Congratulations on your first home! I am glad that you found a layout that you love even if the outside color scheme isn't ideal. It's much easier to change colors than layout. How do you feel about painting the brick? You can have more color options if you are ok with painting the brick.

Maybe a white brick with black trim? That would make the yellow pop.

I don't know why people always suggest painting the brick first. That should be a last resort if easier methods fail. Brick is a low maintenance finish. Painted brick is not.

The house is cute and the colours (though you're not a fan) are reasonable. What's really lacking is landscaping. Doug has sketched out a nice plan. A local landscape designer can help you come up with a more specific plan with plants hardy in your area and a maintenance level that suits you. Ask for the plan to be staged so that you can implement it over several years.

As for paint, I might paint the shutters a dark green instead of brown. (Someone will invariably tell you to remove the shutters since they "aren't wide enough to be functional". You can, but I'd argue that your house's "face" will look naked then. The decorative shutters given weight to the otherwise untrimmed windows.) And I'd paint the front door a brighter green. But as long as you keep the undertones on the warm side, go ahead and pick your favourite colour-- it's only paint and sweat: you can change it if you don't like it.

It's a nicely proportioned house with a pleasant brick exterior. However, between the brick, the yellow, the red, the black trim and the gray roof, you have too many colors going on. I'd pick a soft cream that goes with the brick and paint the stuff that is red and yellow cream and possibly the black. If you want less contrast, pick a gray that goes with your roof and your brick and paint the red and yellow gray.

Fixing the driveway would help, too.

If that blue shed is yours, paint it to match your house and put a big shrub in front of it.

I'd put a lovely flowering tree in the front yard. If you want a more natural look, a clump of birches.

Congrats. Lovely home.

Not a fan of the yellow gable and utility room behind the carport; otherwise, your home already has a lot of curb appeal in no small part because it's low maintenance brick and has those really beautiful flowering shrubs.

After the shrubs finish blooming, you should trim all of them to keep them dense and a even height. Do search for how to care for them on line.

You also might consider moving the one on the right side of the porch to fill in the gap in your hedge on the left side of the house.

Do you have brown gutter; if so, changing the fascia might not be the best cost effective option.

Do consider painting everything that is now painted yellow to some other color. If not white, perhaps a pale brown (tan but without the pink or yellow hue) or your favorite shade of green and then paint the shutters the same color.

A sidewalk that begins at the steps and arcs toward the driveway could enhance curb appeal. Do not make it an overly long sidewalk; build it with a practical purpose in mind. Your front sidewalk should arc toward and stop at the driveway about where your car door would ordinarily be when not parked beneath the carport. You could, however, continue the sidewalk to the road as an outline of that left side of your driveway in the same pavers.

I disagree with comments against painting the brick. All brick is not uniformly attractive and some brick is downright ugly. While this is not the most hideous I've seen, it's not pretty. Paint is the easiest/cheapest way to cover it and opens up a wide palette of options. Regarding adding maintenance, paint can last many years if it is good prep and good paint. My personal thought about outdoor paint is that I wouldn't use anything but gloss made of an acrylic base. It lasts WAY longer than any other kind. One would be lucky to get 2 or 3 years out of Semi-gloss. It just doesn't hold up. The word gloss scares some people but it does not have as much shine as things one would find on the interior. Also, it gets duller as it ages. It's more like is has luster. It stays cleaner longer and is easier to clean (with a pressure washer) when the time comes.

For color ideas, look at colors that are found in nature that are fresh and pleasing .... oxidized copper, stones, lichens, plant parts, etc . Look at other people's houses that seem pleasing. Avoid or be very careful with colors that are in the bio-waste family: yellows/browns/some beiges/ oranges & the like.

Afterthought: would also paint the door to the utility room the same color as the utility room exterior wall so as to not emphasize any door other than your front door.

Exciting - Congratulations!!!

I think extending the porch, to encompass the windows to the left and right would be a great start. Nice wood columns to support the new roof, which would include replacing the column at the garage. Re-paint the yellow, lighter off-white and the door, back wall of the garage the same color. Line the open area of the side garage with shrubs. Planters on the porch with some nice outdoor furniture.

Sure, if you have the resources, paint the brick. (I know, my suggestions also cost money :) (sorry)

Good luck!

Congratulations on your first home. Please do not paint the brick. The brick is lovely, but the yellowish siding and the reddish trim do not complement it. Since you cannot replace the vinyl siding at this time, consider painting the trim a medium taupe brown shade taken from the brick. Adding wood columns and landscaping as others have suggested will also help. Good luck.

To add to your options, here is a rendition of your home with light trim similar to the color of your siding.

Who is the arbiter of ugliness when it comes to brick? I really like your brick. Why make extra work and cost for yourself? Paint the trim and shutters to something less contrast-y. Redo landscaping if you like, I happen to love azaleas, I'd just prune them lightly and sit on the porch with a glass of ice tea for the rest of the summer.

I would beef up your columns in wood or white. What color schemes do you like? This house would look good in many colors. I would probably paint the siding a cream or off-white. Landscaping will cover the rest. The brick isn't bad, but you could paint it to match what you paint the siding.

Why can't it be painted?

I power-washed your siding and tried green and then blue paint.

I use gimp, a photo-editing suite similar to Photoshop, except free. https://www.gimp.org/ 

I wouldn't paint brick id change siding, paint shutters, and trim

It's a funny thing about buying a new house. As soon as it's yours you want to change something major. It's like we have to put our mark on it to make it our own. But honestly, the outside of your house needs a good powerwash and some landscaping. The trim colours could be better but they aren't egregious. And the brick is just fine.

My advice is to do small things that will have a big impact. Power-washing, landscape plan, begin to plant. Change the trim colours. And wait. Wait until you've lived in the house for a year or so. Wait until you find out that you actually want a hardwood flooring more than you want new siding (or whatever). Wait until you've seen your house in all lights and all seasons. Then you'll make decisions that fit your life as you will be living it rather than as you think you will be living it. The changes that you're talking about aren't cheap and you may regret them when you discover that sage brick and new vinyl don't give you near as much pleasure as a finished basement (or whatever) would.

There's no reason you can't paint the vinyl. Used to be you couldn't, but paint technology has come a long way. Just be sure you get paint that's formulated for vinyl.

If you decide not to paint the siding, a medium to dark gray trim and shutters would look good. Actually, that color trim will look good with green and taupe as well. Here they are with cedar porch posts.