What do you mean by updating? IMO remove the shutters on the botton for sure ans if you want to keep the ones on top they need to be bigger double windows never should have shutters . Get new garage doors with some windows to work better with the new front door. This is one of my faves for siding color with brick . I am not seeing the window box but the overhang is sq footage you would lose so think about that. I also would do a much larger back deck and combine the new deck with the brick patio but all decking The front landscaping is a bit formal was that what you wanted?

The brick is nice. Is the current roof color gray? The gray/green color from Patricia would be nice, or a light gray. Either would work with the brick.

Thank you. I like the green color.. The roof if black but it looks gray in the photo. I like the landscaping in front. I can't change the garage doors because one of the bays was converted to finished living space full drywall.

Here are some colors I think would work. I mocked up Aegean Teal, but Cushing Green also looks good. Grayed tans would look good, too.

To update you façade, I would change the front door to one with side lights. It could be a solid door or one with lights. I would widen the steps and incorporate the walk coming from the side. Widen the front sidewalk. You could use Belgian block laid perpendicularly on each side.

Have you ever considered making the converted garage look like your bay window? You could do a double window instead of the larger one. But make the siding judges panel like the bay. Cut out an area for planting along the front. That will allow for parking but make the room feel more like the house. Then you could add a section of windows to the garage.

If you are getting new windows, look at six over one and three casements for the bay window.

regarding the front, I'd pull out those round shrubs near the garage and the home since they do nothing visually for the home.

You could change the garage doors to something more up to date, along w/the front door and removing the shutters. I'd do black windows.

Let me show you a slew of pictures that give you ideas of colors and styles. (and don't be too quick to shoot down painting the brick. Romabio is a wonderful product w/almost no upkeep)

not quite the same as yours, but I like the garage doors, the vertical siding, black windows and the addition of wood siding (you could do composite) if you painted the brick white it could look like this

photoshopped these doors so you can see.

Landscaping and a new driveway will have a huge impact on the overall look

I love the after shot on this one. very modern looking. if you did your driveway and landscaping like this, along w/the black windows, black accents, dark garage door, a new front door and the added wood accents, it would look so much better

here's another split that got a makeover. same color roof like you have. Consider doing some type of path down the middle of the grass.

Notice all of the little details on this after photo.

I love this one too. they got rid of the shutters, got black windows, new porch overhang w/the wood, wood posts, gray siding, modern doors/lights/address, and of course the landscaping

similar splits w/a more modern redo.

similar house like yours w/the brick. gray siding, updated landscaping.

although the brick is painted in this one, you don't have to do it. (I like it better but it's up to you)

Medium gray siding, black windows, new front door, wood garage door and upgraded lights. and landscaping.

around back, the dark siding and black windows would loo like this.

do a composite wood deck, or add some type of wood to warm up the darker, black tones

very similar style hosue to yours, switched over to farmhouse style. they did paint the brick w/Romabio on this one

do you like the green? this color siding w/your red brick would work. I'd still get a new door and landscaping and do the walkway down the middle. if you want a porch overhang, this one is nice. I wouldn't use the shutters

Thank you houssaon. I like the colors you suggested. No, I didn't think about the bay window for the garage. Great idea. I really like the windows also.

Thank you Beth H. You gave me a lot to process and some new ideas to think about. Yes, I like the green color with the brick.

on the back, I'd for sure do some type of patio cover utilizing a header on the house. from that, build on a pergola type of covering.

this shows a header attached to the studs behind your siding, and the pergola/patio covering extending from it.

On our rental house, the 2nd story had a crumbling deck and patio cover. we rebuilt both of them

simple 1x2 lumber, primed and painted black. (basically like the wood shown in the first pic)

I think something like these styles would look better on the back of yours. Perhaps install a sliding door or french doors so you walk out

I'd bring it down level instead of the step up you currently have.

see how you have it ground level here? (I like the strips of grass too)

So, if you incorporated everything so that it looks uniform, get the overhang, and some other style elements, you could do something like any of these

french doors, steps, pergola attached to back of house

If you want to keep the raised platform area, try something like this

You've got 2 threads going that's confusing

Your house and mine could have been designed by the same builder---rust tones bricks and pale yellow siding. MY living room has what I call a bump out but you are calling a window box. MINE is sided with same rust tone bricks. But no one can see because a hedge of yew bushes covers it up to the bottom of the windows.

Hi Rho. Yes, I wish mine had the matching brick on the bump out like yours.