Oops, here is the picture.

I would suggest adding a painted-white wood stair railing as soon as possible -- as it covers liability issues .... always handy for a business or rental ....

Are there gutters along the complete roof? Might be an idea to add white gutters (and downspouts of course!)

Another vote for shutters -- but for dark green ones .... perhaps go for green on the front storm door too?

Love the idea of improving the garden! :) And a new light over the door -- perhaps consider adding a couple of security lights too ....

If you do choose to use the house for offices -- consider adding a front walkway from the sidewalk to the front door .... and check with your city/county to see if you can widen the driveway to all for better parking options ....

Just some thoughts! :)

Cute little house!

Is the walkway concrete or stepping stones? If stepping stones I would make the walkway curvy (instead of a straight line) bringing it away from the house and then make a curved bed on the other side coming out a little farther than the walkway.....then fill in with shrubs and perennials for your climate.

It looks like your roof is brown, so green shutters might look nice with a dark burgundy front door. Or you could do brown shutters with a green front door.

Mabe paint the concrete steps if they don't power wash nicely?

And how about a lantern like this over the door?

Here is a link that might be useful: Lantern

The roof is tan-to-brown and the brick on the chimney and on the foundation at the base is regular brick red. When you drive up from the other side, you see much more brick. That is why I am tempted to play up with more red. (It is hard to take a good picture against the sun.)

The walkway is concrete at a 90deg angle to the driveway. Not moving. sigh.

That lantern would be perfect. (and inexpensive!) Thank you.

A pretty mailbox and nice house numbers would add a lot.

Cute house! When you can, I would connect the two homes with a porte cochere over the driveway. I think it would look charming and connect your home offices to the main house. A glass enclosed breezeway would be lovely, too.

If you are going to use it as a rental or if your home office is the kind that will have clients coming to it, I would probably create a walkway from the sidewalk to the front steps and plant a garden on either side of the walk. There are so many wonderful possibilities!

Since the walkway is concrete and can't be curved I would do a curved bed coming from the right and curve it all the way around in front of the walkway up to the driveway so there will be plants on each side of the walk. Since the chimney is red I say paint the door deep brick red and do green shutters. Bring in some red perennials. When you can, also like the idea of the overhang and railing, house numbers and mailbox mentioned above.

cyn: You make me laugh. That is my long term dream!

Yeah dainaadele, my husband just groans now when I say, "Hey, I have an idea!"

I like the idea of brightly colored shutters and a matching door.

Fortunately, early fall is a GOOD time to plant many things, even shrubs. And bulbs for spring color, of course.

Plant about $50 in bulbs - go for a mix of blooming times in daffodils or tulips.

Plan your shrubs so you have varieties that will stay fairly small, in scale with the house, and some evergreen and some flowering deciduous ones. Moving a 6' evergreen shrub is not an easy task if you want it to survive. Don't waste the effort, buy small new ones.

Consider a small flowering tree (dogwood, crepe myrtle, magnolia) at the far right along the property line and visible from the right-most window. Plant next spring.

Perennials? Whatever grows and spreads in your area with little care. Hosta? Iris? Peonies? Check the neighborhood ans see what's thriving.

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Long term ... expand the front porch area toward the street, add the roof over it and railings.

Adding in 2 larger planters flanking the doors right now would be a good use of $80 for planters and mums. Then fill with evergreen bough cuttings from your yard in winter, and next spring put in geraniums. This adds color and softness all at once.

Next I would do the porch railings. Then the beds with divides from your current yard. Even just creating the beds and mulching will add in softness will enhance the pretty house.