I LOVE your house and II would not touch that mortar - it goes nicely with the aged stone look. I would stay in the brown family for roof color to compliment the aged stone look - not a color that is bright or harsh or crisp. The door is too "fancy" for the house and all the trim is too "crisp" white...look in the cream/taupe/earth-tone family. Not navy or black. Shrubs need to go - think subtle English countryside landscaping. I also agree on clapboard, not stucco, for your addition. I can see ivy climbing the walls - but won't suggest that as you can never get rid of it and it is not good for your stone. Looking forward to your transformation.

Change out you siding with hardi board. Add a porch roof like the pic.posted that partically follows the roof line to camo. the fact that the roof is wider on one side. Starting at the new porch roof edge add a wide trim board that goes across to the other wall., where the main roof meets the side wall and use hardi shingles above in a different color than the body of the house. Consider nicer window upstairs. I cann,t see the total slope of your yard put it looks like you have enough slope to put in a rock retaining wall. Add a few semi large focal rocks above and some low growing evergreens and a nice stone walk way and multch . Add something like river rock and easy care plants down in front of the rock retaining wall and you probly have the nicest house on your block and it would all be easy upkeep if you use the right plants and multch.If your able to do it your self all that should be less than 3000. We did alot of the same stuff with ours this last year and consider it a learning exp. as well as sweat eguity.

Your house is not dated. It looks fresh, and there are only a few tweaks I see, as others have noted. Something more colorful for rugs. The overhead lights could be switched out for more flair. I'd find a single art piece for behind the sofa, something with a bit more drama - I was going to say color, but if you'd prefer, a black and white piece would go there well, if it stood out more. I am NOT one for low artwork behind furniture - but in this case with that window above, I think the art does call for being lower. (Why I am not, generally-speaking, a fan? 1) Navel-height art fails to appeal to me, and 2) people leaning back on couches will likely bang or brush their heads on the art.) I'd switch the two chairs in the living room. Stair railing: I am fine with it as is, or stain it a bit darker (do not paint). As for paint color for the walls - nothing ever looks the same on a monitor as in person, but what you already have appears to work (and you'd be doing a LOT of painting if you do decide to change the color. Get samples, paint a board or spare bit of sheet rock. I like the fish tank - painting that might be worthwhile.

Well we went dark blue and love it. The post you see is actually a downspout. Wrought iron posts actually hold up the porch roof, however, we are going to box them in and paint them white so they look like columns.