Landscaping to the left of the front door could make a big difference. Trellises with climbing vines between the windows would look nice. You just make sure to choose a vine that won't damage the fascia and be willing to get on a ladder regularly to trim back the vine so it doesn't get onto the roof. Another inexpensive option is adding a window box under each window. As for the garage door it's popular to add a decorative metal work piece in the triangle above the door. Another option is a pergola around the garage door.

Would need to see the floor plan to see if there's a way to change up things a bit?

I would shift your front door to the left side of the living room. Place an entry table on the short wall and tv on the long wall. You'd have to shift the eave (or whatever the proper term is) also.... not sure if that would look better or is even doable though. Regardless, door opening to the shorter wall makes more sense to me.

Um not to bring up something you didn't ask about but I hope you realize that the gas fireplace where it is, if it's a fireplace for looks will be useless there as that is where your hallway is. If it's for heat, then ignore me. :)

Your usable living room space is actually only 11'9" x about 15'.

Now to answer your question. I'd extend the porch the full width of the house, change the windows to single hung windows with two ganged together with grids in the top half.

cpartist yes that is a wood burning stove id didnt feel i had enough space in my living room for the wood burning stove. i still need to see how i will fit my furniture. lol

Is it possible to get rid of the horizontal sliders and go with either double hungs or casements as they would look better for the front elevation at the very least?

Thank you so much. I wish it wasn't to late to do that.

Why is it too late? That gable can be overframed.

If you can't do the gable, at least change the windows, extend the porch, change the garage door and front door like ARG suggested. He drew out what I was trying to explain.

what do you mean overframed? the plans have already been submitted. I could ask and see.... the garage door and front door look nice. I originally asked about extending the porch and moving the front door and was told that would cause that gable to go over the main roof pitch and we can't do that. I was thinking about shutters or stone or landscaping.

You can extend the porch without changing the gable. Changing the gable would be better but it's not a deal breaker.

You can at least stretch the gable over the garage to cover the entry porch to get the garage door out of the center of the gable element and be able to put a small window in the pediment. You should also be able to raise the roof eaves and install a facia under them and get rid of those sliding windows so the wall doesn't appear crushed by the roof. A better garage door would help too. This will increase the cost of the house but someday you will wish you had done it.

JDS so get rid of the 2nd gable? I don't know if that's what you call it? And just have 1? I believe above the garage door they have something for ventilation.

So windows in the front like this? I would have 3. The living room and 2 bedrooms.

rhondamom388's ideas · More Info

Hope they are not crank out windows, which are nice until you try to get a breeze into the house, or its windy. We did not care for ours, though they were easy to clean.

wrock99 i would not want crank out windows lol. i need sliding windows.

Thinking of moving wood stove to the corner of the living room. It makes more sense and will look better. Also doing windows with grid, adding shutters and possibly a trellis over garage. Also improving front door and garage door. We could also add stone on the post of the front porch and around the garage. Between the windows on left we can do taller plants or shrubs. What does everyone think?

Why do you need sliding windows? The photo you have above is double hung or single hung.

I would prefer a sliding window over a crank window. The house comes with sliding so anything else is an upgrade that we pay for out of pocket.

This is the before and the after that i added some amazing color to! lol I am not good but you get the idea. We are also unsure of the house color.

rhondamom388's ideas · More Info

The picture you posted a couple posts back was for hung windows, not sliders. I believe Hung type windows would look much better than sliders. Sliders typical are the worst performing window in terms of energy or air and water infiltration, and conversely the least expensive.........

I posted that picture cause someone had mentioned hung windows. I was asking if that's what they meant.

That was I and I definitely feel they would make the home look better.

Yes single hung or double hung definitely look better. I personally don't like the stone work just on the garage facade. I still think you should run the porch across the whole front of the house.

A couple of simple changes to break up the outline, and not bust the budget:

Paint the entry in a dominating color, and make a larger paved entry area, with a short wall/seat separating it from the bedroom area. (emphasizes the center of the house, and the entry)

Paint the front-facing gable ends (and the garage door) a couple shades darker or lighter than the rest of the house. Breaks up the front visually.

Install siding on the front wall vertically to visually lift it. Leave the siding on the gable ends horizontal.

OR: Embrace the long, low-slung MCM-inspired ranch look of it and put a long arbor all the way across the front and grow flowering roses on it. Make it REALLY long.

I would be cautious about using sliding windows because although they are cheap to make, they are notoriously difficult to make waterproof especially in windy climates. The open bottom track will keep water out until if fills completely with water then it leaks to the inside. I've been in test chambers where that happened quickly when the wind force was increased. They might become the most expensive windows you could buy.

No matter what the budget is, the attic vents belong at the ridge and eaves instead of in the face of the gables.

Your drawing is on the right track. Mullions in the windows, longer windows, and changes of color and material will make a huge difference. But you are also on a tight budget. Work on getting the one or two upgrades that will give you the most bang for the buck now, and leave the rest as projects that you can do after you move in.

Landscaping, shutters, premium fixtures, etc. can be bought later with cash, so they are not part of the mortgage, and that's cheaper in the long run. Also you are not under quite as much pressure-- fewer decisions up front. Just tell yourself it's "good enough for now."

One thing that has not been mentioned is architectural roof shingles. These are thicker, with a much heavier texture, than the basic grades. They read as quality, and you have a lot of roof there, so cheap will not look good.

Could you add 2 "fake" gable Windows on the left side of the roof? That would breakup the long roof expanse and add some character.

There are two very compelling reasons to use a "Raised Heel Truss" for this house. 1) it would relieve the worst aspect of the design: the appearance that a big roof has crushed the house. 2) it would allow increased roof insulation depth at the outside wall which is almost mandatory in cold climates.

IMO this would be the easiest and cheapest way to make the house look better and cost less to live in.