Current budget $500, $1000, $5000, other?

The current plantings look great. Maybe add a pop of color on the front door, and a window box planter or two with colorful flowers and trailing ivy!

I would like a really large house number to the right of the door, to help make sense of the odd asymmetry of the entrance. Then a bright door (and paint the storm door to match) and either planters or plantings to either side of the step.

As far as budget goes, clearly adding a porch and dormers would spiff it up tremendously but I am looking more for door color, maybe what to do with the windows, plantings, maybe doing something about that asphalt whatever that is thing, lighting, etc. I havent really thought budget just hoping to get some ideas from you all. So if you have big ideas, please share those too!

Here. I threw in new porch lights and some myrtle between the hostas...

Congratulations on your picturesque home!

I think painting your home a rich blue with white trim would look adorable. You could even add a cranberry door for even more character.

Cortlandt · More Info

Was playing with some colors and I think if you paint it any color it would give you that curb appeal you are looking for.

(Couldn't really nail the deeper blue but gives the general idea)

Hope this helps spark some vision!

Add an awning or roof over the front door. You may need another step in front of the door- looks a bit high.

Thank you for that visual, that helps a lot! I have never seen a painted storm door to match the front door. Very interesting!

Larger light fixtures, large house numbers to the right of front door, color on front door, tall colored pots with plants on either side of front door, and some tall trees/plants near outside front corners of the home. Good luck!

Yes. I think height is definitely needed. Thank you for that!

Incorporate the red from the chimney by painting the front door the same. Add two red light fixtures. Done.

That is the weirdest looking house I've ever seen. Is there any symmetry anywhere?

To begin with you have a roof structure problem. It sags in the middle. Replace
any rotten wood in the attic and reinforce it to straighten the roof
line. Fixing that might require new shingles/roofing or even an entire new roof structure depending on how long it has been sagging.

I would try to use plantings to hide the asymmetries and color on the front door. Something tall, like an Italian cypress, to the left corner, would hide the fact that the roof line does not go all the way down to match the right side. Being a narrow plant it would not conceal much of anything else. Then a larger tree at the left of the house would hide that hip style on the left roof line.

I like Glo European's dark gray/white trim picture. but I would take the front door all the way to a full value orange color.

Climbing rose New Dawn up the left side, move that hosta, small shrub, etc. forward a little (actually, add 2 or 3 large hosta to that, maybe something big and blue).

I have a different take on your home...I would paint it all white....paint all the window trim black....paint front door black. With silver kick plate and hardware.....add black light fixtures.....hang a flower box under the small window on the right to create symmetry.....a small white or cedar pergola front porch would look great! Plant two spiral topiaries flanking the porch.

Oh forgot.... paint your chimney white to match the house.:)

I'm not so sure it's that weird of a house. I think these have it beat!
[https://www.houzz.com/magazine/10-unique-houses-around-the-globe-stsetivw-vs~19375[(https://www.houzz.com/magazine/10-unique-houses-around-the-globe-stsetivw-vs~19375)

Kinda surprised people were saying my house is "weird" haha. I'm really excited and love the house.

Holly, it's adorable...

Your house is charming and what a beautiful yard and and that lake view out back must be so wonderful...the landscape is very nice and really does enhance your curb appeal...keep it simple and classic..if you don't like the black door a beautiful blue would be very appropriate for this charming lake house! But still would add all the black accent!

I agree, not weird at all. Very typical little cottage from where I'm from. My house is quite similar actually. I have a dark pine green door with soft yellow siding and white trim. :-)

What vintage is your house? It's adorable and I believe the roof is meant to have that line as it was common in arts and crafts homes referencing an asian influence.

How about an extended gable with an actual porch and a dog to sit on it?

Your home is adorable and the yard and lake are awesome.

A few little tweaks and it will be perfect

Another vote for not at all weird and definitely very charming. Your house is adorable, and it already has curb appeal (and a lake!). But you are right you can kick it up a notch. Most of us can! I personally don't think you need to do too much-- change the color if that makes you happy (it looks like vinyl siding and if so it makes sense to just leave it beige but maybe paint the door your favorite color) Just adding flowers/ cottage garden will do a lot! However, what is there already is pretty low maintenance (as is my climbing rose suggestion) and you might like that even better than a whole bunch of flowers you have to trim and water. A white picket fence with an arbor gate would be very cute here too, and it can be at the front of the property near where the solar lights are (flowers planted on both sides so you can see them from the inside and the outside). Just another idea of millions. The house is cute, the path is great, the location is envious, and the rest is just frosting. Enjoy your new home.

