I suggest painting the garage doors the same color you paint the siding. Paint the French doors black.

Nice house! The brick is very nice...don't paint it. White trim is usually a good choice with most brick. Sorry, you didn't ask but the shutters are much too small for the larger front windows. A wide, white trim would be a better fit. Looks like a pretty setting!

Good point re. shutters! - thank you!

I agree that you don't need shutters. The easiest update would be to paint the trim and garage doors white.

Shutters is gilding the lily with those groovy windows you have.

Why do you want a porch? You might consider adding a small patio in front if you just want a place to sit and look out. I have a small, small patio in my front yard, with just enough space for a cement bench. It is just a little area lined with landscape cloth and covered with red volcanic rock with the bench on top. I put a few colorful pots next to the bench. I have added another small area where I now have a lounge chair for my SO to lounge on while I am out working in the front yard! :)

The shrubs are over pruned, out dated, and unsuitable; they should be removed.

i'd consider a brick paver walkway/stairs/porch and new landscaping.

Why don't you post a photo with your updates so we're on the same page? Agree with removal of your shutters and the old shaped landscaping. You might consider doing German Smear on the brick. Here's a before & after ofit on a brick similar to yours.

Thank you for the comments! Much appreciated. Working on getting updated pics. I just posted the pics I had at the time, which were from the listing. I agree the landscaping is awful and outdated - any suggestions on what to add/replace with are welcome!

Hahah groveraxle! Yes, it's pretty bad. We need that landscape fairy to come back:)

Does anyone know - if I remove the shutters, will there likely be damage to the brick??

You won't know till you remove them. Brick is pretty impervious and generally doesn't fade, but you may need to wash the ones that have been exposed.

The existing shrubs are all wrong so complete redo there. The bed needs reshaping and the tree in the front yard needs limbing up. If you were standing at the street I'm sure it would be covering a good portion of view of your house ... for no good reason. Pictures that line up with front door and capture the full width of your yard in slightly overlapping shots would show a lot more than the photos you have above. Make your yard easier to understand and get better feedback.

I would paint the garage and French doors black, to tie in with the front of the house and your roof.

Here's a start. Yank and trim trim trim what's left. Show off those windows on the right.

I agree with grover. Remove shutters and prune the landscaping. I would also paint the remaining trim and garage doors white. A few changes and it will look great! No need to paint the entire house.

Thanks for this, groveraxle! I am not good with photo shop. Love the dog:)

er612, think we should paint siding white as well, or leave as is? I think we've definitely decided against painting the brick.

You should plant jasmin creepers on the walls

Atelier Nelumbo Garden Design looked those up and really like them - where on the walls? Side of house?

I am all for painting the brick! I would paint the house and trim this combo (BM Revere Pewter, P&L Pebble Gray) - Would take down the shutters as well.

EBS, your new pictures aren't enough. Instead of taking them while standing in line with the end of the house, you need to line up with the front door. And you need to show a much wider span of scenery, extending beyond the ends of your house. The camera needs to pivot widely enough so we can see the neighboring houses. Also, move in a little closer. We don't need to see as much sky.

Please don't paint the brick. Why take a maintenance-free material that already looks good and make it something you'll have to attend to every few years. I've lived in my brick house for almost 30 years and it's the one part of the house I've had to do nothing to maintain.