Good to hear about the landscaping, the shrubs have got to go! Use trees like Japanese Maples, dogwoods and red buds to get soft but medium height trees and plant hostas and other shade-loving plants for ground cover. Keep the plant to the right of the front door, you need more plants like that.

Replace the criss-cross window things. That really dates the house.

Definitely replace the front doors with something more modern.

I don't have Photoshop, this would be a perfect project for someone here who does! You can really help this house into the 21st century, I am looking forward to seeing your changes!

Paint the siding the next to deepest color in the brick (looks like a grey/brown color, but not the very darkest brick). Paint the garage door the same color.

Remove the shutters from the windows. Paint the bumped-out trim around the right side windows in the same creany white trim color as the posts, soffits, etc.

Remove the double doors and add a centered single door with sidelights on both sides. Use a door and sidelights that have an interesting design in the glass, perhaps something simple like this:

front door

Paint the sidelights the creamy white color of the trim on the windows and the posts on the porch. Paint the door itself in a deep red to pull the red from the brick. Change out the light by the door to something of a bit more substance, perhaps in a black iron.

Add a simple railing and spindles between the posts on the porch to connect the posts and give them more purpose.

Take out all the plantings. Replace the ones on the left bed with a mix of smaller bushes and colorful seasonal plants. ON the right side curve the bed out into the yard, do similar low plantings, then add a tree at the point between the two windows on the right, but out into the yard - make that the wide part of the curved bed on that side.

I love the style of your house and would not attempt to turn it into another style. I wouldn't replace the doors or windows unless they needed to be removed. I would paint the doors, shutters, columns and facia.

New landscaping will make a huge difference. Once you expose more of the porch area, you could bring more life to the area with seating and planters. In the hands of a great landscaper, the house could be a quiet backdrop to a spectacular yard.

Considering how popular MCM styles are, I don't think trying to make a ranch house into a Cape Cod would be a wise move, if you're thinking of selling. I agree that changing the landscaping would be a good idea.

I like it as is. I would just do the landscaping and decorate the porch as I think the house looks just fine.

Japanese Maples....definitely! Maybe some dwarf redtwig dogwoods in front of the cream areas for some winter color/interest.

I love your house! It appears to have been beautifully maintained, and there is a lot to be said for that. You have that wonderful wide flat yard, which will make planting a lot easier and is great for curb appeal. You're already part-way there!

I would like to concur with starting with your planting before changing windows / doors. Changing out windows / doors are expensive projects and who knows? The change in planting and bed shape might be enough for you. ??? I'm not disagreeing with the windows / door dating your lovely house -- they do. And if you do have the budget for changing them then great (and lucky you!). But in case you don't, you'll get the biggest bang by changing the landscaping first.

Absolutely have undulating beds out front. Those junipers date the house more than the house itself! I am mad for the trees michelle_phxaz suggests but only if they work for your planting zone. Please don't put in any plants which aren't right for your area! What a waste of money and an exercise in frustration .... Another GW member (patricia43) also reminded us recently to always call Dig Safe before doing any big digging on our property. Find out where your utility lines are!

I love to garden and see all kinds of things I would do, but what I'd instead recommend is that you spend some time in the Gardening Forum for your region. When we moved to the Rocky Mountains last year that forum was an incredible education for me and I now have the beautiful garden to prove it.

I love the suggestion of making the bed on the right side much deeper and arcing out from the walkway to meet your right-hand property line, about halfway (or more) down the lawn. How do you feel about having lawn spill to the curb (as it does above your house numbers), or do you want to keep plantings at the border with the street?

Your house has beautiful lines, and while I absolutely appreciate your wanting it to be more of a cottage or cape cod looking house, I also want to gently suggest that perhaps the long, clean lines of your house might fight those a bit. I really do believe that with the landscaping changes (and the window / door and paint) you can get the homey cottagey feel you crave without asking your house to be something it's intrinsically not.

What a fun project!

