It IS cute!

Dig out that gravel and spend some time on the cottage gardening forum.

You might want to leave the awnings up until you know how the sun hits the windows.

I definitely think it can be cute. That space on the right is just begging for a small ornamental tree or shrub.

Cute as a bug. I agree with the above posters! You could also liven it up by painting the door and shutters some bolder colors.

I think getting some height on the right side of the front of the house, like terriks suggested, would help. I would install a trellis and put a climbing rose on it. Nothing says cottage like a climbing rose!! I agree about the awnings: they may be there for sun control, so wait to see how they work out. All in all, still cute. And I love small houses. They are the best.

I love it already. I would add more flowers to the beds, a cute wreath to the door and maybe even more beds along the sides of the path to the front door. I love the idea of a trellis on the right. I would also love a white picket fence with a trellis over the gate, but I'm guessing that the gravel area is the parking pad, so you probably have to keep that open.

I agree with the need for some more flowering plants. A trellis with a climbing rose or climbing hydrangea on the right would be perfect.

Some other ideas:
Maybe spray paint the railing by the front door white instead of black, or replace with something more cottagey.
Look for a cute mailbox.
I guess if you decide to keep the awnings, then the coordinating green shutters make sense, but you could paint the door a more "fun" color like bright pink or red.
Re-doing the cement walkway with bluestone or something similar would be nice.
Maybe add some large plants in containers at the top of the driveway for some added color/interest.

I think I'd lose the shutters, or maybe put BIGGER shutters on the big side, and drop some small posts or very simple columns (no, better stick with posts) from the corners of the little door overhang. If you DO keep that shutter by the front door (can you guess that it bugs me?), I'd prefer the door and shutters be very different colors.

I bet the gravel is the driveway so it looks fine to me.

The house is more than cute, it's darling! I'd take down the awnings, maybe paint the house a different color. What, I don't know. lol.

The strip of grass between the sidewalk and driveay, I'd plant a row of flowers or blooming hedges, and possibly line an identical row on the other side of the walkway.

Depending on the sun the front flowerbed gets, I'd plant all roses, with small flowers in front.

Below is a link to "easy roses". I have a row of knockout roses and they are sooo easy and add that cottage feel you like.

Here is a link that might be useful: Easy Roses to Grow

I like the awnings! Shutters aren't right with picture windows.

Would you consider replacing the clapboard siding with shingles? Beefed up trim around windows & gutters, added trim to side of house. Replaced exterior light. "Planted" a cottage garden & bricked the walk:

Agree that shutters don't work on picture windows. The awnings may control sun and splashing rain. I'd leave them for now.

Curious about the gravel/parking area. Does it have to be intrude so far into the yard? Could you get by with just a parking apron closer to the street? Then you could install a short picket fence around the rest of the yard and start planting a cottage garden.

I'm not a rose person, in fact I wish I had never planted a couple climbers on my arbor, but Oakley's right about Knockout roses. Looks like you have a sunny yard that would be perfect for a few.

I think the house is already adorable. I would suggest:

1) more front yard - less parking space. Almost half of the front yard is currently a parking lot. I would definitely move that gravel over as far to the right as you can get it.
2) Lose the shutters.
3) The front porch roof needs small (in scale) posts to hold it up. They are just floating out in space right now. That's probably not great for the roof structure, either.
4) I would consider getting rid of the wrought iron porch railings. Your porch is low enough that you really don't need anything around it and I don't think the railings are adding anything.

It's a cute house!

But bye, bye gravel, and hello a tree with a nice garden bench under it. And some flower beds. And scatter and some nice large pots here and there with some Iceberg roses in them. The Icebergs are really easy to grow and they don't get pests. They'll really add a lot of appeal to your front.

You can't have a cottage look without a garden, so that's what I'd shoot for.

But I love the house. You can really give it some curb appeal

I would put up a trellis on the right side with climbing roses, put a white arbor at the street with more climbing roses, install a stepping stone walk from the arbor to the front door (doing away with existing sidewalk), take the shutters down, and remove the gravel and replace it with parking strips or the parking grids you can put on the ground and the grass grows thru them. Change the light and the mailbox.

