I haven't read all the suggestions, but here are a things that popped in my mind immediately: LOVE the stone. The posts are too small. Replace them with beefier cedar. We used 6" x 8" and turned the 8" side toward the outside (visually give the appearance of an 8" x 8" but saves some money). Add cedar brackets. If you can't remove the posts, you can add cedar boards to each side to make them appear larger/like cedar posts. We have several on the upper/back of our home done like this that cover metal post (we used poured concrete as a base on all of our verandas). Add a beam against the house (far left) and if room, at the garage end wall if it doesn't narrow the walkway too much - or add a cedar board that's only a few inches thick. Clad the board that runs horizontal above the beams with cedar boards (also running horizontal). Replace the light next to the front door with a larger light fixture. I can't tell what the front door looks like, but a vintage looking wood door would be nice. Is that glass (not glass block) around the front door? I need to think about that. You could add a low stone wall that runs along the sidewalk but has some curves along the grassy side to help visually break up all the straight lines going on. Doesn't need to be tall, just three stones high would work. Since the end of the house is so wide, I would add a a substantial overhang over the garage and have it run over/past the main level window. Here are a few examples: The first 2 are from Christopher Architects. The last one is from Dungan Neguette. You can go to their websites for more ideas. McAlpine Tankersley is another excellent architectural source. Bobby McAlpine's book The Home Within Us not only has beautiful pictures, but is exquisitely written. Jack Arnold is another source. More decorative garage door. Get rid of 1 basketball goal (both if not used anymore). What about staining the driveway a color? I saw a pin on Pinterest where they used a "surprisingly easy task/technique using Behr Semi-Transparent Concrete stain in Tuscan Gold" from Home Depot to give an unfinished looking concrete floors a warm wash of honey-gold color. I would definitely add shutters too all the windows where they would be sized properly - should cover if closed. You could add a third pair, but closed, in the wall space between the two windows along the front sidewalk/porch. How do you feel about blue? Or green: You could add more interest to the gable by doing something like this, but keeping with your style: btw, if you live in the scorching South, a window box will need water once a day - twice during a heat wave. I look forward to seeing what you do! This post was edited by allison0704 on Wed, Mar 20, 13 at 20:18

Thank you all for the suggestions. Since the DR is open to the kitchen, I really need to use this cabinet for china storage. As mtnrd mentioned, it first has to be functional. The colors in my pics must be slightly off--the only red in the kitchen is the KA mixer (which, admittedly, does have a huge presence), a couple of cookbook spines, and a Blenko glass pear, which I added so the the KA wouldn't be alone. I am not one who likes red--there is nothing else red in my house, with the exception of books and the grands' toys. The mixer is red only because it was a great deal on CL--my first choice would have been apple green. That said, I decided to play with some color, so if you are still interested, read on. I switched out the bread box in some pics, and tried some books on the counter. Here I borrowed a couple of things to add some red: Dark orange/terra cotta: Bright orange: Yellow: Floraline green: Aqua: (Sorry, no indigo or violet--I'm not a fan of purple, either, except in irises and pansies.) Finally, everything is back the way it was, with some red books and the slightly smaller white bread box on the counter: I think I'll keep this arrangement for awhile, even though it kinda' reminds me of a display in a bridal shop. Maybe it's the 1930's style 'tunnel of love' swans. :) This post was edited by mama_goose on Mon, Sep 9, 13 at 22:03

oops! sorry. hit a wrong button. I wanted to comment on Campbell's soup. I totally agree about the taste. Dish water is a good discription of the chicken noodle now. and the Tomato, one of my favs, is so bland as well. I remember my mother making soup for us 6 kids and the condensed soup was really what you would call condensed. one regular can of tomato came out of the can in a almost can shaped mass and the directions said to add 3 cans of water! you had to really stir it like mad to get that condensed soup to mix smoothly with the water to create the creamy soup, it was that thicke! and it tasted great! Soup was an economical way to feed a family then. not so much now! Now you only mix in 1 can of water and the "condensed" soup just runs out of the can. really there is no sense adding any water because what you get now is red water, no longer the thick and creamy packed with tomato flavor. bland and watery. same for the chicken noodle. they just keep cheapening the product, like people wont notice. I get the whole "let's get rid of all the artificial crap and high sodium and make this healthier because that's what people want. but if you can't do that and still produce a product that tastes good and people want to buy it, you might as well realize your product is done. people are buying now on nostalgia only and eventually Campell's Soup will be no more.

Hi All . Thank you for all your help! I want to find either: 1, A really pretty, fancy mirror and cool art - And then change the wall paint to dress up the room, or preferably: 2, Find a Bold gorgeous wallpaper and add a brass mirror and faucet. I can either bury the light above the mirror or find that horizontal type that Tartanmeup posted. I love the brass mirror that Niccidhg and Molly posted, but I would like to find a light to match that. If I find a wall sconce like Niccidhg suggested, that would be great so that I could use a taller mirror. I went to paint store today after work to look at wallpaper, but was not impressed. They're so much prettier online. I have so many thoughts but cannot pull it all together -- I had a designer a year ago whom I will call tomorrow -- I just can't seem to make design choices -- I don't know where to look or how to put it all together cohesively. I like the wallpaper idea in Beth's second photo, but it has a cream-colored background. Does that look bad with white wainscoting? The large scale wallpaper looks best to me also. Thanks so much!!