Your plan to add a gate and two rockers sounds perfect. Hang some red geraniums in pots while you consider longer term changes to the landscaping.

Thank you both for the feedback! We know we need to do an overhaul on the front planting bed... we haven't done anything really yet as we were waiting until we saw what might pop up from the previous owners. Clearly nothing has popped up! We are thinking to plant things that will come back year to year - with color as you suggested. I am hoping to convince by SO to go with a yellow door and some yellow plants. The flowering baskets had more color earlier in the year - but right now they are definitely suffering from the heat. I appreciate the pictures as it does give me a sense as to what it could be - there's hope! Thank you again.

I agree with leaving the railing.

As far as front plantings, you could get some ideas from your local gardening board on houzz. Taking pictures to a local nursery (not a big box store) can help too.

Yes those V shaped things at the top of your post should be removed. It shouldn't be difficult. Your hanging baskets need to hang lower. Go to your big box store and have them cut you some heavy chain in about 1 to 1 1/2 ft length to lower the baskets. Most baskets need to be watered at least every 2 days, some times every day depending on the weather. Also once a week submerge the whole basket in a bucket of water and let it sit for a half an hour to an hour to re-dehydrate the soil. I like the idea of a yellow front door and yellow flowers. It is only paint. Tell the hubby if he doesn't like it, it can be repainted. Take him with you when you go pick out the paint and have him pick out 3 yellows he likes and then you choose between them. That way he has a stake in the color. If you don't like any that he picked out just buy the color you like and wait a few week to paint. Then when he says it doesn't look the same just tell him it is hard to visualize a color from a little paint chip. Lucky me my husband lets all the decorating up to me. If it was up to him he would buy a 5 gallon bucket of white paint and paint everything in and out the same.

remove the shutters they are only fake shutters and you need serious landscaping too

Thanks for the additional ideas... especially the idea from functionthenlook regarding the painting (lol)! The tips on the hanging baskets are also great! We know the landscaping is very bare and not colorful so that is definitely on the list - we didn't want to commit to anything until we decided on the porch and the door color. We hadn't thought about removing the shutters, but we'll consider that too... Now I am off to find some photos of shutterless colonials to see how we like them! Thanks again for the feedback!

There are some awesome experts who hang out at the landscape forum and can give you some great ideas:Landscape Forum on GardenWeb

I echo the comments on the shutters - yours are tiny and ineffective. I've read that shutters need to be big enough to look as though they would completely cover the window if the shutters were closed.

You could hang a nice porch swing there......and grow rambler roses climbing up the columns.

http://www.homedepot.com/p/Jack-Post-Jennings-4-ft-Traditional-Wood-Porch-Patio-Swing-H-24/204699776

https://www.hayneedle.com/outdoor/porch-swings_list_169066?source=googleaw&kwid=porch%20swing&tid=exact&gclid=CMb73NT74dUCFQsLaQod0p8Ixg

If you really want an updated look that is maintenance free , have you looked into cable railing?

put the posts on a 'high carb' diet & fatten them up, lose the 'y's'. as far as landscaping, what I have learned is to go with the flow of the season- daffodils for early punch, iris next, then lilies- all available in yellow. i am partial to grasses, but forewarned some grow to huge sizes. a variety called 'sky chaser' stays low but shoots out thin wispy fronds around Aug. i would partially follow the walk way curve to accent with low growing plants too. hang basket of begonias, they last forever. (ps. a larger light next to the garage door when the laundry room change box gets full- lol- my mad money.)

Shutters are meant to close and cover the glass and meet in the middle. Remove the pair on the triple window. If you want them, buy wider ones for the top windows, but you'll probably lose the gap in the middle. I'd beef up the trim instead and lose the shutters.

I would remove the railing because it's only one step up, it's not really needed for safety reasons. I find it just looks more welcoming and approachable without a railing, you get to show off nice chairs etc. I would use tall planters that sit on the porch edge, you can see the tops of the plants and they are easier to water. A pair flanking the door and one to the left of the triple window. Beef up your porch posts, lose the angled boards.

You want a light bright color on your front door, I would paint out the entire surrounding trim your chosen door color for more oomph, see the last photo. Ignore the shutters on that photo, they are not the right size. LOL!

Usually I like a garage door the same color as the body of the home or a deeper tone. I'm undecided on yours, maybe black or very dark gray.

Landscaping will greatly improve things, no matter what you choose to do with the house itself.

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