Such a pretty house! I like your window trim painted darker with mullions, it lengthens the window and looks sophisticated and subtle yet friendly. Can you put a decorative metal wall hanging or two pot holders on the chimney? Can you put a planter on the stair walls? And the landscape plan looks great, the addition of golden foliage shows pretty against the house and sets off the brick. You could do Stella d'oros, too, for long summer color. Maybe a brick walk. Can you play up the drainage swale (is that what it is? Looking at it from an angle it's hard to say) with a rock garden along it? I'm not sure you can do a window box under the arched window; it get interfere with the walkway and steps, and watering it might drain water down onto the window below. For the door, how about a golden yellow?

How I appreciate the visuals jtl and Doug! Thank you! And all the good ideas! Don't worry daisy, you'll be getting plenty of photos...I'll be looking for help with the galley kitchen and truly appreciate the attention and respect here to period details. I won't be there until around the 4th, and I will get all the dimensions and get to work on figuring out door options. Denita got me thinking about the shutters. I wonder if these are original to the house. There doesn't seem to be one particular shutter style for capes. Do you think these should be painted or replaced with panels or louvres?

Glad to hear that mid century has some appeal. The main upside I see is that this entrance facade lends itself to a midcentury modern upgrade. Midcentury featured materials (wood, brick, etc) in honest and straight forward ways. Natural wood siding on the upper gable end, a midcentury entrance (door, more natural wood, lighting, and numerals) are relatively inexpensive upgrades. I will try to share the look of the materials I have in my mind.

I like the last mock up except the windows should all be the same , I have never tried painting roof shingles but does not sound like a good idea.. Good plan to remove the bays and those awnings. If the awnings were actually controlling the light and heat from the sun just use soal dhades inside to do the same thing. Please do not paint the brick