Congratulations on the new house! I would remove the shutters and concentrate on landscaping it’s a pretty house and landscaping will really bring it to life!

Ditto on getting rid of the shutters. Since the garage door color already matches the trim color I wouldn't paint them. If you did replace them I would put ones in that have some windows so there is not that huge blank spaces. You could also do a wood tone garage door. Additional landscaping would also help.

Besides getting rid of the ridiculously undersized shutters, I agree that landscaping is the first priority. However, be careful to not over plant. Many landscapers and nurseries would have you put in too many plants and spaced too closely together in order to give an immediate gratification. But plants have an annoying habit of growing, and they often have the audacity to grow even larger than the stated sizes. I would look at the “maximum” size for a plant, add at least a half or better yet double the size when planting, then fill in with annuals until the plants grow into their new home.

Congratulations and wishing you many happy years there.

lol the shutters are ridiculously small and the red isn't exactly our style. Great advice - thank you all! Keep it coming

I agree with the others, remove the shutters. They are not right on your house. Spend your money getting a landscaping plan from a landscaper and do it by stages as budget allows. Its a very nice house, and looks good as it is. Congratulations on your new home.

Congratulations!

I agree with the rest. Remove the shutters and just focus on landscape. In fact, you might not want to do anything for a year. That'll give you a chance to get familiar with the house and lot, as well as settle into new chores!

Spend time out back, do family barbecues.... just enjoy the property and get to know it. Then decide. Decisions will be a lot easier and more enduring.

In the meantime, you'll need a new mower, barbecue, hose, wheelbarrow, spade, fork, bird bath, leaf blower.....

If you want some color for this season, get some big pots of splashy annuals.

Also wanted to add that sometimes you can find a local nursery that offers free design services. You might have to agree to buy your plants there in exchange, or you might just have the desire to buy from them in exchange for such wonderful help. Either way, be sure to scale back on the number of plants and the scale, as designers typically want you to over plant to provide the instant gratification. Just remember that the human eye views odd numbers of the same plant as more pleasing than even numbers.

And I also agree that holding off on making lasting decisions is a good idea. Until you have lived with something for at least a season, better yet a year, for either landscaping or home decor/layout, you really cannot get a good grasp of how it will work for you.

If the shutters were the right size they would work on the house if you want to go the Farmhouse style.

Landscaping. Break up long from grass with bed and boulders. A large tree in curved bed far enough away from house to allow plenty of room to grow. Deeper bed across entire front. A couple colorful hanging pots of colorful flowers.

I agree with the other comments. Since you have a three car garage, you might want to look into replacing the top panel with windows.

I would paint the white bits on the door the color of the door for greater impact.

Think of adding trees out front in the lawn area. There are many good ornamental and native trees you could include.

Congratulations on the new digs.

Definitely do not paint the brick.

Would remove the shutters and use them elsewhere: Perhaps you could add legs and use them as side tables on your backyard patio.

If you're thinking of changing the siding colors at least on the downstairs, then consider the one of the darkest brown colors specifically from the brick, even if you're leaving the upstairs siding color as is.

Whether or not you paint any siding, paint that wide horizontal stripe below the door and sidelight the same color as the siding. That white trim framing appears to be a hurdle you need to jump over to get in. With more of the entry way covered, you could probably raise the height of the front porch floor to nearly the entry door floor level without risking damage to the bottom of the door.

Would not clutter the great looking front yard with a lot of plantings but do consider a green wall on both sides of your house and along the back property line -- just inside a fence if you are permitted to have one.

Reminder, know where underground utilities are before you dig.

Have you considered a larger more sheltered entryway? Do seriously consider putting a roof between the left (garage) wing of the house and the right wing of the house for a larger covered portico, and adding porch/portico lighting in the ceiling of the new portico/porch. As you extend the roof, put your support posts literally against the inner sides of the two wings of the house (rather than crowding the entryway with posts closer together).

... One option would be to extend the roof on the right wing of the house:

https://willophx.com/home-tour/

... Another option would be to create a hip roof portico (preferably without the double bulky posts) :

https://www.georgiafrontporch.com/portfolio_category/hip-roof/#prettyPhoto[gallery2935]/0/

... Another option would be to create a rounded front for a flat roof of the portico,

https://in.pinterest.com/pin/490610953134023345/

... with the rounded part front of the flat (or nearly flat) portico roof extending in front of the front exterior wall of the house so it shelters the rounded front steps.

By making the roof top of the portico deeper between its upper part (roof/balcony) and its lower part (ceiling), (with or without a railing), you could bridge the distance between the height of the two roof lines.

Would consider repainting the garage doors a different color to try to make them less visually dominant. Perhaps the medium brown in the brick -- would probably not make them lighter.

Behind which door does the garage have an entry into a mud room or other part of the house?

Are you going to be parking three cars in the garage or will the smaller space behind the single door be used as a "shop" -- a place to park mowers and yard tools and tool boxes and bikes -- storage generally?

If the area behind the smaller garage door is to be shop/storage rather than parking, You might consider creating a solid wall with windows in lieu of a garage door to let in more light.

The shutters need to go. It appears they just planted some small evergreens that will be tall columns right in front of the window. I would rethink that...The garage door is forever a debate. Make it a feature or disappear? That is a purely personal preference, but safety should be a concern and windows are counter indicated if you have any security concerns at all in your area. The fact that you paid EXTRA for a brick exterior home (maintenance free!!) and would begin by painting it which COMPLETELY negates the "Maintenance free" feature is baffling.