Are the mullions in the windows removable? If you want it to look more “ “modern “ I think you need to start there, same with removing the garage window mullions. You house looks very traditional to me, others will have suggestions. I can envision your house white with black trim & some major re- landscaping... that’s where I would concentrate my efforts on if it were mine ( but it’s not :) ).

We are so totally out of our element when it comes to landscaping, but you're both so right! The mullions are removable - terrific suggestion!

The cupola and garage doors with the cross hatching and hardware read country to me. More modern looking light fixtures? Change the front door? I think the house looks nice the way it is, but if you want a change... . Get a professional to do a lancape plan. Plants and installation really add up, but you can do it in stages

I like it as it is, but might paint the garage doors the color of the house. I cannot imagine doing a house with black wood siding unless it was VERY contemporary with tons and tons of glass walls, and this house is not. Put your money into some really good landscaping - not the typical bunch of zig-zagged lollipop evergreens.

Change the door color.

Oh no....I'm not seeing black and white or "modern" at all here. As Anglo mentioned, that might be fine with a low slung contemp house with tons of glass but it won't help this house at all. You cannot change traditional architecture with paint and removing mullions. Taking those out will prob just create a dead, black hole appearance.

What do you specifically dislike? What got you onto the black/white paint idea?

I think it's a good looking house but yes...landscaping is going to make the big change here. I would do that first before anything else and then see where you are. Maybe just a new color paint? I always paint my garage door the house body color...same with downspouts. They shouldn't be focal points. The front door needs a lighter or brighter color to be brought forward and maybe something else done to that area..hard to see.

A better photo full front would help as would closer pix of the entrance area.

Instead of black siding, what about black window trim? If you remove the mullions and give it a neutral paint color (including the brick)....something like this, (just color examples, not ranch styles, of course). Although with your gray roof, maybe a more gray siding that these examples:

Leave exterior colors as they are..

Garage door, although nice, is very farmhouse. Paint it dark, dark gray…if you know the siding gray, choose the darkest on the strip.

Front door: brick leads right up to it…so do the front door to correlate with it. Try B.M. Somerville Red in semi-gloss.

Leave the colors as is per most other suggestions. Hire a professional landscape designer to plan wonderful perennial landscaping and hardscaping--maybe with a bit of red brick to link to the house. It will give you so much pleasure to frame your lovely house, which isn't quite a bungalow or modern but has its own look. I can certainly see some red brick hardscaping extending from the front door with a bench against the wall. Or a small tree in the space. Landscaping enlarges a house and enhances it when well designed.

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I think this picture posted by Olychick is as modern as your home can get. Just a new paint color, paint the brick and remove the mullions. If you like the look of this house, then do those things and then leave it alone. You could paint the garage door to match or complement more if you want, though I don't mind garage doors.

I love your house as it is. Don't try to push it too modern. If you try to change its architectural style too much, it will backfire. Paint, landscape, and enjoy your house :)

It's really encouraging to see consistent suggestions - thanks so much to all of you. Based on everything said above, we're going absolutely going to invest in hiring a landscape designer first, and go from there. Perhaps with some landscaping, painting the garage door darker (love that suggestion) and changing the front door it will update it enough. I don't love the color it is right now & it needs to be repainted anyway...perhaps we'll stick in the grey realm, though, rather than black based on the style of the home.

Two follow up questions -

1) More suggestions for front door color if we stick with grey siding?
2) Suggestions for trim styles? Needs to be updated anyway (some rot)

Here is a close up of the front door, as requested, as well as a street view.

Could the house handle either of these combos?

I like your house the way it is except there's a bit of a mismatch between the siding and roof. The siding is green, but not quite saturated enough to look like it's not a mistake. I would either commit to the green...

And then a landscape plan as everyone else has said.

Ignore what I said about the brick entry. For some reason, in your first photo, I couldn't make out how those steps worked. ;-)

The last two inspiration photos you show are the opposite of more modern. I think your trim width is perfect as it is.

Groveraxle...you nailed it! Yes! I had no idea what about the current color I didn't like but it must be the tone. I love both the light and darker examples you provided above, and the cedar door matches our hardwood inside. Thanks so much for taking time to respond!

I know the two latest photos I provided aren't modern...they are round two after so much advice above swayed me :)

What do you think of the style of trim in those photos for my house?

Everything Anglophilla said! Plus, invest in the entry door area. In this case I'm not sure painting the door is enough. I think you need a nice wood front door to bring the eye to that area. So, door, paint garage and landscape. That's it!

Really nice house.

Landscaping, well done, can improve the curb appeal of any home.

Having a personal prejudice favoring a front porch, I suggest you consider creating an actual front porch rather than just a stoop -- you have the entire area between the side of the house with the bland wall and the driveway to do so by adding a gable between the garage and that blank side wall.

The focal point of the front of the house should be the front door. Painting the garage doors the same color as the siding would make them less of a focal point.

Colors are personal preferences; for myself:

Black fascia would be preferable to black siding.

With a gray roof, the siding could be any shade of gray.

Leave the window and door trim white.

Yes, I like the idea of a wood front door. If it's not in the budget, you could use either of the colors in your pictures. I would NOT paint the garage doors a darker color!!! You're once again drawing attention to them and they should not be the main feature on the front of your house!

All that black trim on windows...yi, yi, yi. I adore black steel windows. They cost a fortune and must be carefully researched before installing due to condensation problems if not the right kind. The industrial look works really well, even with a quite traditional house - heck some of the oldest buildings on Yale's campus have steel windows.

But that's the "real thing", not just painting them black. I think they look ridiculous painted black. It's not a "cubic zirconia" instead of a diamond, it's a cheap, flashy rhinestone! Painting windows is very time consuming if DIY and very expensive to have done - all those muntins. And people having the factory finished ones installed on new builds are going to be SO sorry they did that. It will date the house in a second and it cheapens it, as well.

There is a reason why most trim and windows are painted white - it goes with everything. The house paint can be changed with a degree of ease/expense, but not the windows. JUST SAY NO!

I LOVE groveraxle's last pic. I'd implement everything suggested except the brick (I like it the way it is).

Ah, C Gallant, sometimes I can be a little slow. You mean trimming it out something like this?

Another vote for loving your home/trim as is!! Your home looks very modern to me. The "carriage" designed garage doors is the element that does not seem cohesive to me. I love the cupola, so hope that stays. There are many beautiful front doors, that would be an impactful change too. After seeing the paint mockups above I can see how using a gray on the siding would make things more cohesive, I am just not sure how gray works with your brick. Down the road perhaps a change in your shingle color would be more unifying.

groveraxle I mean trim around the windows and garage...would like to make it a little wider...a little more farmhouse. No?

anglophilia you are a wealth of knowledge and sound aesthetic advice. Thank you so much for all of your help!!

Thank you, Gallant! At my age, about all I can do is share - can't do much myself anymore.

Please excuse the pathetic copy and paste. Door, (entry not exactly as shown) , garage and not shown landscape.

I like justerrilyn’s change to the entry. It makes the house itself seem bigger because that section isn’t getting lost in the garage.

Love the porch idea, but i would consider a wash on the brick. The house color is really pretty. AND landscaping always helps!

Jonio -I don't I'm sorry! It was replaced by the previous owners