Wasted space/missed opportunity.

i think it looks very nice as it is but you could add shutters to the arched window between the two tall bushes and maybe paint your front door a bright colour.

Id find some cool metal art or something weatherproof and hang it up in that upper triangle area under the roof line, it looks a little plain. You could also put in a faux window, or stained glass...

You are right in thinking that it is "missing something" however, by trying to put more small stuff in front of the doorway, and the small plants in front of the windows you are heading in the wrong direction.

What is missing is curb appeal especially in a clearly defined and inviting front door area. Unfortunately, the existing dimensions and architecture of the house are very awkward and imbalanced. However, without major construction involved in jobs such as installing new windows, there are some other things than you can do to improve the curb appeal.

Presently, the doorway is dark, hidden, and because the narrow concrete path is straight and at one side, the entrance to the doorway is very cramped.

First of all, get rid of all those small baskets and other stuff on the concrete walkway, the jug thing in the corner, everything. Next pull out all those small itty plants under the window. They are too small, and too close to the house.

Expand the concrete walkway out at least the length of the windows to the right. This of course will have to be done correctly with proper leveling of the earth for drainage, etc. Make this whole front of the property in front of the windows a patio, either with concrete blocks, paving stones, or brick.

On the right side of the house on the right of the cathedral window, here is where you can have plants and flowers growing, in Large pots only. The colors and interest will help draw the eye over to the right to help the front of the house look less lopsided.

Paint the front door a brighter and more cheerful color than the present drab dated brown. Paint the present faded garage door and the trim around the windows and garage door white. This will also make the whole house look brighter and less chopped up, and put the front door with its pop of color, more prominent.

The blank wall beside the garage door put a large trellis/lattic with Ivy or vertical flowers such as sunflowers or sweat peas. This would add interest, impact and would soften the wall.

I know you probably like those tall evergreens, but they're blocking that pretty little window. I would keep low plants in front of the house. Perhaps a bench to the right of the window. Paint your front door a bright color so that it doesn't blend in with the windows. You could put some wrought iron piece in the center

under the point of the roof down close to the windows. Hang a garden flag in your hosta bed. You could even paint the vinyl around the door to bring it out some.

A couple of ideas...definitely find a nice piece of wall art for the triangle area above the windows.....paint the front door and garage door in a different color to add a bit of pop...consider painting the front sidewalk to look like a brick or stone pathway....add a small, simple arbor over the garage door to add a bit of curb appeal (See pic below)

I would paint the garage door a really pretty color as well as the wall area around the front door. Get rid of the two big evergreens and show off the pretty little window.. a really large pot the same color family as the garage door on the very end of the house with a tall plant or small tree will draw the eye... you could even build one out of 2X6s and paint it. A nice trellis between the garage and front porch (get rid of the hodge podge of stuff there now) and put a pretty blooming plant (like bougainvillea if your climate allows). Change the rectangular strip of grass into a curvy swervy flower bed incorporating the existing one and fill with colorful stuff... or remove both the grass and the flower bed and put in pavers to make a patio or put a really long flower box under the windows.. with lots of color

Remove everything from the entry. Keep the decor because you may want to reuse it in your plan. Look at a color wheel and pick one or two complementary colors that go with your home color. Also remove the tall wire fence and replace with a shorter size all the way around the garden or have none at all. Trim shrubs and thin out hosta so they are uniform in size. Look at the various sections on Hometalk , i.e., Decor, Organizing, Outdoor, etc. Don't be in a hurry. Good luck and happy planning.

I know you said "other than plantings," but your architecture features so many straight lines--the brown trim around your front porch and front windows, the brown gutters, the horizontal steps, the straight walkway--that the #1 way to improve your curb appeal would be to change your landscaping to soften that rigidity. I love the "curvy swervy flower bed" suggestion from one of the posts above; your house would look so much more inviting if you swapped that modest row of hostas and rectangular block of lawn for a mulched bed with curved lines and colorful mounds of flowers. Eliminating just the left hand evergreen would allow you to reveal that arched window.

And I also agree that it would help to paint your front door a different color to make it stand out from your brown trim and gutters. A green like Benjamin Moore's "Great Barrington Green" would add color without requiring you to make drastic changes to the rest of your color scheme.

