Hi Mreen2, you've got a fantastic home with great curb appeal ! I wouldn't do the pergola at the entrance since it will be too busy and it wouldn't work with the roof line. Perhaps you can paint the front door a brighter color and lay more grass / landscaping instead of the hard surfaces as you have mentioned.

Hi mreen -- What a lovely home. I'd suggest searching Houzz photos tab for "craftsman exterior" for loads of ideas that will translate well here. There's a photo on the 2nd page, if you search, that could be your house!


Things I'd consider doing -- a brighter color for the front door, and balancing the huge block of garage door white by painting it to match the house (or maybe your front door if you leave it brown), but leaving the trim around the window sections white, much like the windows above them.

While it's not architecturally necessary, I'd also think about adding facia a foot back where you only see rafter tails. (For example, there's a bold white facia along your garage roof peak, but only dots of rafter tails when the roof pitch is at a perpendicular angle.

I'd hesitate to spend money re-doing the drive; I think it looks sharp, and in the craftsman style.

Dytecture and Barnhartgallery - thanks so much for the feedback and suggestions. I appreciate it.

I agree with most of the above suggestions. I think the house has lots of appeal. The front door and garage door could use a little more zing.
It might be tempting to abandon the turn around drive, but most clients I have would trade any lawn to have the added parking and convenience. Given that, I think for some short money you might want to upgrade the mailbox, get a nice tall planter for the right side of the porch, and stain the fence and gate on the left to match the house color, helping extend the house into the landscape. On the right side of the garage, any chance of getting a planting bed on the corner so you can screen the trash barrel? Put in something that will be at least 6 ft tall and bushy. If in FL, it might be a good place for an areca or other short palm. Also with planting, you might want to plant something big and bushey on the far left of the fence to help focus the view of your house and block out the neighbors. Some ornamental grasses left and right of the windows on the bump out would help soften the look too. Good luck!

You have a beautiful home! I too agree with the above suggestions. I think starting with the front door color and mailbox then hiding the trash bins. But maybe just adding some window boxes might help you achieve the look you are going for and won't set you back money wise.

This house is great but it can be better. The first thing I find distracting is the end rafters showing - I think it would be better to put some facia boards on . And the second ---- Is there any reason why the front door cannot be centered more on that front gable . I think it would look a lot better to center the door to where the two windows are. I think it takes away from the style of the house having the door cramed into the corner the way it is now. Then you could paint a great color on the door. You don't need a pergola - not right for this style of house AND I would NOT change the drive or the front yard. Do you know how my people would love to have a drive like that, but don't have the room or the money for something like that. This is a wonderful California style contemporary !

Great house. I would definitely paint the garage door as right now it's the first thing you notice. Same color as the siding or a shade lighter. I like the circular driveway I would leave it the way it is. Maybe add some nice pots at the front - a pop of black possibly?

Paint the front door that beautiful turquoise that is popular right- so cool!
http://blog.reikodesign.com/index.php/2010/08/a-readers-question-feng-shui-doors/turquoise-front-door/
Go for it!

I say go for the pergola! If you keep it within the confines of that space and the height of that roof line and plant a climbing flower it will give you a country feel. I would also paint the front door a bright color and even the roof trim a dark color so your window trim will pop! The circle driveway is cool but a little choppy with the brick to the garage. Plant grass or maybe take the brick out and reuse to line the circle drive? A mail box fitting to the country style and more plantings. Good luck!

A red door would go great with the grey. At the moment you can hardly make out the door.
It would really draw the eye away from the garage door.
Maybe a fence would change the focus from the large driveway.

Thanks for all the great ideas! I appreciate the help.

I'm not sure what you mean by a pergola and what I am suggesting may be almost the same thing but covered. This house is almost awesome but needs to be simplified and made less dense. I would add a porch, very farmhousey. Extend the roof over the front door out to create a front porch and then let it extend all the way to the garage. This will create a greater sense of entry and give all of the solid walls of the house some relief. At the gap where the interior stairs are just keep that open between the porch and the wall so you have a bit of a covered breezeway from the front door to the garage. I would keep the circular drive but add a tree of significant size to the left to frame the house and give some separation from the neighbor. Also add some large potted plants on the upper deck that can be seen from the road.

I agree with Lefty 47. I would center the door with side windows.

great home,,,I would add the pergola not too large,,,and hide the trash can with screening and a blue clematis, then paint the door a blue to match those agapanthus ..if you want to add a little more country feel.. put small sections of white fence at the entrance to the sidewalk..very low cost for allot bang:)