It could be really cute. I like some of the other ideas here. The ones that occurred to me are, definitely no shutters! Awnings are cute. The whole entry needs some rethinking. Don't like the light, mailbox, flag, or the railing. Kinda don't like the stuck-on little dormer thingy above it. Search for cottages with entries and see what you fancy.

Yes, yes, to flowering plants. A cottage garden would replace that blah lawn nicely and maybe you could include edible plants if the light is good. Be bold, take it all out and surround with white pickets. That would look sweet and maybe a brightly colored (wooden) door. Maybe a fruit tree on the right end.

I like what awm03 did. That house is a lot like my dd's, but it never had the little porch. I've been trying to talk her into doing something to the entry so I'm interested to see what suggestions are made here.

Thanks to you all for all the great suggestions! I never thought about getting rid of the shutters but I think they should go and the awnings should stay. And we definitely need to add lots of flowers. Love the idea of adding height on the right with climbing roses or a tree.

Awm03....I'm speechless...I love it!

I think by having the edge of the parking area closest to the house changed to be a nice curve would make it more charming. Then also add about 3 stepping stones from the parking area to the entry walk. I would bring the flowerbeds on both sides out into the yard some more, with curves, and have them draw your eye to the doorway.

I would think about a different mail box too.

One thing I found is that bigger plants cost a lot more than the smaller ones. It is sometimes easier to add height by adding a birdbath or iron plant stand and then keeping your ground shrubs to the less expensive sizes and let them mature in place. Mulch mulch mulch! Makes it look clean and snappy, and costs less than extra plants.

Also a nice plaque with your house numbers under your porch light would be charming, and that is also a safety issue so that emergency crews can find you home easily.

That's a cute house and being that it's in a beach town, you can really have fun with colors. If I were you, I would search out pictures of beach cottages on the internet and decide what way you want to go with it. Do you want the weathered shingles or a painted cottage? Then I would have a consultation with a landscape architect and pay him by the hour to come out and give you some ideas. If you like what he says, you could always pursue it and have a long term plan drawn up.

I agree with the others about removing the shutters and leaving the awnings for the time being. I'm also suggesting a landscape architect because I think the front would look better with a more substantial porch that would come over more to the right and balance out the space between the 2 sets of windows. The little floating peak seems just out there. In lieu of centering the door you could add a high painted settle bench, maybe with a nautical cut out on the side, or a porch swing.
http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&client=firefox-a&hs=hUE&rls=org.mozilla:en-US:official&prmd=ivnsu&tbm=isch&source=univ&sa=X&ei=uG-mTeSOIMqTtweB-LiFAQ&ved=0CCsQsAQ&biw=1296&bih=615&q=settle%20bench

I know at the New Jersey shore parking is at a premium in the beach areas and for that reason and also ease of maintenance, homeowners have done away with lawns and just have gravel/pebbles in front of their houses and they landscape around it. I'm not used to seeing a combination like you have. I think I'd do one or the other so the front wasn't cut it half like that, but I don't know if all gravel is popular in your area. I think you can put larger stepping stones on top of it for easier walking.

I think your home is adorable! I agree that it would look cuter still without the shutters so I did removed them for you. I really need to be in bed so I left it at that, but thought someone else might want to add some flowers for you and possibly a tall evergreen on the right or trellis as awm did in her pretty virtual.
Oh and I added more lawn too.

I think your house can be charming!

As others have said, the shutters should go, the awnings stay.

I would paint the railings and the bricks on the front steps in a crisp white, the same for all the trim on the house and the storm door and the mailbox.

I would do the front door in the same color as the teal/green stripe on the awnings.

Change out the light by the door to something less colonial and more beach/cottage in feel.

I think a pretty flowering tree of some kind would be pretty on the right corner where the extra wall space is, set away from the house a bit. The little bushes all need to go (maybe you can plant them along the sides of the house?), and the beds should be curved a bit, and then curve outward to meet the sidewalk in front of the steps. A variety of plants with some color and varying heights would be great.

I am assuming the parking area is necessary, but maybe you could pull it back from the house by a couple of feet, to make the house feel separate and more important. You might think about lining the sidewalk and the edges of the parking area with some kind of pavers for a more finished look.

