First thing that pops out to me is the landscaping- You have a bunch of bushes all the same size huddled up against the house like they are trying to stay warm. You like birds- plant more tree!!! Plant trees out by the street. Plant some along the property line. Plant small trees at the corner of the house (crepe myrtles come to mind but I don't know where you are)

I can't see the bay but it seems you could just add skirting to finish it to the porch floor.

A big picture window on a house of that style will look discordant to me...

Your roof is fine...

I try to put the taller things closer to the house and the smaller things in front - is that not correct? But you're right - there's not enough variation in height and shape. Was thinking of another sky pencil there by the euonymous and mophead evergreen. House faces north so pretty much FULL SHADE or blazing hot afternoon sun are my two choices. As I said, I'm working on that.

Re trees...We just cut down the crepe myrtles because of that disease they have. Have had 7 beautiful cherry trees TWICE! Despite regular watering and professional planting, spraying and fertilizing by arborist, they got some bug and started dying. Big oak in front taken out by Hurricane Elvis. Replacement didn't make it. Maple on west side died. We thought maybe cedar would do well so we put one in and now it's died. So I'm kind of burned out on trees!

So no picture window? Too casual or because of the weird trim?

I like the brick. I would do something with the porch and one simple fix would be to paint the slim poles and all of whatever that white trim is that is at center of house/on porch. It is throwing off the look of the house. It needs to be a darker color, maybe a light grey.

And better landscaping with some lighting on walkway as well as around house itself.

I would not paint the brick. When you paint, paint the white area around the center window black.

You could also add black shutters in the size of the faux brick ones. Beef up the columns to a trimmed square like the ones on this house.

Traditional Exterior · More Info

Another thing about the landscaping is that you need to repeat the plant selection. Some should be grouped in threes or fives. Bring the plantings around the corner to the side of the house, at least half way.

I agree that you should plant trees. A couple of native long lived that will be quite tall in 20 or 30 years including an evergreen. Plant them out in the yard with plenty of space to grow. These trees will add thousands to your resale value as a bonus. Find out what ornamental trees do well in your area. For me it is Redbud, Sargent Crabapple, and Snowbell.

Let us know about your progress. Good luck.

I see a very nice looking house. I dont see blotchy brick, I see nice brick. I dont see blotchy roof, I see a roof in good condition. I also see some porch posts, that should be beefier around, they look like spindles. That is one thing, I would do, is get them, larger. I cant tell about your bay window either. You could use a nice bright color on your door, However, I will also say, what your house needs most is to be landscaped nicer. I would have a landscaper come in and make a plan, and then work from that plan as finances allow, if it cant be all done right away. Everything seems crowded up in rows too close to the house. The front yard could use small sized trees. It looks a bit naked. Certainly would never call that house a disaster.

So i should test out a light grey for the trim? Maybe to match the mortar?

Husband would be happy if i dont change the brick but the way it looks with roof and these other issues bother me more than the skimpy landscaping.

I will get going on some trees and some repeats.

Lighting along walkway but not something that looks like runway lights right?

Your roof and brick are fine. I don't see the splotches you see. Don't change the roof or paint the brick. I do think your trim is too bright though.

It's the landscaping and your trim color that don't work. Paint your trim a color that bridges the brick and roof, not the bright white it is right now. You could go with gray or sage even. I think you would be surprised at how much your view of your home will change when you paint the trim and change the landscaping. Those are two big items.

I would paint the trim a darker color and the white siding on the side of the house a color close to the brick color or the darker trim color. Looks like your garage door is the same bright white, so I would darken that, too. Your brick looks quite nice from the photos. Make the columns beefier as cat suggested. Then get to work on the landscape.

Limewash the brick will give you the biggest bang for your buck.

As an avid birdwatcher I understand keeping the feeders. When formulating a landscaping plan, the addition of trees and shrubs are a must-have for birds. Birds require "cover" (seeking to hide from birds of prey) and a place to "check out" the feeders. If feeders are kept clean (weekly) and removed during wind-driven rain, they don't become gross. Dead trees? Contact your County Extension Agent to inquire about sending soil samples in for testing, very reasonable cost. Local plant nursery (not a Big Box) for trees & shrubs which will thrive in your area.

Thanks everyone. I've been working on landscaping and was aware of some problems with it that but never thought about that being the PRIMARY problem. Will work on that and the porch issues then see if i still want to linewash or paint!

I agree with everyone who suggested darker trim, squared out beefed up porch posts, and painting the white siding darker as well. Definitely a brighter color on the front door as well. Maybe a sage green?

As far as the soggy walkway, since concrete can be expensive, what about pea gravel and 24 x 24 pavers?

Paint the brick white along with the rest of your house. I do think your house looks ok as is, but the brick and the roof colors are very dark together. Especially since they both have dark red color variation, but do not complement each other (different varieties of red and brown) - it's a lot of maroons, brick reds, and so forth. This is my personal preference, although it does sound like the brick bothers you as well.

With a white house you can do any color front door, and a light or very bright (like benjamin moore heritage red) color would be better as it's set back.

Husbands never want to paint wood or brick, just fyi ;) Seriously, if you paint yours, I guarantee you won't be the only one in your neighborhood who has painted brick for long.