Add a nice bench to sit outside

Calling someone's home "weird" is a very "weird" thing to do and quite rude.

The first thing I would do is add a extended roof to the porch and get that door under the porch roof. Lots of other good ideas for you to consider here and most will be personal preference. I like darker colors on Lake Houses, and think a nice deeper sage green with rust colored door similar to chimney brick would do the house good. But it is a darling lake house and I'm sure you will really enjoy the heck out of it!!

vstavay, I love the pretty crabapple [probably?] and walkway.... inviting!!! House's door called Deep Rose, but could be whitened, softer? Though my tired eyes missed your hostas, etc... in the right season something will blossom also..didn't see it.

Crisp Architects · More Info

Deep Rose 2004-10 Paint · More Info

35 customers liked it for $58.

Mason Outdoor Downlight, Oil Rubbed Bronze · More Info

The question you're asking, Holly Web, necessitates seeing the left side of the yard. If there's something that needs to NOT be seen, anyone hashing out landscape design should see and know about it. I would do some bed and planting reconfiguration ... simpler and fuller. And create a stoop and widen the walk.

Wow! These suggestions and photos you all have done for me are incredible! Definitely getting the creative juices flowing!! Seeing the visual of how badly a stoop is needed is great. Never even thought to incorporate the chimney into any of it! Thank you all so much! I can't wait to get out there and get my hands dirty!

Btw it is a 1950 cape cod 1 1/2 story home.

One other thing, as far as plantings go, eventually you need to identify what the trees and shrubs are on your property. That's key to deciding what to plant around them, and how to care for them to keep them looking their best. For example, if one of your trees has a wide, shallow root system, that is going to determine what can grow under it and how to plant it. Some plants express toxins from their roots or leaves that inhibit the growth of other plants around them, etc. You may never get lush growth, depending on what the trees are. Something to think about as you progress.

I wouldn't repaint the house, save the money for more significant improvements, and I'm wondering if you have vinyl siding which would make that problematic anyway. Landscaping is artfully solving problems, which to me looks like you need a stoop and as long as you're at it, some type of awning or extension of the roof to cover the stoop so that when folks knock on your door when it is raining they're not standing in front of where all the water is going to run down off the roof! It looks like you have a groovy walkway already no? After that, I also second the suggestion for a little picket fence to visually block off your lake side from weekend gawkers driving around the lake. Not necessary but would be nice. Doll it up with plantings if you like. I am totally jealous, I would love a little place like that.

One quickie suggestion, to add color and contrast to your hosta beds out front, try astilbe, or various ferns, and various types of heuchera. The classic combos. Also European solomon's seal and lilly of the valley for spring scent. Sweet woodruff makes a good groundcover in shade, as does vinca, the old standby, or ajuga. For spring color, jacob's ladder or virginia bluebells or some type of wild geranium or phlox. Throw in some turtlehead and bottle gentian for summer and fall blooming. Keep it simple, don't plant all of these, they are just suggestions of easy to grow shade garden plants. You want to enjoy your time at the lake and if you don't love to garden you want low maintenance. I'm not sure if they'll grow well in your zone, but azaleas and rugosa roses are classic landscape shrubs. Any of the viburnums would give you beautiful white blooms and low maintenance UNLESS you have a deer issue. If so, they can be grown but need protection. But if your hostas are still alive, the deer may be under control already.

You've got lots of great discussion going on!

Here's what I think: I'm not digging the border of hostas along the front of the property. The monotonous row of the same plants is not imaginative or creative. I'd do away with those hostas along the street/sidewalk and work on incorporating some of the planting ideas that others have pictured. Add shrubs for height, color and variety. Maybe a small flowering tree as vstavay demonstrated, which helps offset your unbalanced front door.

And no, your house is NOT weird. I'm from the midwest, and these homes are very common here. You can make it look very charming.

Did the front entrance used to be an open porch? If so, could it be again? Also, I see you have vinyl siding. We did the front of our house in the shingle style vinyl siding (it's kind of pricey) and the sides and the back in the traditional style (like yours). If you could still get that color siding in the shingle and redo the front with it, I think it could make a big difference--add some charm. Of course, you could redo the entire house in the shingle, too, if you have the budget for it.

Ooh--didn't realize how old this thread is....