Just rotating the pic to make it easier for people to see the house as it is now.

I was thinking the same thing - teal for the door. Teal or aqua like a Tiffany box.

I think the lighting when the pic was taken isn't doing it any favors, but it is very dark. I like Neverbedone's suggestion about plants with lighter or variegated leaves, and I especially think that yellow-green foliage would help. I was also thinking a low white picket fence between the walkway and the shrubs.

When is the home located? The garden forums here might be able to offer some suggestions for plants for four-season color.

I like the idea of blue or teal door.

The photo is not optimal for giving advice but I agree that an investment in the landscaping will make a big difference. I would also look into beefing up the trim around the door. Something that echoes the top pediments on the windows would look good.

When people ask for advice about curb appeal for large, transitional style houses I am a broken record about hardscape. Most builders tend to skimp in that area. Prettier, more substantial stairs and landing to the front door and a wider, more graceful side walk will help ground the house to the lot.

Because the brick is so dark, I might use a slightly darker color for the windows and trim. Maybe if you pull a light neutral from the brick or the mortar joints?.

I would also move the sitting area to the back of the house. Is there a patio or deck back there?

What is the budget? Besides landscaping it will cost a bit to really make an impact. The first things that stand out to me as being needy is that poor unwanted step child arched window. It has nothing in common with anything. If it were my house and I had some budget I would change that window to a much better quality and a slight different design. Next I would add a cool porch overhang .This would make that area look more purposeful. There is more one could do but that is the most problematic area in my mind.

something like this window but a tic meatier like some of the pella's.

Pella, pretend it's white.

Maybe not this overhang porch but something that brings it up closer to the bottom of window.

If it were my house and since I'm a cheapskate and would do everything on a budget...I would get busy and trim the shrubs up like they were intended to be when planted. It's hard to tell but they look very overgrown. Then I would paint the front door since its stain appears to be worn off mostly. Then the window treatments need to be addressed.

Personally, I find the home to be pretty. I don't think it needs a lot...just some tlc. It is probably in a subdivision of similar homes. I like to drive around and steal ideas from my neighbors when I see something that I like!

I think white decorative shutters would break up the dark brick. I know a lot of people don't like non-functioning shutters but I happen to like them. Just a thought.

I'd paint the door a pretty blue. In front of the house, I would splurge on a couple large beautiful trees.

Justterrilyn! I was hoping you'd come join the fun! With the brick fasade, I seriously doubt there is much the homeowner can do with the shape of the window. I like the replacement you posted though with the opening doors.

Can you try working your magic and see if you can put my suggestions in place on the photo? ie A sitting area and beds that are more colorful?

Hi Lukk, like your landscape pictures! I will wait to see what the op says about the budget. I've spent hours on mock ups before only to find out they really only want to paint the door.

I think it's a very nice house with good bones but it just needs a little cosmetic work to make it gorgeous. If it were my house, I would find a good architect and see what he thought about white washing it, putting 2 solid French doors on the bottom and changing that large window to glass paneled French doors with a narrow balcony with a railing. If it were whitewashed it would also hide alterations to the brick work as well softening the look of the rick.

Anglophilia wrote: "It was NOT the OP's house - it was a friend's, so I was not insulting her house." ETA: the original rude comment was apparently removed by the author, or the moderators. Thank you!

It was still insulting her friend's house and not at all helpful to her goal/task. Sometimes it's just better to not say anything if you can't even try to be helpful and one's personal tastes in real estate aren't what are being sought.

In my area that house would be labeled a colonial. I think the OP has gotten some good advice about her friend's house, starting with the front door. What would be most helpful is to see a long shot of the house to see what other landscaping is in place. My first thoughts are: possibly adding shutters, removing the table and chairs, painting the trim. Add some urns and a foliage/flower combo to the front steps. I see a large tree to the left that might benefit from some pruning. That might be enough depending on the other part of the front yard. Nice house!

As for shutter, trim and door colors, there's always the classic black with a red door which can be very pretty with the brick.

Not sure your friend would want to go to this extent, but it is my favorite redesign of a large brick house.

I think the front door could either use some wider, decorative trim like some of the pics above or a tiny roof like these:

Exterior Arch Portico Front Entry · More Info

Portico · More Info

Westover Residence · More Info

All of the shrubs are overgrown too. I think keeping somw of them and adding some flowering shrubs (to help soften the house) with smaller annuals and perennials ad you get closer to the front door.

Okay, I saved your friend money on a new door, just did a repair and paint (you can change color). I also saved money on a zillion shutters. I did a simple overhang that shouldn't cost much. But, wow does that make a difference. There was just some spiffing on the landscape.

Edited to add the overhang is a copy/paste so that bit just above the door came out darker in shadow. It is white like the rest (ETA fixed). However, in reality it would all be the upper trim color and not as bright. But hey, I'm free so you will have to use your imagination. The idea is to go a tic more than half up to that arch window.

The arch window looks more like it belongs above.

I might also consider painting the house, if she wanted to spend more money.

I'd paint the whole thing or maybe just the two middle planes. Shutters, too.

Edit and simplify. :) I wouldn't do anything fancy.

One strategy often overlooked to improve curb appeal is to use the same style of window treatments in all the front windows. Like Silhouettes from Hunter Douglas, for example. Amazing what that uniformity will do to 'clean up' the look on a house like this.

