Brick: I think your brick is very attractive; I would not paint it. I do think the railing would look better if painted black or dark green. Landscape: Your pictures are very dark--is that a Japanese maple in the front of the house in the flower bed? Those shrubs might look better if they were shaped. Flowering shrubs and annuals would be an improvement, too. Not the time of year, I know. Paging Dig Doug's Designs! He has terrific ideas. I am not sure how much room you have on the right side, but I think an arbor would look really nice over there or in the front of your house with some climbing roses or other vines like clematis. Windows: I am not a professional, but I think your mini blinds do not go with the style of your home. Sheers or lace curtains would seem to look better. If you can't open your windows because they are nailed shut, it's time to think about new windows. I know you hate your brick and think your house is unattractive, but I don't think it looks that bad. This is the time of year when flowers fade and leaves fall. In my area, it seems cloudy and/or rainy/snowy all the time. Can't wait to see what you do with the place. Good luck!

Congratulations on your new home! What a wonderful house and garden situation you have to work with. Make a path, with irregular/natural stone steps along the left side of the photo, behind the tree, so that that slope serves a purpose for you. Add some evergreens along the wall, some that have interesting bones, like a shaped pine, or an intriguing shape, like espaliered camellia. [Note! As it is unknown which direction the house is facing, and in what part of the country, it's not possible to suggest plants— plant selection really depends very much on that, as well as how much sun/wind/shade/water a specific area of your garden receives] You could replace all or much of the lawn with an ornamental perennial with good texture, for example Carex pensylvanica, which looks a lot like grass but is much less maintenance and has a great texture. Other soft ornamental grasses and perennials would frame the stone walk to the front door, interspersed with evergreens for structure. On the right side, in planters on the balcony, you could add one type of ornamental grass, or a soft perennial (lavender with artemisia 'Silver Mound' and stachys or a dwarf white-flowering echinacea. If it is sunny and you like the idea of growing fruits, veggies and herbs, then you could dress the base of the porch/balcony with espalier fruit trees. An area of walkable lawn could be framed by native grasses and perennials for a natural, informal, relaxing feel, and you could tuck raised beds in the planting beds for growing basil, rosemary, tomatoes, squash, eggplant, sage, peppers--that kind of thing. Adding well-placed and planted boulders to this garden would make sense with the terrain and the house.

In your introductory statement, you say that you're interested in changing "... the front deck into a more pleasant entry way." Let's compare the existing deck to two concepts. Presently, it seems sized such that it could accommodate 3 or 4 people entering. In my concept I haven't the size of the deck much. I've widened it just a little, mainly to allow for building wider steps ... maybe twice as wide as the current steps. It might accommodate an additional person or two. In your concept drawing, you've changed the deck from merely an entrance, to one sized for family gatherings -- lounging, dining, BBQs, etc. Is that how you intend to use the deck? If it is merely an entrance, it does not make sense to overwhelm the space with a lounging and entertaining deck sized for a family ... unless you are receiving visitors in groups numbering into the teens. First, figure out its purpose and base its size on that. Then work out its configuration. Whether its a wood deck or masonry porch structure doesn't matter to its function, as either can do the job. The materials will have more to do with durability, maintenance and the visual, artistic impression that you are trying to make. In general, I think people value masonry porches as the superior ones, b ut it isn't necessarily always that way.

Agree with you that landscape needs a lot of attention. Looks like there is nothing now so you have a blank slate. Adding plants & changing the hardscape will make a dramatic difference in the look of your house. How wide is the area with white rock? Do you know what was there before rock went in? It looks like really wasted space now. No clue as to your location & weather but wondering if small scale pavers would work to create additional parking & would also widen the walkway to house. If there’s soil under the rock, maybe the front 1/4 of the length could be converted to planting bed for small evergreens to soften the whole expanse & create a soft barrier between paver parking & house. The pavers lining walkway on both sides look like trip hazard & I’d remove them so there’s level surface across entire expanse of driveway, rocked area & grass. Widen & increase size of planting beds on right side of house - remove the small brick circle planting areas. A wide curved planting bed across the entire front of house would make such a difference. Again, no location clues except the trees with no leaves so you may be in a place that has a ”real” winter. If so, it’s a good time to find a landscape designer & have plans drawn for spring planting. If you’re so inclined, planting can be DIY to control costs but well worth it to get professional design. Check your local nurseries for help. As for the house, I agee with @cat_ky - house & roof looks like needs a good cleaning. Maybe a creamy white - not bright white - for siding parts & trim around windows The storm door should match window trim - looks like it’s black. Love the blue door color. Where are house address numbers? Add them to right of front door - large numbers. Add a new & much larger porch light. Not black for either numbers or light - too harsh - maybe bronze?