Your home looks well loved and neatly maintained. It just need to loosen up a little with a bit more color and sweeping lines.

Thank you Sylvia, I never even thought of that :)

All you need is some color! I would paint the front door and garage doors a bright hot color like burnt orange and perhaps even the trim around those gorgeous tall windows.

First de-clutter everything leading to the door even the baskets and small fence. I have photos of all my ideas suggested. Add trim around the door in white paint door cranberry red and garage door and replace screen door with full glass. Add hanging lantern lights on both sides of the door, this will add light and focal point to that entrywa. Add wall long planter on wall between little window and garage door. Add black flower urns in place of those baskets at the garage. On the left wall of he garage add a black bench and two striped black, red beige pillows and a cluster a xlarge flower pots. The 4 front windows add valances in white with lighted candle in each window. The pointed peak add decorative detail as sen in photo below. lots of clearance on planters, bench outdoor pillows for the end of season.

The item to the left of the door is too tall and out of proportion. If you remove it and replace with a plant(real or faux) in the basket in the foreground up by the door, it would make a difference. Add a bright ribbon to the handle of your basket. Trim the plant on the left with the white flowers so leaves are more tailored with the entry area and flowers are not leaning out so much.

Also, maybe an outdoor rug on the concrete are in a pretty flower pattern or even just a bright monochrome color to add some contrast.

Small changes can make a big difference.

Lacks color, whether colorful flowers or a painted front entrance way. Also the large space above your front windows to the peak of the roof could use something like a half moon window/grate. https://www.pinterest.com/pin/230668812146066305/

http://1am.us/photo/186584/moveable-arched-window-treatments-for-half-quarter-circle.jpg

https://www.pinterest.com/pin/495536765223605857/

https://www.google.com/search?client=opera&hs=lFm&biw=1366&bih=629&tbm=isch&sa=1&q=half+moon+attic+window&oq=half+moon+attic+window&gs_l=psy-ab.12...272127.273894.0.276575.10.10.0.0.0.0.190.1012.2j6.8.0....0...1.1.64.psy-ab..2.0.0.bLit8xbffE8#imgdii=KkTXzqOAWRkGEM:&imgrc=28oZXtd_9GDgiM:

I might also treat your garage door to look more like a carriage door. http://www.kotulas.com/deals/ProductDisplay?catalogId=10602&storeId=10152&productId=46935&langId=-1&utm_source=google_pla&utm_medium=Less-than-$50&utm_content=50421&gclid=CjwKCAjwlrnNBRBMEiwApKU4PFahVmFiI2xRdNUmlQfPkNKFONSiU8nZfpXSoNT7Wf_qJiA1de5ouRoCgvkQAvD_BwE

WOW ! Thanks so much for all the great ideas--I had planned to paint the garage door white and put pavers in the area in front of the 4 windows, but thats all I had, haha! I really appreciate your input :)

Personally I would make that small grass area all plants and not worry about grass at all. I would put the taller perennials in backand the the hostas interspersed with some sedum with mulch all around. Would also do some annuals for more color

I'd love to see shingles in the triangle area.

I look at that space and see that it gives such an opportunity for a lovely covered porch. Take out the garden and grass to the tall spruces. Put in a concrete pad. Extend a faux roof gabled to center over the door and four front window. This would soften the blank look of the front of the existing peak roof and give an extra visual architectural feature. A large round planter at the end next to the left spruce with room to plant colorful and seasonal annuals and a nice glider or a small round patio table with two chairs, could make a lovely inviting front entry. Also faux garage window trim on the door could add a visual detail.

Maybe add an awning over the four windows along with some of the other ideas to soften all the straight lines.

Purple Martin birdhouse or a round painting in the big bare spot above the windows? Shutters around the little window? You need curves in the architecture. Prune the arborvitae down so they look like large spheres instead of pointed (again you need to break up the lines). Paint the molding under the 4 windows the same color of the house (except the 4 inches closest so that the windows are framed in the same color. Or buy some decorative gingerbread house molding to add the eaves of the house. Edit outdoor objects next to garage.. I love the hostas!

Have fun!

Hi Farmer,

I would remove the plant between the two trees and replace it with a Statue or something more imposing, or remove all the small baskets and plants and add something like an Old Cart Wheel standing against the wall, maybe with a planter to support it and plant up. Have fun!