For Googling purposes, I'd call it California cottage, too. In addition to improving the landscaping, as emmarene suggested, I'd unify the exterior by painting the stucco and wood the same color, and maybe even the chimney. I'd also replace the shutters, which appear to be purely decorative, with some that are functional. I was going to post a picture, but it appears this site is experiencing some technical difficulties, so hears a link to the photo: Carmel-by-the-Sea cottage

very cute. I'm also in the same So Cal Area. I'm envying all of your Plumerias! I see you have a nice pink one! Care to part w/some cuttings?? lol

what do you want to do? Paint? landscaping?

Obviously the dead patch of grass needs to go. do you want grass or would you want to do a xeriscape? What I would do is take up the wood border between the brick and the grass and put in some other type of border. all of those pots under the tree near the porch look messy. I'd move those or plant those in another type of planter.

fill in the run off spot bed(off to the right of the house) with those mexican pebbles.

Planting some nice pink and white rose bushes in the flower bed would add to the cottage feel.

If you do a lot of the landscape yourself, you can save lots. rototill that grass and kill the weeds first. (otherwise they just come back) I use a weed killer two weeks before ripping it out. now is the perfect time to plant grass. so either grab some sod or prepare the soil and do seed. To have someone come out and resod your front (is there irrigation already? I hope?) would be about 800-1000K,

As for paint, you could keep the yellow stucco and just do the the shutters and white siding yourselves. Or, do the stucco white, black siding and maybe red shutters. Or blue siding and black shutters. lots of combos.

Replace the posts w/solid wood columns. do a nice redwood, 4x4, sealed w/UV clear coat sealer.

we did a xeriscape on our rental house. off to the right are rose bushes. they are Iceberg roses. all white, and flower all of the time. they are pretty hardy. do some black bark mulch as well.

as for the succulents, most of them came from my yard or the neighbors yard. I just cut them and stick them in the ground. they are everywhere around SoCal,,,no need to spend money and buy them. just ask someone for a piece. heck, I'll give you tons if you come by and get them!

Wow Beth thanks for all the advice! The lawn tips are awesome and think I'll tackle that one on my own with a rototill. I like your idea on the redwood posts as well. Also agree with your comment around succulents. They are everywhere here in Santa Barbara and we get offers to take them off peoples hands all the time.

We think it's a lovely cottage. Perhaps getting a little landscaping done, and maybe painting the stucco the same color as the wood would look nice. Other wise you've got a nice looking place.