This was a great thread and detroitnate did a great job. If it were my house, before I did any planting I would have widened those steps and the walkway. Every picture in the series I focus on those tiny little steps and want to rip them out and redo. I've read that the main walkway leading up to a house should be wide enough for two people to comfortable walk side by side, that rule of thumb seems just about right to me. You want people to be invited into your house with the walkway, not forced into a single file line.

I'll answer first and then read the other posts. Pretty sure that you don't want to hear this, but I wouldn't be so quick to paint the cabinets and rip out the counters, especially not to get another "creamy white with granite or butcher block" (a look which I love, BTW). Once you've painted, there's no return without lots of work, not to mention how much work it'll be to do a decent paint job. I'd paint the walls (probably off white) and add vinyl floor tiles with a checker pattern or some checks n for starters. You have this cool booth, and I'd play that up. I love, love turquoise and would pick more shades of turquoise in accessories and also in that booth (white and a watery aqua, for example, or add a coral to the mix). Oh, and I'd get different window treatments. Lastly, if you remove that one wall cabinet, could you add a hood? Of course, it depends on what you like and what the rest of your house looks like. More info on the link below. Looks like they actually stripped their white cabinets to get the maples back. Here is a link that might be useful: kitchen remodel

When your budget allows, get a cottage style door. The one you have now feels Victorian. Think about getting a panel with windows for the garage door. Remove the railing. It is a visual barrier to you entry. Plant only perennials there. Add a few plants along the foundation. Be careful not to plant too close to the house. Allow a foot at maturity between the side of the house and the plant. Chose different heights and leaf color. Include some evergreen and some flowering. Don't plant anything that will grow above the bottom of the windows. This color, but not this style would look great!

I have lighter brick (pink) with red siding and some areas of red decorative vertical metal siding with cream trim. One of my many projects (renovating stem to stern) is painting the red metal to match the siding and along with power washing everything, repainting trim and treating everything with once and done (keeps mildew from growing). Already painted the garage door, but don't have a current picture.