is the stone also some type of siding? I would remove the stone also.I think your idea to do gray siding and a turquoise door is terrific! I would do the roof in a dark gray, one that coordinates well with the lighter gray siding. Red geraniums would look lovely but be sure to add some nice shrubs too. Go for planting 2-3 different heights for the plants and try to purchase plants with different textures. Do NOT do artificial flowers- please!

Such a cute house. What kind of roof and siding are you planning - your budget will factor into the choice...and the general value of the neighborhood.

Look into replacing the wrought iron rail and posts with white. What shape are the front steps in?

Would you consider a redo on the front walk? It is a bit utilitarian...and a connection to the drive as well as the front sidewalk would be nice.

the 'stone' must go whether its in good shape or bad shape. must. go. for. true. happiness.

Budget always comes into play but, if it allows I would:

1) Remove the faux stone.

2) New wide plank horizontal siding (gray would look great).

3) Change the wrought iron for white columns and railings.

4) Turquoise on the door (or any color just about) would work.

5) Landscape.

6) Money still left (then redo the walk).

If you're interested in seeing some virtual makeovers of your house check out my web site, Creative Visual Concepts.

Love seeing these ideas and especially the photoshop, @yardvaark!

I've always hated the faux-stone effect and will certainly be getting rid of it when the siding is redone. I also agree that the walkway could use improvement, it's basically squares of sidewalk that've been set on the lawn. I really liked seeing the impact that a wider "landing" area at the foot of the steps would have!

The iron posts & railings are true to the period but definitely not my favourite. I like the idea of swapping them for white wood while keeping the steps concrete for durability. Something like this?

Yes that is just what I had it mind, the white wood will still be true to the design and more classic.

"The iron posts & railings are true to the period." There are lots of periods where budget cuts, fads and bad taste rules. I can't see any point in helping those mistakes or misfortunes endure.

I like you pictures about white painted wood at the porch.

The one thing additional that I would do is to get rid of the 3 teeny windows in the dormer and make the opening a simple rectangle (raise the 2 side openings), then replace with 2 double-hung windows. There is just waaaay too much window frame crammed up there and too little window.

I would change the black iron and mailbox to white.

@Me Ora Definitely looking to change the iron posts and rails to white next spring! I removed the mailbox since my neighbourhood went to a community PO box a couple years ago.

@tatts I had somehow never even thought of this but I like the way it looks in my mind! The bedroom windows on either side of the second floor have the same configuration and they drive me kind of nuts, although they intrigue me since I've never seen that setup before.

UPDATE! (Two years later lol.)

Here is a "before & during" comparison. Happy to be nearing completion on the exterior projects. Since the latest picture was taken I've painted the front door SW Holiday Turquoise :)

Next up:

• removing the screen door or replacing it with a full-view storm door
• levelling and power-washing the concrete steps
• replacing the iron posts & rails with simple white wood
• levelling the terrain, installing a wider patio stone walkway, and reseeding the lawn
• creating a foundation planting bed as per this mockup

There is a narrow strip of grass between my driveway and the house. It's only about 15" wide and I'm torn between keeping it as grass or filling it with mulch (as shown). I'd love some suggestions on that, or any feedback on my plans so far!

Bump! Hoping for input on the landscaping plans before work starts next month :)

Should have added I'm in zone 5b in eastern Canada and the house faces west. My goal is something welcoming, tidy, low-maintenance, and nice for birds/bees. Thanks in advance!

It looks like you're following the standard 'smother-the-house-with-a-row-of-shrubs,' which will end up extending/growing a little beyond the house corners, making things look a little ill fitting. The house has ended up looking pretty good overall. Shrubs all across the front will cover too much of it. I don't think it's a flattering look. And it's more work simply on account of there being more linear feet of hedge to trim (as opposed to when shrubs are limited to windows.) Having it be predominantly shrubs also limits the variety of other plants ... so less interest. The plan does not bump out the bed at the corner where the serviceberry is. So the tree is going to end up being too close to the house.

Thanks for the critique, @Yardvaark! I do want to keep things relatively simple, but don't want it to look unflattering as you've said.

I was basing my idea off the template you had done for me upthread, but left out the purple-y plant furthest left and went with potted plants either side of the landing in place of the red ones.

I've done a new mockup reducing the number of shrubs along front, adding something pretty on the left (perhaps astilbe? though I'm trying to stick with natives), and scooting the serviceberry out further. The depth of the bed is 8ft and I'd originally thought to just swoop it around in a wide circle, but I see what you mean about a bump-out in your design. Filled in the space below with more anemone groundcover.

What do you think about using seasonal arrangements in containers in place of the red flowers in your template? Would that leave too much bare space next to the steps? And should I fill in the strip alongside my driveway with mulch or leave it as grass?

Let's take my illustrations less literally. And we'll all be happier. :-) Where I use "purple-y" plants is to illustrate a plant of substantial difference from the main shrubs below a window. It could be a perennial. Or it could be a spreading shrub. Or just about anything in between and of any color. Where I used red to flank the porch, that is any kind of seasonal color or arrangement. I'm not trying to limit your choices. A main feature of my design is a limitation of shrubs. Therefore, there are "leftover" spaces and these can be filled with annuals, perennials, subshrubs, low spreading "shrubs," bulbs, etc. ... using, of course, some kind of sensible repetition and balance. But all the details would be up to the person putting all their fine tuning on my schemes.

What I'm hoping people don't do is: a line of shrubs marching across the entire front ... delete trees where needed or have them too close to the house .... make beds too shallow ... and those kinds of things. I'm not crazy about annuals in pots if there is the option to place them in the ground because it's more maintenance of potentially in the way (visually or physically) of the entrance. (Just don't squeeze them in too close to the walk.)

In the case here, I don't think the larger window warrants two shrubs, and that one shrub could easily get to the right size. If the same species is used, keeping them sized to the window would boil down to trimming. Or different types of shrubs that are similar (green) but of slightly different sizes, could be used. It's pretty much impossible to tell a shrub to be a specific size and expect it to comply. Trimming is the control.

I might be shaping and subdividing the bed along these lines. (Something at the back of the bed would be taller than what's at the fore.)

Hopefully, your walk will be at least 4' wide.

Wow! That is quite an improvement! Great job!

That's lovely, @Yardvaark. Thanks for your explanation! I will take these ideas to my local nurseries to get a better idea of which specific plants to use.

The steps are 6' wide, so I'm planning a 2 or 3x6 landing at the bottom then a 4'-wide walkway to the sidewalk.

3', 4' or 5' x 6' landing OK. 2'x6' is too small.

(The new siding on the house and the stone gone look great, BTW.)

Very nice improvement.

What I like about Yardvaark's landscape is the beds are not filled with shrubs so you have room for other plants. I like a mixed bed better than only shrubs.