More curb appeal, help please!

Paint ,add a low retaining wall ,landscape,make container plantings with colorful annuals based on you hardiness zone.Heres some ideas. https://www.pinterest.com/houselogic/clever-curb-appeal-ideas/?lp=true

The pillars are out of proportion in my opinion.

Another way to dress up the garage is to add a pergola structure across the top of the doors with a vine,

Your eyes are automatically drawn to the garage so put a focus in the center where your front door is, maybe paint front door. Add 2 planters with flowers on each side of garage.

Hi Kathy, your house has a lot of things going on and it depends on what kind of budget you have as to what you can do. I would paint the vent above the garage door white to make it disappear. It looks like one of the glass inserts in the garage door is missing, I would replace it. Then on to the porch, the post in the middle is offset to the left - it would look more balanced if you could center it (providing that wont interfere with the support of the porch roof) in between the 2 windows and beef up both post with wood making the post square and more substantial. Then I would put shutters on the last window to give that side of the house more weight. Finally, again, if budget will allow I would replace the front door. The oval light is one too many shapes on the front of the house. You can have a door with a window but I would choose one with a shape similar to the windows.

How about adding another color to the trim? Maybe shutters on far left windows? I would not paint the garage a different color but there are some very good looking hardware kits that dress them up...sort of carriage house looking. Add a couple of nice looking chairs and some containers of flowers. Good luck!

Definitely larger pillars, those look too small for the face of the house. A single pair of fun designer shutters you 'create' on the double window can add texture and a pop of color (red?) that you can carry to the door and perhaps a decorative lintel over the door to match? Bright potted plants in red would carry the look and give warmth.

Larger pillars for sure. Paint the front door and garage a matching popping colour (red or blue always looks nice), and maybe shutters on the big window on the left in a matching colour.

Either move or take out the bushes under the windows and replace them with tall but narrow growing bushes. Put in low-growing plants under the windows. Make largeish vertical house numbers along the side of the garage door and paint the garage doors (possibly a shade of green or deep red). Shutters for along the windows with the same color. A trellace with a vine growinging on it somewhere along the front of the house. Perhaps you could make a design out of wood to place above the garage door; or possibly make a faux set of windows, for that large area above the garage door. If you design the windows cleverly enough you could place various ornamentations behind real glass -- everything from curtains to plastic plants, or things that will change with the seasons.

Oops! The tall bushes along side the front windows.

It needs color! A bright welcoming front door. And porch. Ans plants. You see the garage first now.

Paint and add decorative planters.

I would add some color to the door and the window frames. Add new columns over the porch posts. They are easy to install and readily available now in the plastic. Colorful plants in front and a nice curving walkway to the door.

I would paint the garage door, maybe a medium gray. You could also add the carriage hardware kit . The light fixtures on the garage and next to the door are too small and out of proportion so I would swap those out for larger fixtures that make a statement. I would box in the columns on the porch in cedar as well as the trim around the windows and the garage door and above the garage door. Consider a porch railing to enclose the porch. Then I would put in curved beds starting at the end of the house and curving at each angle all the way down to the driveway. Fill it with low growing flowering shrubs and flowers and mulch. TaDa!

The garage is dominant as the focal point for the facade of your house. Pull some of that dominance over by extending a walkway to the door of your house. then try to balance (as much as possible) the left side of the house by planting a tree. The garage is there and it can't be hidden entirely so maybe also jazz that up. Good luck and enjoy your new home!

A railing around the "porch" area and climbing flowering plants would look nice

You have a bunch of excellent ideas here! When you get around to it, you need to strategically plant some trees. Here are some links to give you more ideas.

http://www.diynetwork.com/how-to/outdoors/outdoor-spaces/instant-curb-appeal-for-less-than-100-pictures

http://www.hgtv.com/design/outdoor-design/landscaping-and-hardscaping/15-before-and-after-curb-appeal-makeovers-pictures

http://www.countryliving.com/gardening/g1657/ultimate-guide-curb-appeal/

https://www.pinterest.com/explore/ranch-house-exteriors/

You just need contrast! The best rule of thumb for outside trim is: 60% should be a base color (white), 30% a complementary color (gray), and the final 10% a contrasting color (what you need!) I would suggest painting the door and garage doors a bright neutral like a candy apple red or other bright (but on the cool end of the color spectrum) color.

I’d probably pick up the same red somewhere but i think you have to be careful not to overdo it. Go to the paint store and look at brochures that show companion colors. Maybe the same red for shutters and another color for trim?

So cool. Thank you!

There doesn't appear to be a walkway to your front door. You could add a wide path that is bordered by bushes or flowers or some other accent that causes the eye to follow the path to the door rather than focus on the garage.

This looks good:

http://photos.hgtv.com/photo/white-bungalow-with-red-door-in-phoenix-arizona

https://www.google.ca/search?biw=1229&bih=607&tbm=isch&sa=1&ei=RdtKWvWjIYu4jwS2sqGgAw&q=white+ranch+black+shutters+and++a+red+door&oq=white+ranch+black+shutters+and++a+red+door&gs_l=psy-ab.3...17502.18669.0.19581.5.5.0.0.0.0.112.431.4j1.5.0....0...1c.1.64.psy-ab..0.0.0....0.8SefquS3UKA

black and white trim

Hi Kathy. I like some of the advice I saw but I think in a perfect world the front would look nicer with the door BETWEEN the two windows closest to the garage. If that can’t change invest in a beautiful turned wood look pillar in place of the Square one I saw they suggested. Landscaping goes far also! Trees further out from the house but in the yard, so they don’t interrupt foundation or pipes with growing roots. It would be nice to have a matching oval piece above the garage also. Enjoy your home!

PS- I like the colors you have

Magnetic garage door hardware

Amazon has it.

Your house must welcome you. Moreover must welcome the elements. If you want to paint the house or doors i recommend to use the feng shui color chart. Honor the elements so if you enter house from south then you should have a red entry door but if you enter from north then it should be white or gray.

As for your curb appeal imagine movement toward your house such as wind chime or a bird bath or feed. A high to low plant material ( just like a wave ) with the help of hardware ( columns - for lights) will help engage the eye. Also do add a river bed ( can be fake) that flows toward your house.

For plant material i recommend that you learn about your zone and what plants and flowers grownin your area. Have a plant bloom every month to keep you young. Also analize the maintenance of each plant some are messier then others.

ALL great ideas and information! Thank you!

this idea is not about the house per say.....but i would plant a wind break. your county extension office probably has the how to. talk with them about shade trees as well. if they get in the right spots. it will help on energy bills.

if they don't get in the right spots... it can be a nightmare. 4 feet of snow banked on my back door....not so fun