Some options

Or

Or with charcoal/gray/bronze window trim

Sage

You can get siding to match what you have, which is what I would do. From what I have read on this forum, the pre-painted Hardie siding is your best option.

Love your current color, but pick one that appeals to you. Super cute house. Good luck!

Thank you houssaon. You are too kind!

Thank you celerygirl. I LOVE the sage and the celery color!!!! Do you think twin casement windows, similar to the window under the porch would look better than the awning windows? You don't have to do anymore drawings for me, because that is a lot of work. But I would like your opinion. THANK YOU FOR THE RENDERINGS!!!! And I was thinking of filling in the white space between the windows with hardie shingles also. Do you think that would look good?

I actually like your house color. it fits the style.

what I would do is a pathway through the grass to your front door. maybe redo the porch area.

you could even do something like this w/a low, wood slat fence, some new mcm address numbers, and a simple cement block walkway.

paint your door a bold color or get one more suited to your style

jazz up the flower beds

Edit: looks like Beth beat me to it!

I also love your current house color, but any of the color mockups celerygirl posted above are great too. personally I wouldn't recommend black for the window frames.

you have a great midcentury! I wouldn't change much about the house itself. the landscaping needs more pizazz, but it looks like you just need to wait for those new plants to get bigger. if you're in a hurry, you could pull them up, build in a raised bed (or add big planters) and replant them.

add some warm wood elements such as railing for the front porch or along the side of the carport. a new mid century door, lighting, large house numbers are all little details that can add up.

Beth-I love your suggestions. I think you are right about taking down the wrought-iron and making the approach to the door, straight on. And I love those house numbers!!!! I am looking for them now!!! Thank you so much!!!!

Beth-Also brillant idea about the concrete pad walkway. Would be not too expensive.

It is all the preferences with windows. I like how they look now and no shingles between.

I think you should keep the lap siding with the shingles. It adds interest and a nice horizontal line.

Thank you BF. I love the pictures you provided.

Houssaon-I see what you mean about the horizontal line. Do you think regular or wide clapboard siding?

If your siding is badly peeled paint but otherwise wood in repairable condition, it may just need a good paint job. Sounds like only one side of the house might need some wood pieces replaced. The look itself is very attractive and well proportioned to the house. And leaves you more budget to do other things with the house that have additional impact and livability. Love the landscape stones set in pebbles.

Thank you

Thank you Partim. I am so confused. I really do like my house and I don’t want to spend a lot of money needlessly. An update might be nice though, but only if the house is truly going to look better. I’m afraid I’m ruining the 50s look and will not get something that is better. Here is the picture they gave us today with new windows and hardie shingle siding. The bottom 2 1/2 feet will be stone. Do you think this will be better? Thank you.

No to that design you got today. Totally ruins the vibe of your home. Love the color it is now. What material is the original siding.?

Maybe cedar shake shingles. I don’t really know. But it’s lasted 70 years. I didn’t think they made this type of shingle anymore but someone told me they do. I want my house to look really good but I don’t know really what to do.

Thank you jck910

Are the bedroom windows fixed or tilt out -- do the windows open/ close and do they do so smoothly?

If the windows don't open or don't open smoothly, then do consider replacing them with some you like better -- but don't replace them just for a visual "update": your home has a style and the windows suit the style. (If they do open, you might consider adding screens, which you don't appear to have.

Have you tried pressure washing the siding you have to see how much of the damage is actually siding damage and how much is a paint issues? Would do that before investing in siding.

IF you do actually need to replace the siding, then do consider vertical board & batten siding all around -- white siding with white window and door trim.

If all you need is paint, consider either all white or two shades of the same color instead of such a stark contrast.

Like the idea of removing the metal porch railing. (Keep it for creating a flower trellis.)

Instead of changing the steps, keep the steps you have but add to them and wrap those you now have around to the front of the stoop.

https://www.pinterest.com/pin/397724210826268510/

Then you could add pavers with grass in between to create a sidewalk that leads to where your car door ends up when you park in the driveway instead of under the carport.

Add one or m ore solar lights to light the new walk and steps -- these could be on a post (with or without brackets for hanging plants -- or the new ground level kind you can mow over.

Please no to stone! I would replicate the siding as close as possible. You have a gem. It is picture perfect.

It is reminiscent of the 50s'. I would not even replace the poles. They are right for the house. Everyone can do square posts.

Hardie should be able to got you as close as possible to what you have now.

No stone. No shake shingles. Keep the siding AS IS. It is very attractive. The one thing no one has mentioned is the downspout in the middle of the facade. Move it to either one end or the other of your gutter run so that it doesn’t interrupt the eye. AND....paint it out in the colors that you choose for your house. It should disappear and not be a feature. LOVE the vibe of your house! Don’t get taken in by people trying to sell you products that you don’t need. Keep true to the original look of the house. It is very, very cool!

I agree. No to stone or shake shingles. also no to those plans drawn up. it looks like a plain boring house, and what you have now is special.

those wide format windows you have are very midcentury. if you need more light but want to keep the style of the era, install big windows that go nearly to the ground (like below). but really, these are bedrooms? how much light do you need in there?

I look at and admire midcentury homes all the time (they're everywhere in my neighborhood). some are great, some are pretty ugly. yours is solidly what I'd put in the "definitely desirable" category. you need very little change.

keep the style of the siding as is. fix what's wrong with that siding and update some (but not necessarily all) of these items: porch, front door, landscaping, lighting, house numbers -- like we already discussed above. SO much cheaper than re configuring the architecture of the home, and it will look awesome.

If you don't want to move the downspout or, for whatever reason, then paint it the color(s) of the wall behind it so it visually "disappears".

I also have a 1950's ranch, but they put white vinyl siding on it many years ago. I agree that the sketch you received to update completely ruins the great look your house has now. Mine has awning windows too, and I love them .. I can open them in any weather and not worry about rain coming in.

Here's a picture I recently took after removing the old bushes all along the front.

Pamghatten-Thank you. Yes I love the awning windows which tilt out and yes you can open them anytime!

Thank you B F. I think you are right I just don’t love the big white space between the windows.

Ptreckel-thank you for your kind words and good advice.

Sue bell-thank you for your ideas and the link to entryways. You are 100 right about the downspout. I think I stopped noticing that. Lol. My windows tilt out. Thanks for all your help ! The solar lights idea

Suezbell Love the solar light idea

I love your house as is. BTW, initially thought the basketball hoop stand was a piece of modern metal sculpture.

Flopsycat1-that’s hysterical. Mcm art. Thank you for your kind words too.

Sherwin Williams has some interesting medium-dark greens you might consider for your siding that could go well in a green space kind of yard with trees.

https://www.pinterest.com/pin/558868635007109166/

Instead of replacing the black shutters, you could leave them off entirely and create a trim color a different way: You might consider painting your fascia and gutter and soffit and window frames and door frames a dark color you like and then painting the rest of the siding all one color -- a different, slightly lighter shade of the SAME color rather than inserting white or off white to highlight the height of the windows.