Your house is fab. I'd put all the budget into landscaping.

Looks like some of your landscape shrubs have outgrown their welcome and are not aging well. How about you start by removing those those gappy, top-heavy bushes around the drive. They have not been properly maintained/trimmed to allow the bottoms to fill out and they're a pain to work over when they're that big. I would also remove any shrubbery that is obstructing windows or access to the entry. Some may just need a professional to treat them right and get them back into minimal shape. Once the house is exposed, we can give better advice about upgrading it.

I totally agree with deco on the landscape. The only other comment from what I can see through the foliage is that those bright white windows are discordant. I'd change them to something dark, maybe bronze or charcoal.

I hate to disagree with Grover, but I like the white window trim. I do also think the landscape is in sore need of a refresher / paring down. Maybe at that point the white trim won’t look as good , but that remains to be seen, imo, after the house becomes more prominent and visible.

In this picture , for instance, if the trim were dark , I think the lines of the house would almost vanish/ blur into the surroundings. Maybe even some sort of green or teal would still provide some contrast.

IMO, planting near a house is only valuable if it enhances the look of the house, or at least, doesn't degrade it. There is so much planting around this house, I think you have to evaluate every plant or plant grouping on a case-by-case basis and get rid of everything that is not contributing adequately. Then you'll be at the starting point. If any of the badly pruned shrubs are in right places but their pruning is bad, in many cases you can cut them down and regrow, but with better pruning. Many of them are not in good places so should go away, or they might be too big of a plant and require too much maintenance and those should go away, too.

OK, is the photo where you can actually see the house the front or the back of the house. I thought the front of the house was hidden through insane landscape overgrowth. I’m confused. No one can help with updates if we can’t see the house.

I cleaned up a bit and had to guess at the parts I couldn't see. I would cut everything back to here:

I totally agree that right now except for grovers help we can’t even see the house. So get rid of all the growth that is hiding it and come back with pictures .BTW no green trim around windows bit bronze windows would be a good upgrade for sure.Oops since you have already done the interior I think the windows will need to stay as is .

Hire a landscape designer for a two-hour walkaround consultation you can record. It looks like there may be some Japanese style influences in the rock placement, so perhaps there's someone who specializes in that type of garden. The ways to make the front entrance more visible are to prune selectively, add lighting, and paint the entrance area trim white.

Increased visibility around the driveway would increase safety. With time, a small decorative knee-high row of shrubs can become a high hedge that can hide a child.

Here are some inspiration pics. with green colors that blend well with your style of home in its natural setting. Note that having white windows and fascia would not preclude staining or painting posts, pergola, garage door, front door or any wood trim. It could even be combined nicely with a natural cedar stain .

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Here are some nice examples for inspiration using bronze trim as Grover had mentioned.

A good look for you would be this one with Crisp Romain as the accent/trim color.

Rustic Exterior · More Info

Crisp Romaine 686 Paint · More Info

Since you mention enhancing the entrance I would remove the pergola. It dominates the view.

In some photographs it appears there is a deck under the pergola then it seems to have vanished. Which is accurate? Also, in some shrubs seem to have been removed. Which photo is current?

My other thought is not about appearance. I see a power line with a tree underneath it.

I know pictures are deceiving so maybe the tree is not that close. If it is I would remove it and plant a dwarf.

I agree about removal of the pergola. It has become the feature and is stealing the show from the entry. Probably an even bigger show when the wisteria or other plant there is in bloom.

Thanks so much, everyone, for helping me out with your perspectives! As a next step I am going to get a landscape designer out here for a consultation. The previous homeowners were avid gardeners, and these plants are popular in the PNW (Japanese maples, rhodies & azaleas, wisteria, clematis, burning bushes, japanese umbrella pine, etc) so I hear you on your advice about being thoughtful about what to keep/get rid of. We've obviously let them overgrow to the point they are out of hand. However there is some benefit in the privacy they create - as we have one of the few acreage properties left in our (desirable) location so we want to consider how we maximize what is unique and special in our property. Appreciate your help!

I'm sure a pro can get a handle on it and you'll have much better curb appeal. Nothing wrong with the plants, but they have overtaken the house to the point that I first thought a tree had fallen on it. Maybe judicious pruning that you can keep up with yearly will reduce the green clutter.

Please post an update when you are ready.

I think you should consider moving the privacy plants farther from the house.

Not directly on property line as above but two thirds the way perhaps.

This way you can enjoy the view from windows.