How close are those trees to the house? Large trees close to a foundation can cause major problems. I would remove the larger trunks and prune/thin out the rest. Hard to tell what the house really looks like behind the trees ...

Yeah, I think the first thing is to get rid of those trees. Then think about house color and other landscaping.

it depends on what they are keeping. if keeping the brown fascia trim, roof and white windows, i would probably do an ivory/cream and lighten it up....they might be able to do a greige if keeping everything else as is......if changing windows, trim and roof, then they can do anything they want.

hard to give advice on landscaping with that picture....can 't see the depth of trees in accordance with the house...( if that makes sense)....

Thanks everyone. Looks like they def need to get rid of a lot of those trees!

BM Smokey Taupe. The trees are at the top of a slope and may not be as close to the house as the seem.

And probably costs thousands to remove?

Some of those trees don't look so close...it may just be the angle of the shot and the slope.

I'm not sure about color, though I would think about using paint to highlight some of the architectural elements on the facade...there's an arch, a column, looks like an on-lay over the front door, the recess around the front door, looks to be a water line...lots of potential there for making it look a lot more interesting.

If you could get another pic from straight on to the front door might be helpful.

True, it is a bit hard to see how close they are to the house. And I am sure removing them is $$. They may also provide enough shade to make a big difference in cooling bills. If they really aren't that close to the house, I still think removing the middle one would help.

Yes, would definitely get rid of the multi-branched trees/shrubs. It almost looks as if there is one of those behind the larger tree in the middle of the photo.

Is there any grey in the roof? If so, you could go different directions with paint. A grey-green or grey-beige with cream trim would work.

Are they considering a re-work of the rounded windows & archway? If so, shutters could be added changing up the entire front to a more traditional look.

It's hard to tell from the photo. What color is the roof, and what color is the siding on the side? Is that vinyl?

Me too, anniecat. They are beautiful.

the roof is brown. The siding is hardiboard or wood. I am not sure. She plans to work with a landscape architect and do some work on the outside. Right now its a mustard color.

Love the trees...they are beautiful and enhance the property IMHO.

Since the roof is brown I'd definitely stay with creams, beiges/tans, taupes. Right now the garage stands out more than the house so I'd paint the siding, doors and trim around the doors, and the round vent all the same. Since the windows are white I'd probably do white/off white trim. A bright color on the front door, unless it's stained wood. Maybe paint the columns a lighter shade of the siding color so they and the front door stand out more.

Black window frames against white exterior give a clean, timeless look. Is the niche on the left side of the house a seating area? Your friends may consider wood paneling on the walls in that space, and some cozy outdoor furniture.

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It would be a gutsy move, but I'd like to see it in the coral range

Perhaps houzz can provide some inspiration for a brown roof....

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I would keep the trees. They are mature and beautiful. IMO, cream/black or white/black would make the house look elegant. The problem then is the roof as it looks brown. So you could do cream/navy, I think that could look good with the roof. Can you mock them up?

I love the coral Star posted because it looks great on that style of home. I don't think coral would translate well onto your friends home.

So, I got a better photo and did some very very crude mockups as you will see. I can't do 3 dimensional. I only use power point. lol

Here is the better pic.

So here goes. Try not to laugh! The door is just one I found online. Likely not the best for the house.

Any suggestions or ideas? I know my mock ups are pretty crude but maybe you can get some ideas and make suggestions?

The styling on the house lends to more tuscan esp with the arches...I'd leave them and even emphasize them by going with a tuscan color on the main body, lighter on the trim and then terra cotta as an accent color. I think that removing the arch from the windows when it's prominent in the facade is not helpful. It is what it is...go with it.

Thanks Annie!

Rather than spend the $$ to remove and replace and repair the windows, look to spend it in beefing up the trim around the windows as in the example above...it will really polish the look.

I'm so glad I gave our architect free rein on trim. He loaded up our exterior with it in ways I would've never even thought about and it makes the house look so special.

Looks like I'm the only one who wouldn't get rid of the trees. At least they give it some sculptural quality, not to mention environmental benefits of trees.

I'd try to go modern and get rid of that pseudo Mediterranean look as much as possible.

Thanks Annie. That is what they are planning to do. Luckily her husband is a builder. I will have to post after photos. I look forward to seeing what they do with it!

Nosoccermom - myself, Holly-Kay, TurquoiseRose, and Anniecat all posted that we would keep the trees, so you're not the only one who thinks they shouldn't remove them.

Do not remove any of those trees ! The 3 form a nice grouping and it looks like plenty of space where the house is visible from the road. I might however have them shaped and trimmed by a professional and then add shrubs/border plantings along the walkway and around the front patio or whatever is going on in front of the house as you come out the front door.

Sorry I missed that. Also that they are Crape Myrtles. They could be shaped and trimmed like someone suggested.

I like the trees!

I think the best thing they could do would be to paint the trim, including the soffit/fascia, white or cream, and beef up the trim around the windows. The dark brown trim and doors are what really need attention, IMO.

The trees will cast some greenish light that will affect the look of the paint color. I think the body of the house, and the garage doors, would look nice in a darker cream, going toward tan. Some wood and iron and terra cotta accents would look nice. Annie's pictures of Mediterranean style houses are what I have in mind. I think if your friend starts changing window styles it will be very expensive, inside and out, and she may end up with a muddle of styles.

I love crape myrtles and have several, but they can be a nuisance too close to the house like those are. They also have very extensive root systems which don't allow for anything growing nearby, especially after they have matured. These have been allowed to grow too many weak trunks and, if they remain, should definitely be trimmed to around 5 main trunk stems.

Instead of a single front door with sidelights, try a double door and beef up the entry, maybe with a transom above. Right now the double windows in the front seem to be the prominent feature and detract from the entry. As to the color, knowing you need to keep the white window trim, I'd like to see a mock-up with something darker and as Annie suggested a beefier window trim in a contrasting color.

OutsidePlaying, I was wondering what types of trees those were. I agree they need to be pruned, but trees provide shade, windbreak and put oxygen back into the air. We need more trees and less stark landscapes.

I think I would do a light cream. it would go with the trim--which looks dark brown. And with the lot looking a little dark, that would help I think.