Love the mock up, AWM!

Becky, did you forget to attach the pic? :)

Great ideas suggested for a darling home, congrats to you!

What's the budget? If it were mine the awnings and shutters would come off and a full length porch would go on. I saw a home near my folks did this. Talk about a curb appeal transformation! I am thinking the gravel is where you park so you are set with it? You could embrace it and define it better.

Les, what would be pretty where the grass is bewteen the gravel and the low hedges near the house is to plant about 4 Carpet Roses. They're just as easy as knockouts.

Here's an older picture of mine. We have a railroad tie between the gravel and the flowerbed with Carpet Rose gently hanging over the tie.

Carpet Roses grow like weeds and by the second year will be completely bushy and blooming all summer long. I love mine!

{{gwi:697993}}

EXTREMLY CUTE, and so much potential! Where is it located, and what do the other homes in your neighborhood look like in comparision? How old is it? Do you have pictures of the inside? What's the building to the left?

Look at different websites, and take out some books from the library - this could really end up being a cuter house than it already is.

Just tap in to the potential it holds. I'm doing that now in a house that we purchased a year ago but only moved in to the end of February. Everyone says/said it had so much potential, but it's been a long haul in tapping in to the potential, and finding someone who can help up bringing out the potential (in which we can afford). In being patient (and not having any other choice) we found a great guy and are really starting to find the potential in this house.

Just don't jump in to anything, think it through - I'm so glad the things I thought about jumping in to I didn't. I wouldn't have been a happy camper!

BEST OF LUCK!

I haven't read all the other answers, but I would say
1) take the shutters off
2) If you have the budget and are OK with the upkeep, replace vinyl with real shingles
3) Landscape with pretty cottage garden shrubs and perennials. Plant a small-scale ornamental flowering tree (like Tina or Sargent crabapple) on the far right, to balance the rest of the features. Keep everything else low.
4) add some pretty brackets to the entry door overhang. You don't have to change the existing roof, just add brackets something like this (can be bought pre-made or built simply without so much fancy detail):

I would get some green paint similar to the green in the awnings - which I love - and paint the house trim that color.

I agree with removing the shutter. The decorative brackets are lovely, staceyneil.

I like the suggestions from Les and Stacy. A beautiful flowering (small) tree would be great and give some height. I like the idea of a garden setting in that area. I love what AWM did and the trellis on the end (in place of the small tree) is a great idea also. Love the shingles and the idea for the brackets is great too!

Lots of good ideas here, will be interested to see what you do.

ps - I vote no on the shutters too!

tina

staceyneil, yes yes yes to brackets! I searched for pictures of a bracketed pediment last night & had no luck. So glad you posted the pictures! I see a lot of bracketed pediments on older homes in eastern CT, RI & Mass. It's a great look for a cottage. Vintage Woodworks has some great designs:
Vintage Woodwork Brackets

a classic wooden screen door would be nice too:
{{!gwi}}

I also wanted to ask: what general part of the country do you live in? I do think it's very important to reference the lcoal vernacular when making these decisions. For instance, a beach cottage here in Maine uses a different set of architectural details than one in Georgia or California. They can all be "cottage" style but I think it would hep us make specific recommendations if we knew where you were, and what the local vernacular is.

Nantucket:

Key West:
{{!gwi}}

Pacific Northwest:

Southern cottage:
{{!gwi}}

Beach cottage blogs:
http://janecoslick.blogspot.com/
http://beachcottagelove.blogspot.com/2009/06/rose-covered-cottage-in-nantucket.html

If you're feeling really ambitious and have the budget, you could consider adding a deep porch with seating, or even a small patio area with a pergola over it on one side (depending on the view, yard space, parking needs, etc.)

Here is a link that might be useful: This blog has beachy cottage ideas and links to other similar blogs: beach cottage love

Excellent suggestions above! And another brillant virtual from awm03!!! :)

Yes -- another vote to remove the shutters.

Yes -- keep the awnings if they are in good shape -- VERY handy for sun control issues for now!

