I don't understand the layout. Can you post broader pics? Where is the door you want people to go to? Do they have to open the dog gate to get to the front door?

These pics don't help with orientation at all, or with what you are describing.

Is the main entrance on the right? Dog gate deck on the left?

Even after your explanation, I'm still confused looking at where to go! I agree that plantings are the way to say, "Don't walk here!" Even small beds of plants and flowers will make people walk around.

i can't really tell how your house faces the street and what shape your driveway is, but from those pics, i would go up the stairs too- especially if that's what you get to 1st when coming up the driveway. (i'm assuming that's the driveway in the foreground of you 2nd pic??) i can't tell the walkway leads to a front door from the pic.

i would say maybe block some of the decking and pathway on the right side with either railing or landscaping/bushes to make it less open and inviting from the front. then maybe put a sizeable sign or a plaque with your house number and 'welcome' or something inviting on the front railing or by the front path that leads around to the front door-- that might help! i don't think shrubbery will be enough to make it obvious there's a front door back there....

If I understand the front yard correctly along with the front of your house, I would....

Place a barrier of shrubs and plantings in FRONT of the small deck. "Boring" evergreens would be best as to keep the attention away but create a barrier. You could also plant a tree that camouflages the area some too. If those coming to the house can't see the steps/decking they would be less apt to go in that direction.

The entrance could look much more attractive with a small ornamental tree close enough to connect with the house, but far enough not to impeded in people walking up to the house. Perhaps a flowering vine that weaves through the decking rails would work or hanging trays along the top rail.

Good luck.

How much are you willing to invest to fix this? I think the main problem is, not only is the front door invisible from the street, the decked walkway looks like it dead-ends at the screened porch. Also there is nothing to visually distinguish the decking on the left from the decking on the right which lends to confusion. The fact that there are barriers (railings) on the left and none on the right makes the right automatically feeling more open and welcoming.

I would at a minimum, plant some taller dense bushes along the right side of the building to make the decking on the right less visible and create a barrier between the street and that side.

I would then change the decked walkway on the left. Does it need to be decking at all? Or can it be a regular ground level walkway? If it can be ground level, I'd do that be it imbedded blue stone pavers or flat stones or whatever, perhaps in a gentle curve rather than a straight line, and have it lead from the street to steps that would define the beginning of the porch on the left. If you need the gate, put the gate there so it is visible to people walking up the path, and even consider putting a pergola or an arch over top to really define that area as the entrance.

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Not sure from the pics how the layout is to the street, but you can perhaps start the walkway from the street on the left side of the house, not centered on it so it really emphasizes that that's the fastest way to the door.

You could go shopping on Etsy for an attractive entrance sign with arrow to lead people to the correct door. And a sign that says "not an entrance" at the other side, if the first one doesn't do it.

Entrance sign

I like aloha's idea best. You need to hide that area because it does look like the most open and welcoming. I'd walk that way, too.

Also, I can see why you need it for safety, but the last large section of railing on the diagonal (on the left hand side of the house) is a barrier and makes that area look less welcoming. Is that where you are saying the hydrangeas will go? That might help to make it look a bit less closed off. Honestly, if you have the money, I would take out the diagonal and make that section of the walkway square. I think it is that diagonal that really makes it look like a side entrance.

But I realize that rebuilding the walkway probably isn't feasible at this point. Instead, I'd add a letter box there (doesn't have to be real) and a substantial post with a light or lantern of some sort to draw attention to the area and make it welcoming.

Hard to tell from your pictures maybe House numbers posted near the entry you want people to use? Either on a yard sign or mounted on the railing somehow.

Sorry for my poor layout skills, definitely not to scale, but hope this helps. We are on just under an acre, on top of a large hill in the woods. The property is long and narrow. The house is situated near the back of the property, so you have to drive up a long driveway. The front landscaping, the little green circles (technically the back of the house) has hostas and bleeding hearts, and the large green circles are proposed hydrangeas. Our landscaping is pretty much capped at plants for the front (along parking pad) that do well in morning light and then shade the rest of the day, or full shade plants. There are 6-8 parking spots on top of the hill. We have pathway lights, as well as a light by the entrance door, and all along the right side of the deck. We moved here about 3 years ago and I honestly have no idea what they were thinking when they built this deck. The yard is not level at all, and has a lot of dips and bumps, so a flat walkway won't work unless we either add stairs or regrade the area. Our plan is to eventually add a railing along the side that does not have it too, but that is not a priority.

i just think it's counter intuitive for people to drive around a house to get to the front door...

lots of people have lighting on their back pathways too, so i'm not sure if that would obviously indicate a front path. i think a sign indicating the front and/or bushes obscuring the side might help the most (something like arborvitae- except deer love them and it looks like you could have deer on your property!)- that's what i thought originally from your pics and your layout picture makes it even more obvious why people may not be sure where your front door is...

We found out that this house was built for the parents of the people who built and lived in our neighbors house, so I don't think they were really thinking everything through. The front looks like a traditional alpine house (similar to this house):

The interior and deck views are great, but I think they just threw the back together. We get a ton of compliments on the view driving up to the house though, and are very secluded in the summer when everything is grown in.

I agree that the diagonal rail, and probably the gate too, makes it very confusing as to where to go. If you could open up the pathway to the door by moving or even adding to the walkway portion of the deck, I think it would be worth it.

I wouldn't plant those hydrangeas until you have a better defined plan. Those will grow big and further obscure what you're trying to open up. Love hydrangeas, but I'd go for something smaller and evergreen at your entrance.

What Annie said: IMO it's the decking. If you could have a tiled, brick, maybe even gravel walkway that might help.

Landscaping a a few tweeks would help. I'd remove those last two sections of railing and add one or more steps up to the walkway at that point (where you were thinking of adding hydrangeas) so that you have a more direct path to the door. You might consider moving the screen door forward too. If you like the pergola/arbor idea, you could add that too. You don't necessarily need to remove the existing deck/walkway -- just wideeen the approach rather than bend a narrow one.

I think house numbers or a welcoming sign, a light fixture, a potted plant or two, a window box would all help define the entry. Meanwhile, I would plant something iin front of the other railing -- it doesn't have to be boring, but it does neeed to screen the steps and more open walkway.

I'm not trying to be cruel, but this is the worst siting/orientation for an entrance I have ever run across. A roadmap is necessary. A visitor can't even see the door from the driveway, but you can see other "false" entrances.

The solution would be a "you are here" map, or a graphic painted trail in a bright color on the deck floor.

Sombreuil, it says that you're a pro...clearly not a pro at tact. Are you able to get and keep customers with that attitude? No doubt, I won't be hiring you.