First, in order to design properly, we need to know where you live (climate zone).

Doug, I'm in Zone 7A

some ideas

Remove the decorative shutters and beef up the white window trim. The entry could be improved with a full length glass storm and an updated door. Once the aged and massive shrubs are removed, consider widening the entry porch and adding an interesting portico for sheltering guests at the door.

Fairway Ranch Renovation - entry · More Info

California Ranch Replacement Windows · More Info

Front Portico · More Info

Oxford Exterior Renovation · More Info

I like the idea of creating a porch area and removing the decorative shutters. Oddly it never occurred to me to remove the shutters. As far as beefing up the white trim, could that be done with something as simple as installing trim around the windows? Looks like I will be googling "beefing up window trim" now. :)

"Nothing in front of the home should extend above the window sills."

I wouldn't take this comment too literally :-) As with everything else in gardening/landscaping, the fall-back response is "it depends". Some folks want some screening of front facing windows, especially if the room behind them is a private area, like a bedroom. And a small and somewhat airily branched tree, like many Japanese maples or dogwoods, offers both a degree of privacy while allowing viewing from inside to out.

I am also mystified at the constant comments to remove any shutters!! Nowhere is this written or even observed as an exterior design 'improvement'........and in many cases they do provide some character to what is otherwise an architecturally bland facade. As in this case!! At any rate, it is always a personal choice.

Can you say where approximately you are located? Zone 7 covers a huge territory and not all zone 7's share similar growing conditions or plant selection.

My suggestion is that you paint or change out the shutters to something like green or blue. Remove the bushes that choke the front porch and go with something low ('m not a plant person so I bow to the expertise of others in the selection).

When you get around to fixing the lawn, hop on over to the lawn forum.

The two overgrown entry shrubs gotta go. You have beautiful brickwork under the bow window, never allow anything to obscure it. Remove the tall evergreen between the windows. Don't let the burning bush on the end get any higher. Mature plantings such as yours are very desirable. Double the width of your entry landing and steps, add a curved (4 foot wide) walkway. No shutters, add wide trim around windows. Nice house, nice brick, just needs some tweaking.

Thanks for the responses.

gardengal48 - I am in 7a which is Marlyand, slightly north of Baltimore.

dchall_san_antonio - :) thanks for the advise. It is on my list!

chiflipper - thanks for the advise and the compliment on the structure. A segment you cannot see from this picture is that the drive way runs to the left of the house. It's cement as is the steps to the front door. Everything is straight. No curves anywhere. I think adding some curvature may give the entrance a more comfortable feel.

http://www.lifeofanarchitect.com/residential-architecture-101-shutters/

Here is a good bit of the reasoning behind suggestions to remove faux stick-on decorative shutters. Of course, it is always the homeowner's preference that counts.

Really nice examples from Doug, Beverly and deco. Agree the shutters aren't working as the link from deco will explain. If you think about it, shutters on a bay window make no sense at all. I have a friend who put them on her kitchen greenhouse window. Just plain silly...BUT it's her house.

Be sure you have a complete plan before you start ripping out shrubs.
It will take quite awhile for newly-planted shrubs to be any decent
size, so if you can incorporate some of yours in to a plan, you'll be way
ahead. Mature landscaping has value.

In this picture I just replaced the 2 taller evergreens beside the house with lower ones, and trimmed down the red-leaf shrub just a bit. I don't think anything looks overgrown. If you like, add some flowering plants (low ones) in front of the evergreens.

That Architectures 101 article on "Shudders", suggesting their removal in about every case where shutters are used, keeps being put forth as the final holy dictum on the subject. Personally, I reject it, thinking that today's use of shutters have moved well beyond actual or simulated function and have become, just trim ... another way to add some interest and detail on an otherwise dull and bland box. Accept it as the maxim if you will, but I think this shutter removal fad will run its course in another decade or so and start to be mentioned in the same way as "that's so 70's" ... or whatever decade you want to comment about that has little to offer today.

Can't figure out why someone would say that landscape beds need to be serpentine. That can't be true because there are countless instances where it couldn't possibly work or be good. And the snakey serpentine is almost always bad. The bed line should geometrically fit the occasion. It's usually straight lines, curves, or a combination of the two. Maybe some angles thrown in. There is no blanket rule that fits all houses.

The foundation planting does not seem to fit well to the house. It seems to have the urge to smother the house, but seems also to be simultaneously suppressed in its endeavors. The unbroken roof comes across as an uninteresting element and the house seems exposed. Some small trees off of the corners would help these conditions. the burning bush off of the right corner could be such a small tree, but this one is most likely too close to the house for that. The stoop could stand to be larger and not smothered by plants. A clearer path from the drive to stoop would help, too. The yard overall seems exposed so maybe some street trees could be fit in, too.

I always consider the least expensive improvements first.

As has been mentioned the large shrubs by the door should be removed. Rather than enhancing the entrance they dwarf it and command attention to themselves.

I would remove all of the tall conical shrubs. I don't like their shape or scale to the house. Another reason, just my personal opinion, to avoid tall shrubs covering the house is that you have a low pitch roof. With so little roof showing it does not make sense to decrease the amount of house showing too.

Until you come up with a new plan I think I would leave the lower shrubs. They are established which is an asset.

For color I suggest annuals and perennials in front of the shrubs. You will probably need to remove some lawn in order to do this.

I agree to remove the shutters on the bay window. They make the window less beautiful. I would also let the brick under the window show as mentioned by others. Don't hide your houses' nice features.

A much larger porch light would be nice.

If you keep the remaining shutters paint them in an accent color.

A small tree, meaning one that will stay small at maturity, would make the house look sheltered.

If you still own the home when a new roof is required I suggest more contrast.

Are you opposed to getting a professional to make suggestions for your landscape? You can pay for design only and do the work yourself.

Please note I am not a professional.

The shrubs beside the front door are not non-blooming azaleas, but look to be shaved-into-balls Photinia.

https://www.thespruce.com/red-tip-photinia-growing-profile-3269221

"Your plant may be 8-18' tall depending on the cultivar planted."

I had one in my yard that was at least 18 ft. tall and 25 years old - they are magnificent if planted in an appropriate location and left to grow (limbed underneath like a tree). They are NOT appropriate for a foundation planting, but I see way too many planted that way, and then shaved into balls in an attempt to keep them under control. They need to go away from your house and be replaced with something else, like in Doug's designs. Attached are a couple photos of mine - one from the ground up, and the other looking at the top of it (with the new red growth) - to give you a sense of the size they want to be.

Good luck with your project! Your house is very attractive and will look great with some landscaping improvements.

Jane Gray - thank you for this information! It's concerning that these may be ripping away at the foundation. I've just prioritized this effort. Thanks again.

Yaardvark - thanks as well for your input on both the shutters & the landscape shape.

Emmarene - I have no issue hiring a professional. I work with a guy now who is good at doing the work but not necessarily good at design. I help him out and he helps me out. So I wanted to start with some ideas here so I could give him some ideas also.