The front door should be a simpler design. No windows in the door, just a solid door. The sidelights should be the full length, not half like it is now. And the painted trim around the door should not be white; it should match whatever color the front door and sidelights are painted.

Call a brick expert to inspect the brick, clean it and do any tuckpointing

Paint the downspouts the same color as the brick so they disappear.

You could have a stained glass window custom made for over the front door to replace the white grid. Nothing super ornate and definitely not colorful. Just a clear/textured leaded glass design. If there's budget, do matching custom sidelights for the front door.

Keeping the yard and landscaping impeccable is super important with homes of this design.

I have to go with there won't be "cheap" additions that make a huge impact. The one down side of a brick exterior I suppose. I prefer most of the before pics recently posted. Painting brick --I just can't go there on a home this new. I LOVE the doorway over hang ideas (but I would go BIG or go home) and I agree a lessening of the shrubbery might be the ticket, it is a formal looking home so maybe the styles would CLASH but a front seating patio/faux porch, is always more welcoming. Shutters seem counter indicated when you have that great brick detail around each window. I guess I don't see what is so horrid about them...to each his own I suppose. I totally get the fading door issue--perhaps that is why one should go with painted vs the wood look--paint is easier to freshen than sanding/stain/varnish.

Several posts have either disappeared from this thread or appear to have been edited. The one post that triggered some of those responses remains. What gives?

ETA: The post that triggered the disappeared responses is now gone. So.

I don't know Linelle, but I don't like it either. When one claims to be a paragon of manners and good taste, it seems one might try harder to exude those qualities to strangers who have just asked a simple question.

I don't like the seating area in the front. I think it really takes away from the formality of the house. Maybe it's because of the neighborhood I grew up in, but I feel like it's two steps away from seeing a mattress in the yard.

I think if your friend really wants seating in the front then maybe a small wrought iron set would fit the style better.

I wondered what it would look like to paint "some" of the brick. Not sure about this look. I'm not going to spend time on fine tuning as the op has said in so many words that there is not really a budget.

It would definitely help to know what the budget would be. The first thing that hits me is the 'dalmation' roof. Although it is a big expense in the grand scheme of things, and if it is in good shape, it wouldn't be a priority to replace it obviously. But something toned down in a greyed-brown shingle would do a lot for that brick.

Agree the first inexpensive fix would be to trim most of the shrubs. Adding color with annuals is another quick fix for now. I like what others are doing with the front entry and door. I wouldn't put any outdoor furniture out front. If anything, just a couple of pots with some colorful flowering plants on either side of the entry. Is there any type of lighting out there?

terrilynn, I was wondering how the facade would look with paint only on the brick trim around the windows. When we lived in the South, windows of brick homes were often accented with stucco. Sometimes it looks good, sometimes it doesn't. It really depends on the house.

Thanks for your photoshops. They are always fun to see.

Funny you should mention that d_gw, I looked and looked for painted brick surround examples on images and found none. I did find many painted masonry surrounds. I decided against trying a mock-up of painted brick surrounds as my thought is that that is more nice jewelry highlighting better quality windows. Its one of those things were you can't really stop at just the surround. You have to go with nicer windows as well.

I like my first full house mock-up. I did the door and sidelights all the same color as per Lori's suggestion and it does look nicer. So, it has been edited since my first go. To me sometimes simpler is better. That first mock-up would look nice with some pretty pots as per Outsideplayings suggestion and better landscape which everyone suggested. The first mock-up would also be a bit budget friendlier.

Linelle, I didn't edit my post so someone removed it.

Thanks for the mock-ups JTL. I think the portico really helps to tie in that window and just adding some color to the shrubs lightens it right up.

Lots of great ideas here.

The chairs in front look very spontaneous and temporary to me, not like it's a designated outside sitting area. I'll bet they have a backyard for that.

I see people painting brick around us, just some of it. What I have seen is people putting details on like painting just the row of bricks on the corners or a stripe through a pillar.

Well, no one removed or edited mine and I'm sorry if it offended anyone else. Her comments were just so unwarranted and it's not the first time she's done that to a new poster. It really irked me.

Linelle, the reason I suggested a sitting area is because seeing the chairs and child in the pic, I assumed they may prefer to be outside with their kids while they play.

Lukki, I didn't really mean to address your post specifically about the seating. Several folks have suggested the seating arrangement in the photo isn't optimal, but it looks to me like someone just plopped some chairs down for a quick sit, rather than a permanent arrangement. It's possible that the front yard has more room than the back and that would warrant rethinking the seating area. I don't know if it will fit into the owners' budget.

I notice a little kid in the original photo, maybe the house owners are new in the neighborhood so are hanging out front with the kids hoping to meet other families.

I have done that before, its been years though.

Oh I know that Linelle, I was just elaborating. You actually turned out to be right as later in the thread that was pretty much what the OP had said. I do think having a front sitting area like that would be cool though, even if it has no cover. In the old days, (and maybe even now in a lot of neighborhoods) it's a nice thing to have for socializing with neighbors. I don't think space laid with brick would be that expensive.

I like socializing with my neighbors from our front yards. We're not all best friends or hang out together, but it's good to tap into the neighborhood grapevine and keep up with what's going on. My street is quiet and on the route of walkers from nearby senior apartments. If I'm out working in my yard, they stop and we chat about the weather, plants, dogs and cats.