling fans for the porch, and cabana drapes for the columns.

Love your choices for the green porch furniture and allowing for the porch to show with lower bushes.

I'd go with the black door if you're using colorful furniture on the porch. Drapes/awnings would look great as well.

Nice house. Once those bushes are out I think everything will fall into place.

It's a lovely home, congratulations. If using green furniture, consider a neutral such as HC-90 http://www.benjaminmoore.com/en-us/paint-color/crownpointsand to lighten things up.

As much as I like the tree in the front yard, come spring/summer the tree will definitely hide the house. Removing would help show the house, but you might lose a bunch of shade come summertime. ( I personally, would remove the tree and then planting a new, smaller tree would be the next step)

Shutters on the porch will make all of the difference! See our Porch Board on Pinterest for some inspiration.

http://www.pinterest.com/timberlaneinc/porches/

I'm thinking of removing the trees and adding pear trees. The trees are on the north side of the house and it gets little sun.It would open the house up. The wicker furniture is a antique set and hope it sets the porch off nicely.The sofa is 78 inches long so will fill in that large porch.Thanks for all the wonderful comments.

@Timberlane I thought of shutters for the porch windows but on the far left the window has no space to put one. It would be hard to balance them on the windows.I think that's why there are none on there since they have on all the others windows including the back of the house.

Can you post a full-on close picture of the door? With and without storm door?

I wouldn't suggest painting anything until I see what you currently have. I have an older home too (I can tell yours is likely 1900 to maybe 1920 build date) My front door is the original wooden door & I's never dream of painting it!

Please don't get rid of that tree out front as garybabich81 mentioned!! Mature trees are a Godsend. That is one thing that only time can give you!

Which direction does your home face? Mine faces West, and in the late afternoon in the hot Summer months, I'd love to have a nice big tree like that to shade my place.

It faces north

@bungalowmo, the front door is painted white, no orignal wood showing.

My house is gray and white with black. Shutters, my door is carmine from Home Depot. Kind of a tomato red but not too bright but bright. Didn't want a bloody red being a nurse.

@Patrica,my house that I sold is gray with navy shutters and light gray trim.I love that color.

I think a red front door is a great idea

Don't feel bad, it took my former husband & me 10 years to agree on a front door color... :D But really, the house is so neutral that you could do lots of fun colors...

You have a lovely house.

I agree with bungalowmo, do not get rid of that tree. Having read up on real estate sales as I am responsible for selling the houses my husband fixes, the number I have heard is $10,000 per mature tree. You will be devalueing your property if you cut that tree down. I have consistently heard prospective buyers exclaim over mature trees when a property has them. Do not cut that tree down, it is a very nice tree and an asset to your house.

I too like the red door idea. I had red doors at my last two personal houses and got tons of compliments. It adds a nice spark of color.

Awesome home! As many have suggested, I would paint the shutters a darker color-- if you said they are already black, perhaps doing a little bit darker shade. A red door would look nice as well. On the landscaping, the shrubbery appears to be overgrown; in the spring, I would rip those up and plant some low-maintenance shrubs (check with a local nursery for what is best in your area), and maybe a couple Hydrangeas (if your region permits). Envious of your home!

You could easily fix that issue with a bi-fold shutter. Could you post a photo of that particular window?

@Timberlane Inc...Here's..the..picture..of..the..far..window.

Sorry I am just seeing this, blacklabs - If look straight at the window, you could place a bi-fold shutter on the right side of the window. Often times when adding shutters to porch, many homeowners do this because of soffets, light fixtures, or even your case pillars.

Have you tried our Shutter Snapshot application?

Update-bushes..removed

The whole house looks younger and fresher.

You're on the right track! I would recommend you paint the concrete brick porch foundation.

Update

Updates

Lovely, you've done a nice job!

Oh blacklabs56!!!! What a huge difference & absolutely beautiful home!

It just looks so pretty & open & inviting! I have that same shellac'd beadboard on my porch roof! I've had folks say to paint it, but I never ever would. I'll add another coat of shellac...but no paint for me.

The landscaping you've done is so fresh. Love your porch railings too. So different than anything I've seen before.

Oh, she's a gem ya got there, for sure! :0) Where is this? Not like the actual address, but maybe what State??

Looks like you live in a super cute older neighborhood too. No cookie-cutter houses there!

Thank..you,it's..been..a..labor..of..love.I'm..in..Little.Falls,NY

Here's..some..before..pictures

Oh...even with everything blooming & green, I'm glad you got rid of all those shrubs. It just really opens up the front of your house!

Got my own Labor of Love in Front Royal, VA. 100 yo place that has been keeping me busy for 7 years. Gotta balance out time to do it, money to do it with & deciding what I can do & what needs a pro.

But...I had a huge payoff this past weekend. 2 neices of the family member who lived there from 1933 to 1979 showed up at my house! I was so excited to find any relatives! I invited them in & I could tell they were pretty emotional. They spent summers at this house for many many years. (they looked to be in their early 70's)

To see their faces being back in a home that had so many wonderful memories attached.,...that is more than I ever could have hoped for!

So...you just never know who might be driving by your place one day & suck up the nerve to drop in! :0)

Keep a pot of tea on hand!

Looks quite pretty. Got winter photos to compare to original?

apple_pie_order

Here's..some..from..this..Christmas

Beautiful! Get rid of those big bushes and the porch will be the focal point.

Maraly..Are..you..looking..at..the..after..pictures..the..bushes..are..gone.

Home sweet home! Enjoy!

It appears you have white French-style doors, and I hate to see them in anything but white. Perhaps you could install; some extra trim around the doors and paint this trim black. Since the top of the door is lower than the windows, you might consider adding a transom above the door. I do not know if transoms come with black glass, but such might look great with the spider web design in the transom. I believe you should add black shutters to the window that overlook the porch for a uniform appearance. You might consider something like shell pink for the porch ceiling and a harmonizing dusty rose for the porch floor and treads. If you think the pink is too feminine, you might opt for a light blue and medium blue combination for the porch ceiling and floor and treads. I would recommend painting the backs or risers of the steps white and the side wall of the porch and the foundation black.

Porch painted, shutters added, waiting for 2 more. Ceiling stained and concrete painted.

Before/After