Also, if you have some ideas for landscaping, please feel free to add. I told her that she needs to add a porch swing - would one on the right side work? If so, I’d like to buy one for them as a housewarming gift. If anyone has suggestions on what type of porch swing, please let me know. Thanks!

The porch needs railings. It is too high up not to have them. Its a big safety hazard. Inspector should have brought that up. I like the color of the house, right now, but, do not like the blue at all. Otherwise its a very cute house. Congratulations to the young couple.

I'm not a fan of yellow, but the house is so cheerful looking that a pale lemon color seems like it would brighten it up.

Sweet! The best thing you could do for this house right now is to find a prettier color (maybe your daughter's personal favorite) for the front door, and paint the garage door to match the white trim. Then pull out the two bushes in front of the porch, remove the homemade looking step, and relocate the sidewalk, adding some wide, deep steps to align with the front door. Would be nice if that stone foundation were made of local stone you could still get for the new steps. Looks like the mailbox may be mounted to the door. I would get a nicer one and place it to the right of the door. As for your swing idea, the right side is pretty narrow. If local codes require a railing, perhaps a nice lawn swing would be a better idea. A pair of small rockers might work. If there's a private porch/deck in back, it may not be reasonable to expect people to sit on the front porch. You might consider giving them a new light fixture to replace that builder's special boob light on the porch.

If the paint is in good condition, I’d spend the money on grey cedar shingles on the section that sticks out. It would add great curb appeal and increase the value of their home(and be a huge surprise).

I’d paint the pink post, front and garage doors black. Add a new railing on stairs and on front porch and last but not least, your swing or seating and an indoor/outdoor rug.

In regards to landscaping, depends on budget, planting zone, shrubs vs flower preference. Perhaps it would be fun for them to visit a nursery and speak to someone. They can bring a photo of their front, to get specific advice - you could place a large urn at front door as a nice treat.

Maureen, so funny, I just came across the house in your first photo when looking at another thread here (regarding shutter color for olive siding). I thought about those same colors when I saw the OP's question here. :-) Love that Acier with Tricorn Black.

I was expecting a few comments about the blue front door/garage door! When my daughter sent me the real estate listing, she made a sarcastic comment like, “Well, I guess I better start liking the color blue!“ LOL!

@cat_ky- that’s EXACTLY what I thought when I went to see the house a few weeks ago. I was on the phone when the inspector walked them through his report - I was surprised that he never brought it up when going though the issues. The house is older - the report was fairly long. But there was no discussion about the porch.

I talked about it with them afterwards - and it is on the list of “need to do now” items (the list is fairly long!). The market is SO CRAZY here - they LOVE the area - and there’s nothing else available in the 275k - 325k range. They actually made an offer on the house - sight unseen.

@decoenthusiaste - you just killed my dream - LOL. I’ve always wanted a porch swing! I don’t have a front porch - so, I thought I’d buy one for them and be able to enjoy it! Okay - my daughter really likes them also! I completely forgot about the porch being high when I thought about buying one for them a couple days ago. They have a huge backyard with a large deck. I’m sure that we could do something out there instead. Of course, she also wants new countertops for the kitchen . . . She might have to wait for those!

Oh - I also expected a “boob light” comment! ;)

You guys are so cute!!!
And this house it too. The paint looks like it’s in great shape. And I personally would spend the money somewhere else. If you must repaint. I’d say a pretty creamy white with sage or light pale blue color shutters would be so pretty.

Definitely paint the doors before the house lol

I think a porch swing if it fits would be so cute there.

Landscaping I’d keep simple.

And yes to the light LOL.

Does this color scheme inspire you? I loveeee it!!! ( I know it’s a totally different style home but I think it could really work here )

@Maureen and @chloebud - Tricorn Black is one of the colors that she really likes! She also likes Iron Ore. The idea of adding shingles is a good one!! It’s needs a little something added for texture or whatever.

I guess it does matter where the house is located. We can work on specifics for that after she has her budget! But go ahead and keep throwing out general idea like you have been!! Thanks!

Unless the house paint is worse than what we see in the pictures, maybe son in law, could just paint the garage door and house door, and use the rest of the dollars that would go for paint to get a railing on the porch before someone gets hurt. It really bothers me, to see no railings on a porch, since I have seen someone fall from one. Its an adorable house. It doesnt have to be all perfect at move in. They can work on it little by little.

@HU-187528210 - I was wondering if their house could pull off something a little different. The colors of the house you attached are exactly the colors of the first house her dad and I bought!

The current house color works very well with the stone and white trim. I would just change the garage door color, front door color, red steps, and red post. Maybe an olive green or warm charcoal gray. Or paint the garage the same color as the house and choose a deep eggplant for the front door. Add a simple white railing to the porch and put a matching one on the back porch instead of the picket fence style. Especially with a new home, they should save the money where they can as there will be plenty of other things to change. I would remove all the grass on the inner area between the walkway and the house/drive, which includes the tree, and plant a mix of low shrubs and flowers.

