Rip that front porch and ramp off and replace it with a much larger porch, covered if you can afford it. You need to disguise the tall foundation with plantings. Most people where I live use some type of evergreen. The window sizes don't bother me at all. Bathroom windows ARE usually smaller. So what? I wouldn't paint the garage door a different color than the house. That would draw attention to it - like, "Hey, look at me! I'm a garage!" Attention should go to your front door instead. Could you post a picture of the fencing you are talking about? Cattle or hogwire fencing sound, well, like livestock fencing. Years ago, when our two boys were ages 6 and 2, we bought a home on a busy street corner. The back yard was completely enclosed with a well-constructed chain link fence. That fence was a selling point to us because of our kids. However, the day we moved in, both boys busily explored the back yard and we observed our oldest carefully teaching his little brother the easiest way to climb over the fence. *sigh* We can't recommend any plantings because you don't tell us where in the world you live. Edited to add: I forgot to say that I think this can be a cute little place. It looks well kept and tidy. It just needs some love.

You are all so nice. OK - first off, I agree that the house isn't all that bad. My "problem" wouldn't be a problem if I had anything in life to really complain about. I'll try to address a few questions. First off, the driveway - I think that the driveway extending so far to the left is a relic of the house before there was a garage, which was added on when the house, once a small cabin, was renovated. It's not paved, it's dirt and some packed gravel, same material as the driveway. Do we need the parking space? Not typically, but I have to say that the truck that delivers heating oil might need to park there. The garage might be too far away for the hose? They send the hose down the bulkhead, into the basement where our oil burner is. I should mention - I live in rural NH. Also, you cannot see the house from a street - the front, on the other side of the front most flower bed, is a large field, bordered by forest - pines, birches, and maples. I agree about the railroad ties, those are actually degrading in place. We contracted with a landscaper last year to improve that situation but due to rain the project was put off until this spring. I don't want to pull that garden out, it's a perennial garden that is very mature and in bloom is wild but beautiful - peonies, poppies, irises, lilies, lots of bee balm, mint, another flower that I love but can't remember the name of, and other things, mostly ground cover type flowering plants.No doubt it could be tamed and that is on the agenda this year. Where I live in NH, we have about 2-3 months of lush bloom so you have to really love it while you can. The garden closest to the house is messy and kind of disappointing, outside of two mountain laurels I could part with all of it. I did cut it back quite a bit at the end of last season, so am hoping it looks more tidy this year. The big log is in fact the remnants of a large tree, we cut out three huge pines last year, they were old and sort of looked like they'd crash onto the house if a wind blew in just the right direction. Cutting down those pines was our first real attempt to address the gloominess, definitely successful. The trees/logs were completely removed shortly after this photo was taken. Flo - I like your ideas. If I can figure out a way to work with the peak, I think that would be best, as it would be less expensive. I'm also afraid that extending the roofline to address the peak would leave me with a hulking rectangle of a house which might not be great. I really like the blue and hadn't considered that color. In your design, I would be considering a dark roof, right? Here's a photo I found last week - I think that I could successfully incorporate some of the design and color elements displayed here. I find the tree growing through the deck on this house to be so odd, not sure why it was left in place, though the moss covering it is cool. I also like the idea of incorporating stone - we have nice stone and slate inside, so that would makes sense.

Consider adding at least one additional window to create symmetry -- or three more if that would be necessary for symmetry. If you cannot add actual windows, create faux windows to create symmetry. Removing the one window and adding evenly spaced skylights could create symmetry. You could create more than a blank wall using mostly vertical trim boards of the same finish as your decking -- even a faux deck if you wanted. Some landscaping to become the focus of attention would be worth considering.

Also you need to add some trim across the front of the porch (currently is only a row of siding) and across the top of the window on the right of the picture. If you do remove the shutters (I don't necessarily agree with that, but they currently are too skinny for sure on the right windows) probably beef up the trim around the windows - making sure all 3 window trims match. Otherwise the window will just look puny. One of the things that give it a "cheap" look is the lack of, or inadequate (such as the skinny posts) finishing touches like good trim. Go to a siding website manufacturer website to look at all the options for trim. You can upload a good photo of the house too, and try out different colors and combinations. I dislike brown roofs for the most part also - especially when matched with yellow! Most are a shade of brown that is hard to work with. The photo AB posted looks great though, if your roof is close to that color then you do have several options for a siding color. Last resort - even asphalt shingle roofs can be painted (Behr makes a paint specifically for this), but just like painted siding, it won't last forever and will require touch ups and eventually full repainting to keep looking good. My painted aluminum siding needed work after about 10 years.