I think your house is very cute. I like it's style and I wouldn't try to make it what it isn't. I think lower plantings in front of the porch area would really look good. I think a nice looking sitting group on the porch would look very inviting.

The windows and doors DO remind of a cottage!

In the gardens -- I would create larger more curving gardens on the right hand side -- and bring them down and around the pathway. Add lighting. Add window boxes under the two right hand windows.

On the left hand side -- I would add large decorative rocks -- and create a herb bed with a fountain for a very cottage look.

Yes -- always start with checking with your city for utility lines of any sort. Also check with your local garden centers for best advice on soil type, drainage and best compost and mulch choices.

Don't forget to name your new cottage and add a sign!

Jan at Rosemary Cottage

Besides all the great suggestions that others had already posted, I want to add one suggestion. For the shuttered windows I would NOT remove the shutters and leave the wallspace. The size of the windows on their own would look funny. The windows need something on the sides to go with the horizontal flow of the lines of the house. I would replace the shutters with ones that are not louvered. They have solid wood shutters or raised panel shutters for sale. Then on the window that is higher up I would add a windowbox to sort of 'bring it down'. Use only greenery in the window box. Use long trailing greenery to help cover the wall space below it. Get Adirondack chairs or an Adirondack rocker for the porch.

Here is a link that might be useful: Solid Shutters

The current issue of Better Homes and Gardens (page 118) has a wonderful exterior makeover of a ranch home. I am sure it cost a bit but just take a look for inspiration. It really is a fantastic makeover.

I'd embrace the style of what you have - it's a great looking house. You can make landscaping changes as suggested, spiffy up with some paint and new accessories like house numbers, mailbox, planters and such, but I wouldn't try and make it into someting else.

That's a very beautiful home. A simple change to update that came to my mind is you could trade out the garage lights and front door light with a more modern style. Like this:
{{!gwi}}
Here is a link that might be useful: Outdoor Coach Lanterns

I like your house just the way it is, it has a very welcoming look. The landscaping is the only thing I would change.

I love your house. I think it looks fabulous and I would also start with the landscaping. If you are not a gardener and don't have much time I would start slow on that but have a plan of what you want and work your plan as you have more money and time.

Sometimes with those criss cross windows it is a piece that can be taken out.

Maybe paint shutters and put in a few modern outdoor plants. Love the outside of your house. It is very nice.

Joanne

Patty, Love your house. It reminds me a bit of my mother's although hers is all brick.
Others have given many suggestions for paint, etc.
I just suggest that you tear out all of the shrubs and you will be amazed at the results! It looks like there are some down near the curb.
We did that at my mother's two summers ago. She was book-hooing a bit as some were planted by my father 40 years ago. They were all ugly and nasty-looking.
For the cost of a few bags of topsoil and some mulch we transformed the yard - my sister, DIL and I took hostas, Astilbe, fern, etc. Now she has a front landscape that dies off in the fall and shows back up in the Spring. It is wonderful!! Good luck!

check out www.thisyounghouse.com for ideas

Thank you all for your comments. You make me feel better about my house! I think a lot of you are right - it might be hard to get a cape cod look out of this house (especially in California where we live).

We do have budget to replace the windows & doors. They are original, single pane, etc. We will do this as part of the renovations.

I like the ideas of the new lights, painting the house grey, the japenese maple, window boxes, adding the railings and spindles may help too. Also, great idea about widening the bed under the two right windows.

Please keep the ideas coming. Anyone with photoshop would be greatly appreciated (although I know it is a lot to ask).

Thanks,
patty

Training roses up the porch columns would be nice. I think a soft, cottage-y landscaping would do your home wonders. What are the rooms behind the windows in the porch area? Just wondering if those could be replaced with prettier windows.

I had given thought to how it would look with a railing and spindles but the posts seemed to far set back in the concrete to have it look right. How about three large long, low planters filled with pretty plantings, set between the poles but more forward along the edge of the porch? Or a few LARGE round planters of different sizes?

