Pleasant looking cabin and lot.

Is the room with the sliding door a bedroom.

If NOT, the you could replace the patio door with a front entry door with a pair of sidelights and create a small front entry portico/porch as well as create a sidewalk to the new entry door; however,

If the siding door is to a bedroom, then create a "green fence" -- shrubs that keep their leaves/looks throughout the year -- for privacy all around that yard (including the trees) -- and maybe create a patio within that privacy screen you create. The privacy screen is so that doorway cannot be confused with your main entry.

Have the green privacy screen extend beyond the front end of the house on both sides and, at least on the driveway side, have the privacy screen begin to wrap around the side of the house by several feet to hide the electric meter.

On the side of the house opposite the driveway, have a gate between the privacy fence and the house that leads toward the back yard.

Outline your driveway specifically including any/all parking and/or turn around spots you choose, with either landscaping posts or pavers -- clearly showing your guests where you want them to park. Then create a sidewalk from there to your main entrance.

I would fix the fence or replace it. Remove the tree with no leaves and then do foundation landscaping

You need a real walkway around the main door you are using, so it is clear where the main door is. Do some sort of edging for the driveway, with a hard surface sidewalk along the house next to the driveway.

For whatever reason, when I look at the original part of your house, I see red !! [houzz=https://www.houzz.com/photos/barn-house-farmhouse-exterior-dc-metro-phvw-vp~18761152]

1. Any chance you can cut off the lowest branch of the tree shown in picture 1? My rule of thumb is if I need to duck down while mowing under trees, the branch needs to be trimmed. ; )

2 .I imagine with all of the shade trees, the sun never reaches some areas of the deck. I love my power-washer so I would clean all deck and railings and then waterproof the wood. As for the fence, it looks sufficiently weathered but I would still give it a light power-wash and then plant wild flowers the length of it.

3. Perhaps move the wagon wheel to a more prominent place in the yard or if you want it by the tree, use landscaping to highlight it.

Hope this helps.

Thank you all for your comments and suggestions. Since I just bought it in the fall still working on it!

Tree with no leaves, had already fallen. Will check again and trim back any branches with no leaves. The branch that cuts across the house is high enough to walk under, however, per your suggestion I will remove. I already pruned the tree and removed lower hanging branches that touched the roof. I agree the front of the house is shady and will need to figure that out.

What do you think about extending the deck and making it longer? Also I would ensure you could not see under the deck.

Another thought was the middle window to make it larger, the height of the sliding door?

Shade is great; I only suggested the one branch because it was messing with view of house.

Only time you have to worry about too much shade is when branches are weak and a windstorm breaks them off.

Which deck are you asking about making longer?

Your post says the front rooms are bedrooms; does the sliding door lead to a bedroom? If so I would not bring that deck across the front of the house because that would confuse visitors. Do you mean extending the walkway to your entry door on side of house?

Extend the side deck to the front of the house. Make its steps and entrance grander than the bedroom deck - you need to add cues about which is the entrance. The old fence needs to be removed. The trees hanging over the car need to be pruned up and back. In the long run, consider what kind of driveway you want. Is your street paved?

Thank you again for the comments and drawings.

Answers:
The sliding doors and the small deck at the front of the house lead to a bedroom.

Our street is not paved, dirt road. No curbs at all.

This is the back of the house.

Do you think a car port would be a good idea?

Pop that slider out and put a real door in there. Extend the deck across the front of the house and paint the railing. A couple Adirondack chairs and potted plants will make it really inviting.

Where do you want to put a carport--attached to house or freestanding?

If you have enough room on your lot to create a circle driveway on the left side of your home, consider doing that. A circle would be more desirable than a "dead end" to lead visitors to the door you've chosen to be your main entry.

Carport would probably be attached. Still be able to see through to the backyard.

Unfortunately, no room to create a circle drive.

What do you think about extending the deck and making it longer?

Are you talking about the one in back yard? If so, Yes.

Another thought was the middle window to make it larger, the height of the sliding door?

Does that window belong to the same room as the sliding door? Both front windows are small so if you're going to change one, please change the other as well. I personally wouldn't introduce another sized window to your house. What are dimensions of the window to the left of your entry door, would that be appropriate for a bedroom?

(Attached) Car Port. I understand the need for one, just not sure it's going to help curb appeal. Where exactly were you thinking of attaching it?

Yes the middle window is part of the same bedroom that has the sliding glass doors.

I agree if you change one window we would change both.

From the car's viewpoint, a carport is a great idea.

So the main entry to the house is on the driveway side towards the rear, where the lawn jockey is placed.

I would still at least enlarge the deck the width of the house and put a couple chairs out there. Maybe put the steps on the side by the door so people don’t try to knock on the slider or walk into the bedroom. But it will enhance the curb appeal of the house and increase value and give you functional outdoor living space. Bigger windows are just bigger windows.

You could do a little portico or awning or something to emphasize the side entry. Add some potted plants.

It’s a really cute house!!