They appear to have been the patriotic sort. What's your vibe--any inspiration pics? The RED planting beds are unfortunate and a HUGE why one NEVER EVER PAINTS BRICK!! The only save is more paint or total redo. I can see virtue in removing them along with the over boxed "trees" on the side. You need a landscape designer.

It's really cute, except for those planters. Wow! Paint those planters ASAP and then you can leisurely take your time measuring and sketching and planning.

The tree/shrubs on the side look like they are trained to block the windows--that might be something worth keeping. Perhaps a month out of the year the sun wakes up people without those.

Wow! Too much going on exterior.

find a good masonry paint (but who knows what kind of paint the red was) and paint the planters. Red is just too bold for that home. paint it white, or the same color as the stucco

I'd remove the shutters. they're too small for the size of the window.

garage doors could use updating too.

are you painting? what can you do?

Congratulations on your new home. Do you own both sides? Thankfully, it looks like dirt is not piled up against your house inside the planters. I think removing those masonry walls, including the short one in front of the porch and then making your planting areas deeper would greatly improve your curb appeal. I agree that the lollypop trimmed shrubs may be providing privacy to bedroom and bathroom windows but you could do better and still provide direct-line-of-site privacy. Think about layers of interest between your home and the sidewalk. Tall shrubs near the house, then shorter perennials and shrubs. Add a walkway from driveway to front porch, then another layer of flower bed, then the lawn. This is not a great example but something like this. Lots of interest on a corner lot provides the illusion of privacy and settles the house into a landscape instead of floating like a boat on a sea of lawn.

Remove all tchotchke, pair down to one body color on house and white trim. New shutters- I see stained wood, wider for more impact. GL :)

The shutters may be a bit narrow, but, I do think they add something that would be missing without them. The trees on the side by the windows, really do need to go, they are much too large next to the house, and you may find that roots from them are invading your foundation. The planters need to be painted a much better color. The red is just way too much. Its a very nice looking house, and hopefully, you will enjoy it for a very long time.

Depending on what style you want. How much work you can do... ideally with a healthy budget I’d obviously remove all the decor first. Remove the shutters and add bigger ones or none at all. Paint the house a white with black trim. Extend the porch. And new doors and garage doors. I’d possibly update the walkway with some pretty brickwork. New lights. Options are endless. Give us some more details. But regardless start with what you can now and enjoy!! Tons of potential!!

Hi Amber-

Congratulations on your new home!

I agree with you that the front of your home could use some improvement.

Firstly, do you know what goes on in the immediate neighborhood?

are the neighbors friendly?

Do people walk up to each other's house's and just say "hay" and chit chat a bit?

If so, you want to make your front porch and the front walk a bit more welcoming, and the rest of the fixing up follows that.

I am not a landscaper.

I would invite in the Houzz landscapers here to comment.

1. My suggestion would be to remove the shutters.

Shutters look best if they look as if they really serve a purpose, and to do so they would have to be half the size of the window, so that if they closed, together they would protect the window in case of a hurricane or storm.

Yours are too small for that, and unless you live in hurricane territory and really need workable shutters to protect your windows, I don't think it is worth the money to invest in properly sized shutters for your home. You are best off just removing the ones you have.

2. Your planter beds have bright red paint on the border. Bright red draw attention. In the front of the house it is drawing attention to an empty bed. That is not a good look.

In the front there are two options.

Painting that planter wall a more neutral color and filling that bed with plants.

Or, the second option which I favor. Remove that bed altogether and put a marvelous planter box under the window with glorious plants. The reason I favor this is because although you pay for the planter box, you will pay less for the plants and a lot less for the maintenance of the plants. You just water and trim them yourself. If the weather is bad, you just open the window and water and trim from inside. Another huge advantage is you are not getting a lot of water near the foundation of your house on a regular basis.

3. I would widen the walkway to make it easier for a couple to walk side-by side to your door, and it is more inviting as well. You could plant flowering plants along side that larger curved walkway and have solar lights (that need no wiring) along that walkway that turn on when it is dark.

4. I would paint the planter on the side of the house a less florid color.

If you want the trees there to conceal the windows, fine, otherwise, please trim them.

It would be nice if you could plant some thing in front of and around those trees to conceal and distract from their trunks.

I happen to hate canna lily, but that is something that comes to mind.

5. I would replace the bench on the front porch with two chairs and a table in the middle, with the table large enough to hold a large tray for a pitcher, glasses, a tray of cookies. Because we want you to be neighborly!

6. I would remove that bush at the front of the porch, it looks like it is standing guard.

7. In Texas it is common to have the Texas star proudly displayed, but I would move it.

Where it is currently displayed I would put big brass house numbers.

I would move the Texas star to the other side of the window. Or to inside of the home.

8. There is possibly too many hanging plants. Any hanging plants need to look really great. Big and bushy, or if they have hanging foliage, with lots of it, like the one on the left of the house.

9. I would remove the round metal wall decoration on the porch wall.

Why not invite Dig Doug's Designs into the thread?

So many good ideas from all of you...WOW!! Thank you! We have not moved into the property yet ~ it should be closing on the 17th. I will live on the left side and a family member will be moving in on the right side, buying as co-owners. We are moving in the same neighborhood we currently live in ~ 3/10 of a mile away, so we have lots of friends here already. It is a very friendly neighborhood, but the street to the left of the units is a main drag, so I would like to do more entertaining on my back patio. I already have a cute round black table and chairs that I can put on the porch with decorative pillows from my current home for short visits or just decor.

We won't be likely be doing any of the work ourselves ~ we will be hiring out for painting, etc.

Yes, all the current owners decor items will be removed from the house ~ particularly the star! :) I like the idea of removing the planter box. The trees along the side of the house can be removed. The windows are high so there is not a privacy issue and I can install sun screens if it seems to be bright. Those windows face the north.

I love all the ideas about widening the walkway, adding a walkway from the driveway, flowering plants along the walkway, solar lights, new garage doors, etc. The options are endless for sure!

I like the contrast of the black shutters, but I now understand what you are all saying about them being narrow.

I definitely need to collect some inspiration pics. There is so much here to be done, and that is just the outside. =:-O

How do I invite Dig Doug's Designs into the thread? This is my new favorite website...thank you all again for your time and advice!

Here are some ideas:

Doug, this is amazing! WOW ~ I cannot believe the transformation. It is beautiful! What type of stone/pavers would you recommend be used for the walkway ~ I love the look and colors of the ones shown in the drawing. Thank you so much for taking the time and sharing your vision!!

The pavers are Unilock Richcliff Dawn Mist/Pebble Taupe Mix.

doug is amazing w/his renditions.

Amber lynn, show someone that picture and have yours done just like it. your house would be the star of the neighborhood.

I agree 100%. I need to find someone in my area that can recreate that and do it justice!

Doug always comes through wonderfully!