you could get a folding screen (painted a color you like) to put in front of the door & make that a sitting area with several pots of plants/flowers around for color.

Shutters on the top floor windows, a plant trellis framing the walkout basement area, and a granite/flagstone paved area for a patio table/umbrella/chairs and lots of potted flowering plants to make it a "pocket" garden

I would add some flowering plants along the driveway. It would draw the eye away from the deck area.

definitely add shutters and consider painting the house on that end. perhaps a kahki color with black shutters and flower boxes at the windows and on the deck.

Extend a lower version of the wall across the front with a cute garden gate so it looks more like a covered patio. then flower boxes (colored to match the mulch) on top with a few cascading flowers or vines. Add a nice outdoor wall lamp between the doors. Add matching shutters and flower boxes to the top floor windows. The side views look awesome.

Put french doors in the basement entry way, black shutters, black flower boxes, flagstone

I'd be inclined to turn that area into an "outdoor room". I'd ang a couple of panels of outdoor drapery and add a couple of LARGE, rectangular planter boxes to act as "knee walls" This would give you the feeling of a room, a place to grow plants and make it cute without being permanent or costing too much money. Put down a rug, get some furniture. Add trim to the doors to make them more visually interesting. I agree with comments about shutters, flowerboxes and pergola.

Allow me to give you an idea....this is very rough with the program I have, but I iked Pam's shutter idea....

I agree. Make the driveway more appealing with colored gravel, lining it with stone/brick . . . or more expensive stained or stamped concrete, asphalt, or real stone, and then add a vignette (floral/table and chairs,. . .) at the lower entry area.

plac a long planter in front of the basement doors in front of the deck covering. Leave a space at each end for passage. Put shutters on windows. Don't care for the stars. Maybe some wrought iron art on downstairseachside that's set back. Stain driveway & patio.

Making it an outdoor room area is a great idea... I would also paint the main entrance door to the home so that there is no doubt where the focal point is.. love your landscaping...

Right away for me it's about symetry. I would build a matching set of stairs to the right as your view is symetrical right up to the stairs.

In order to have more privacy I would have built a deck on each side of the duplex with an entrance door.... Just put windows on the front.

Power wash your aluminum siding let completely dry and spray your siding. We used latex out door paint and it's stayed on for years. Yes I would put steps on the other side to to make it symmetrical. I would divide/divider the two doors and put a pergola over The top. I would also divide the doors on the bottom to give each tenant a feeling of their own space. Color is always very pleasing to decorate with.

Enclose it and make a sun room with french doors.

Enclose it with large windows and glass doors, framing the entry with large beautiful potted planters. I wouldn't spend money on the driveway, especially stamped concrete... Agree shutters on the two upper windows would look great, would give the illusion of larger more size appropriate windows. You have landscaped beautifully.

Looking at that house makes me feel like I'm going to get sucked into that basement! Take the focus off that space under the deck. I'd clad 3/4 of the front, under the deck with a horizontal timber slat screen (see picture attached but painted same color as house). I'd then wrap the stone work around the front of the timber slats and create a planter box in front for the other 1/4 filled with foliage texture planting.create access ways to suit. I think that would "sit" the house in a ...»

Would something as simple as dark trim help to carry the eye up and make the roof the focal point, rather than this space?

Matt, I agree with you! I looked at this home and thought the rock wall needed to continue around under the stairs/deck to seal the street from the home. The planter would soften the area and offer foliage to help conceal the area from the public. I would also continue the rock away from the house on the other side of the sidewalk, just to frame the access to the house.

k, try this.....it makes a huge difference with trim on the roof.

The first thing I would do is put shutters on the top windows to soften the look. What you put to make the basement opening look better depends on your budget. If you do not like lattice, then a decorative fence made from 4x4s posts with 6' tall fencing attached with a wide gate would be pretty. You could then attach brackets to the posts and hang all sorts of things. Then horizontal boarding could be used near the top between the posts for affect. You might want to install some ...»

Pavers on the driveway.. Enclose under the awning/porch/deck with something that will allow you to look out, like a mesh screen material, or windows. Make it into a "mud room"... And more shrubbery along sides of driveway...