My initial thought on the cedar siding is that it competes with the wonderful stone. I have to admit that I did not even see the stone when I first saw the picture. It was only after I read the text where you mention the stone that I noticed it. A crazy though...I have no idea what the interior layout of your house looks like or what is on the other side of that front facing wall. Would it be possible to enclose the area that is your porch with a wall? That would give you a nice looking front facing door and maybe enough room inside for a small foyer with a coat closet. I am a big fan of Gordon Hayward. Ohh...I see that the library down the street says that they have "A Welcoming Garden" in stock. I expect that book expands on some of the ideas presented in the book "Your House, Your Garden" which has some good ideas for designing entry gardens. Another book that I would highly recommend is "Taunton's Front Yard Idea Book" by Jeni Webber. The book "Front Yard Gardens" by Liz Primeau is a decent book with some inspiring gardens. - Brent

If you can't move the overhang (which I assume is supposed to add some rain protection for the garage area), maybe this will work: There is a trim band underneath the eave on the brick side. It's not repeated anywhere else. So maybe if you add a trim band to visually connect the gutters on the left side with the overhang over the garage, you unify the house a bit more by using repeated elements & a continuous sight line. Landscaping will help ground the house and add a transition from yard to siding. Doesn't solve the problem of the too high overhang, but at least it ties everything together better. Also add trim around the garage.

You're right; the exterior is seriously messed up; a two-story box with a mix of Tudor and generic elements from the big box hardware store attached. Are you even sure that is real stone? I would consider removing all the current elements (stone, stucco, faux half timbering, Victorian door, etc., etc. ) If you want to take this home into some kind of style, you'll have to go contemporary I think. Consider something interesting and eye-catching to clad it with. Add some other wood elements at the door and garage. Your possibilities are unlimited!

I live in the country and bought a house with a looooooooong dirt and gravel driveway. The house had not been lived in for a while, so in addition to a new roof, I budgeted tens of thousands to re-grade and re-gravel and put newn confines on the driveway (since blacktop would be totally wrong for the neighborhood and the house). Since it was impossible to do that work before winter set in, I ended up living with the old gravel driveway for months. I am never going to spend the money I planned to spend. Instead, my local lawn service tidies up the driveway each spring -- which was actually his advice to me when I first approached him to do the job. He said he would but he warned me it won't last. Just make it part of spring cleaning. I think your porch columns need to be white to show off the charm of the house, and likewise all the front bushes need to be removed or cut practically down to the ground. You definitely want to show off the welcoming openess of the porch. Take away the shutters and re-think the front walk. What is the most used approach to the house and put the walk there, and light it. Doors with oval insets have always been popular on houses like yours. If you like it, keep it. If not, you are not being ahistoric. A lot of these houses were built and sold with an oval inset door on them. Is that your house address over the porch entry steps? If the town allows, put your house number prominently at the end of your driveway instead for safety.