Make sure you read up on plantings for your zone and learn about perennials and annuals. Some annuals are 'self seeder' and become invasive. Some perennials do not come back in harsher climates aka 'tender perennials'. Somethings are high maintenance and require pruning, deadheading, twice daily watering, splitting, ect.

I agree that the windows behind the porch could look better, but given our plans to remodel, I don't know if I could do that.

The windows behind the porch area go to the kitchen. We will be making the larger window on the left smaller (actually bringing the base up a few inches) to accommodate a kitchen sink & cabinets. The window right next to it will go to either a laundry room or office depending upone what we decide.

Good point on the railings and spindles. The posts are set back about 2 feet which could create a problem. Bummer. However, I like your idea about large planters.

I live in the San Francisco Bay area if that helps (Peninsula)

Thanks everyone.

Dillydally, I agree that the posts are set back rather far, but I think that the railing and spindles could be attached to the front side of the posts, rather that in between them, which might make them doable, and also eliminate some of the sense that the posts are placed so far back. It might also be possible to build out the front side of the posts and then run railing.

I wouldnt put a railing on the porch. Its too narrow and not high enough off the ground to warrent one. Instead why not install a picket or board fence (painted white) lining the walkway to the front porch. You could place a wood post with a black iron lantern on top at the end against the driveway. This would create a courtyard like element between the fence and facade of the house. Also, the columns seem a little thin. you could beef them up a little by boxing in the existing columns with rough sawn 1X12s or 1X8s and capping them off with wood trim at the top and bottom. You have a very attractive house.

I like the landscaping and house exactly as is. It looks wonderful and well kept. You can try going to the lotta living website for ideas on landscape that would enhance the style of your home.

Here is a link that might be useful: Lotta Living

The SF Bay area means you are in Zone 10 in a micro climate. From the way the shadows are in the photos it looks like your home has a southern exposure (Correct?) which will affect the plants you choose.

Keep in mind that just as there are decorating *trends* in interior decorating there are also trends in garden and landscaping design. You want your planting to match your home's style AND not look "dated" or out of place. For instance, Bridal Wreath, Roses, and Peonies look great in front of a Victorian but just do not 'go' with a ranch. You want to stick with the trends that were popular at the time the home was built, like Hosta, Evergreens, Ferns and other plants with insignificant flowering. The trend put more emphasis on leaf shape, texture and color tone. Those Evergreens in front of the house that are so huge were probably planted when the home was built and surrounded with such plants.

Nor do you want your new plantings to look "dated" by doing an '80s trend of Stella d'Oro and the like. It would be like putting 'geese with bonnets' teal and dusty rose, wallpaper in your new kitchen. It looks dated, and does not go with a vintage ranch home either. I hope I am explaining this right.

With the southern exposure your home has and the fact that is is in zone ten you want to be sure you have the right plantings. Nothing is worse than seeing Hosta suffering under the sun gasping for life with their crispy edges. It makes a house look dreary.

I would embrace your ranch home styling and not try to make it into a cottage or try to give it 'Southern Charm' or anything. It's the 'silk purse/sows ear, thing'. They still build ranches today. Just update the look with simple things like removing the diamond grill from the windows on the right, changing the shutters, ect. A new single door will help the place lose the 'hacienda' look the double doors give it. If you have the budget for it, a new garage door with horizontal windows would break up the big flat look it has, and help with the smooth horizontal flow the lines the look of the home has.

Ripping out the overgrown Evergreen on the left will make the place seem more welcoming. I think the ones on the right can stay if they are manicured and then bring the bed out further with low plantings.

What a wonderful ranch house you have! It actually looks like it belongs in my neighborhood. Very well maintained. Your siding looks to be in good condition and your brickwork looks good, too. The only suggestion I have beyond new landscaping would be to replace the windows if the diamong grids cannot be removed without replacement, and a new front door.

Gorgeous house.

What did you ever decide? This is similar to the look of our home and we are tossing around ideas to up our curb appeal. Would love to see an updated picture!