Yes - I just dont think the roof and brick go together.

Brick looks orangey red close up but from the street i see a dark maroon/burgundy. That was why i went with cream trim. It faces north and i think even the way the lot is graded just makes it look dark.

And I love the idea of a dark grey trim. But then i will have dark brick, dark trim, dark windows, dark roof and a dark "hall" to the front door. I think this will make the interior way too dark. Plus more trees = less light.

Nice home and yard -- far from a disaster.

Would NOT paint the brick.

You could paint your front door. Is there a deep bold red wine color that you like that you could use for your door and any storm door frame ... with or without adding a brass or stainless steel kick plate at the bottom.

https://www.pinterest.com/carenpinette/front-door-color/

If you painted all the painted surfaces of your home -- gable end, porch, fascia -- a medium gray color chosen from within the brick, the contrast would not be as stark and, in my non-pro opinion, would be an improvement.

While I'd not have chosen that roofing with those brick, I'd still NOT change the roof only for looks -- not worth the considerable expense to do so -- but do consider the colors in the brick when actually is time to change the roofing. In the meantime, it is possible to darken the shingles.

https://www.hunker.com/13401213/how-to-change-a-shingle-color

If you have all bronze window frames in good shape, keep them; however, if you have a mismatch, consider painting them all black.

Since the walk path from driveway to front door is soggy, you clearly need to work on drainage. With the absence of a distinctive slope to the yard adjacent to the front of the house, that requires creating a path for the water to run off. Although a French Drain could work, it could also require more maintenance. Instead ...

A wide shallow scoop that can be mowed without other maintenance may well be your best option. In your case, the scoop should be an "L" shape parallel to the front exterior wall of the house and turning to be parallel to the sidewalk leading directly away from the house. The scoop may be wider and more shallow or deeper and less shallow depending upon what works in your yard.

https://www.pinterest.com/pin/435582595190669883/

You'll also need to make sure the water from your gutter downspouts is being moved farther away from the house before it is released into the yard.

https://www.twofeetfirst.net/how-to-bury-a-gutter-downspout/

You can have the water released above ground or to the first solid pipe, you can attach a different pipe with holes in it into a buried ditch filled with gravel to disburse the water underground in the same way a drain field of a septic tank would.

https://www.thenaturalhome.com/septic/

Another alternative that might work IF you have a drop off near the road: With a slope in your front yard, you might be able to create a very short knee wall about a dozen feet or from the front exterior wall of the house, above which would be your walk path -- paving stones with grass growing between them.

https://www.google.com/search?source=univ&tbm=isch&q=grass+and+paving+stone+walk+path&client=firefox-b-1-d&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwiTxtGI_7npAhVamHIEHYXGA64QsAR6BAgKEAE&biw=1324&bih=648#imgrc=nJStdELGb78dmM

A very short one step high retaining wall would still enable the yard to drain down to the lower level.

https://www.homedepot.com/c/ah/how-to-build-retaining-wall/9ba683603be9fa5395fab90d68eac94 

To create a knee wall for yard drainage, you'd need to dig out the front yard between that knee wall and the road. Have the ground above the knee wall have a very slight slope from house to knee wall so the water will drain off that part of the path/yard to below the knee wall. Put grass above the knee wall with paving stones buried so their tops are ground level and move any shrubs between house and knee wall to below the knee wall. If you need a place to put the dirt you remove to create the lower level, building codes permitting, you could add a raised planting bed either in your yard -- less stooping for your gardening -- and/or create a raised planting bed along side the property line to create a green privacy wall/fence.

If Aucuba bushes will grow in your planting zone, they'll keep their leaves and look good year round.

If liriope will grow where you live, it makes a good plant outlining a sidewalk and/or driveway and/or parking area.

Do know what utilities may be buried in your yard before digging. Consider adding a tree on the left sunny side of the house about halfway from the back of the property to the front -- one that will provide shade in the summer for a side yard patio but let the warmth of the sun come through during winter. Also, consider move the bird feeders a bit farther from the house and add a plain concrete bird bath, also visible from your front window and not far from the feeders. By doing this, you will have even more birds coming into your yard, perhaps even nesting in the trees.

If you will add landscaping that includes plants with blooms that attract humming birds, you'll have those birds come by to be enjoyed as well.

whoa! thank you so much for the suggestions and the MOCKUPS! i think this will be a huge help in getting my husband to see how much better it could look.

I got some exterior pic with roof as yours.

and then did some inspro based on this pic.

It is hardly a disaster. Landscaping would do wonders but before you buy anymore trees find out what trees are hardy in your area and mostly pest free. The support posts on the porch are a bit frumpy and undersized. Posts and new lighting would be biggest bang for your buck. House has great lines with nice looking brick that I would not paint but maybe white wash. Find a paint that ties your roof and brick together. They seem at odds with each other. Good luck!

Plant a native tree.

thanks! We've actually planted two (native) trees but waiting until fall to do more. Putting in sidewalk from driveway and will pull things out away from the house, get some height and some rhthym going.

The brick and roof are definitely fighting each other. The Romabio to paint the brick is costly so i would love to not paint it but i just cant figure out a color that can tie these two together. But im open to ideas!