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@cat_ky - I asked my SIL about the porch. He said that it’s under the requirement for code. HOWEVER - I told him that I strongly suggest that they install a railing. I told him that I’m not a litigator - and won’t be able to defend them when/if someone falls and becomes injured!! He said that he understood- they are just getting ready to start a family and definitely do not want children running around that high up in the air!

I also think that adding a railing to the porch would add to the curb appeal (assuming it’s an attractive railing).

I asked about the condition of the paint on the body of the house. He said it’s in fairly good condition. The reason that they started talking about painting the house is because some of the trim has wood rot. They also are replacing the gutters. He thought that since they would be painting the trim and gutters, they should just do all of it. I told him that there’s a BIG $$$ difference between paining the trim/gutters - and paining the entire house.

I just spoke with my daughter - since I’m having some renovations done at my house, it was easy to transition into asking about future projects at their house. As far as colors go, she likes black (I knew she would say that), and shades of green and blue (not the shade that’s currently on the front door and garage!) She also said that she likes reds. She said NO yellow/orange/purple/pink. Looks like we have a lot of possibilities for the front door color!

Also - she and I previously talked about the front window - and how it looked a bit small for the space. She would like to put in a bigger window at some point - but liked the idea of possibly adding shutters in order to have it fill up more of that space.

I really appreciate all of the suggestions/ideas.

Let’s pick out a color for the front door!

With the current house color, white trim, and the garage and steps painted the color of the house, I think a deep green door would be beautiful.

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The house is charming. Personally, I would first widen the front steps and center them to the front door. I would put up a white porch railing to match the porch railing over the garage. Paint the garage door white and put some black iron straps on it. Paint the front door glossy black. Take out the two front bushes blocking the front porch and perhaps hire a landscaper to redesign the front yard to maximize curb appeal and minimize mowing. That front yard looks like it could be a challenge to mow. Best of luck to your DD and SIL on their new home.

I need to learn how to do the mock ups that everyone does on here. I want to be able to put together a visual for my SIL. Please let me know the easiest way to do that. Thanks!

"...As far as colors go, she likes black..."

A black door with the current colors would look great.

Agree with keeping current colors on walls, but would change garage door to a neutral and front door to a color they like -- a black or a rich charcoal would be great.

There's no magic to a mock-up, just putting in the time on Photoshop. Gimme a minute.

Ok, here's a white railing plus gray steps, garage door, and front door.

And here's the same, but with white steps too.

Hope this helps!

@acm - thank you!! I’ve never used Photoshop before - plus, I wasn’t sure if that’s what everyone was using OR if there was some other program. I’m not very computer savvy 😂

Does anyone know style of architecture this is? Thanks!

The style of trim on the porch posts is often used in French Country architecture.

Here’s our brand new doors - Dunn Edwards Iron Fixture (before n after)

...which is which?

Glee 4 - why are you posting your before and after on dmac's dilemma? Please post on your own dilemma or B&A, unless you're trying to suggest something for dmac.

@decoenthusiaste It’s not a dilemma - since they mentioned Iron Ore, I decided to share my new similar door color, Iron Fixture. Pls relax, the before pic wasn’t really necessary, but tangents often appear on Houzz without an issue.

... and sometimes they raise questions. You're new doors look nice; a big style improvement. As acm questioned, it just wasn't clear what your frame of reference was and B&A wasn't clear for acm. Iron Ore was from yesterday's posts, so I missed your connection to it, especially since it wasn't mentioned as your reference point for Iron Fixture.

@Glee 4 - thanks for the photos. Front door color/style can really elevate the exterior look of a house.

I used to have Iron Ore on my front door . . . I think Iron Fixture might have looked better - a little softer ?

And I knew which photo was the “after” even without knowing what Iron Ore looks like!

Thanks!

If anyone happens to come back and look at this post - my daughter just called and told me that she’s PREGNANT!!

I AM SO HAPPY THAT THEY ARE MOVING BACK HOME!

@cat_ky - Thanks!! Since they are moving back here in a couple weeks, they decided to wait and tell people (immediate family only for now) in person. I am the only person that they’ve told so far - and I’m sworn to secrecy! She told me that I don’t have the usual “spousal exception” - so, I can’t even share this with my SO.

He came over while I was just getting off the speaker phone with my daughter, and heard her comment about how we had been on the phone for 2 hrs and 50 minutes! While she and I have had long calls before - the calls have never been close to THREE HOURS! After I hung up, he made a comment about how long the call was, and asked if something was wrong. “Ummm . . . NOPE!”

It’s going to be a LONG couple of weeks! It’s difficult to have such exciting news, and not be able to share it - especially with my three sisters! That’s why I decided to share it with you all!

In a few months, we can all brainstorm about putting together the perfect nursery!!

Congrats Dmac! What wonderful news and a more exciting reason to make this house a family home.

@Glee 4 - Thanks! When I was talking to them about the comments on this post a couple weeks ago, I said something about how they should plan on adding the porch railing (even though it‘s under the height required for code) because I didn’t want my grandchild falling off of it! Little did I know how soon that would be!!