Yes -- investigate ALL parking regulations for the town -- and decide about the need for the size and shape of the parking pad. Parking of any kind can be a VERY tricky problem in beach towns -- especially during high season/high traffic times. As suggested -- perhaps decide against a lawn (if the town allows that option) -- and instead expand the gardens on both sides of a newly expanded front walkway. Add a short stacked stone wall around the parking pad to help control the pea gravel! :)

Yes!! -- another vote for installing a front porch (again -- check town regulations FIRST!) to create another "room" and add more living space for your cottage.

Yes -- another vote to add a painted wood plaque with your house numbers for easier identification for emergencies!!

AND -- do find a great name for your cottage -- and have a sign too! :)

GREAT house!

Jan at Rosemary Cottage (yes -- we do have a sign! LOL!)

Here is a link that might be useful: Possible outdoor lighting collection -- for doorways and the end of the of the walkway

You all are so wonderful! Below are answers to specific questions some of you raised.....

staceyneil-Love the brackets! Never ever would have thought of that. That could be perfect! Also, you asked about location....we're in NJ so we'd want a Nantucket look, I think.

debelli -You asked about the age of our house and also about what other homes in the neighborhood look like. Our house was built in the 50's and had some renovation done in the early 70's. As for the neighborhood, it's a mix of older homes (mostly Capes and Colonials) that in recent years have been replaced brand new, much much larger homes. The "building" on the left you ask about is one of the new homes. Its three floors dwarfs our little place.

arcy-our budget right now is pretty low as home improvement budgets go...a few thousand dollars at most right now and that has to include replacing the entry door (which is badly warped). We are hoping, though, if we finalize our vision of what we want the whole thing to ultimately look like we can work toward it in various stages.

A lot of you have asked about the gravel driveway (actually it's river rock...a little nicer looking as rocks go). We do need to keep it to park the cars, so other than possibly pulling it back off of the house a bit, we're going to have to work with it for now.

Thanks again to everyone for all of the fantastic feedback!!

Could you run the river rock pad across the front of the property line and reclaim some of the front yard?

Picture the parking area on the street side of the picket fence in this pic instead of the grass. You could place an arbor over the sidewalk with or without a gate.

Great... If I can offer another little bit of advice: be careful with your door choice. It will really make a huge difference in the overall feel of the house. I'd definitely not skimp on that. For instance, don't just go get a Home Depot special fiberglass door with a faux leaded glass window or whatever the salesguy says is the hot thing. The big box stores have lots of nice, special-order doors that aren't outrageously expensive, so you should be able to find something that will make the right statement for your house.
You might want to look at Amazon for the titles of some of the many cottage, beach house, island, etc. inspiration books, then see if your local library has them or can get them on loan for you. Or go spend an afternoon at Borders perusing. I found this very helpful when we first bought our 1950's Maine home (that I'm renovating in a somewhat seaside/cottage style.)
A new front door, porch brackets, shutter removal, and nice plantings will go a LONG way I think, and do-able with your budget :)

Well that's weird. My photo was there last night. Let's try that again. I see someone mentioned brackets. I meant to do that. I think they'd be the perfect touch to the little roof.

Maybe my driveway will give you an idea of how yours can be improved

This home started similar to yours

mao_tse_mom, can you post a full frontal picture of that beige shingle home? (Is that yours? It's lovely!) I want to get a better look at the overall design and also of that trim band that runs along the top just below the eaves. Trim bands are a relatively inexpensive & simple addition that add a lot to a house's look.

Also, great idea about the parking pad. I love the plantings. Thanks for sharing.

rudy2t, I'm so glad you posted this question. This has been a great exchange of ideas, don't you think? Maybe we can start whittling away to find the most economically feasible ones for you. Still, it's fun to dream!

Sorry, this is the only picture I have. If you click on it you can see it larger. I think the trim on top makes a great detail that wouldn't be too expensive for a do-it-yourselfer.

Yes, amw03, this is a fantastic exchange of ideas. You all have given us so many things to consider. This has been way more fun than I expected!

mao_tse_mom...great driveway. It has the look of a garden and is functional parking as well.

justgotabme and amw03: The photoshopped pics are so incredibly helpful. I've always found decorating/renovating a challenge because I have a hard visualizing the finished design (I find it impossible to pick things from swatches!). Seeing the house with changes made is just what I needed!