In my illustration I'm not attempting to re-landscape all of your plantings. Instead, I'm showing how a couple of small trees added could help alleviate some of the dullness of the central part of the structure (where there are just two windows) and how moving the tree on the far right corner would be more reasonable, giving it some space to grow and adopt a proper scale with the building. Trees will help keep the building from looking like a big box sitting on top of the lawn. As it stands now, my general impression is that all of the plant material is plastered flat onto the house face and is much too close to the wall to allow for realistic growth. (There should not be any plant centers closer than 3' and 3 1/2' would be better. Trees, especially, should be farther. Seems like a bit much material, too.) The conifers flanking the door will work there if you don't let them grow at all.

I have a pretty good idea of the price of windows. 8k cheap - 20k mid/expensive. And the roof would be about 7k shingles and (not entirely sure yet) but I think around 10-11k metal. Gutters will be what we put into them. But we need and will use windows and a new roof and a painted house. I mean, it will take a while to pay back in heating costs, but in the winter sitting by the front window, there is a gusty cold zone. And I'm in a mid-atlantic area, I'm not going to start covering my windows in plastic like my VT relatives! But the porch would just be cosmetic unless we actually put enough into it that we would actually use it. Heating, cooling, more windows, bug protection, lighting, finishes. And I'd rather have that someday in the far future if we ever choose to invest in it in the back of the house which is very private. Believe me, I know, before we even closed I had mocked up this but we tabled the idea after much discussion: And the typical simple extended porch you'd see with with a colonial doesn't excite me either. Sure it might not be that expensive, but why should I invest in turning 'bleh' (to me) into 'that's ok.' I'd rather invest in something I really like. I'm not investing in curb appeal for future buyers, but in my own home satisfaction.

Thanks for your kind words about the house. :) awm03, I believe you're correct that this house is post-MCM. It was listed as such on Zillow. "Just noting, though, that both the dining and front rooms seem to be visible from the family room, so I'm wondering about visual...symmetry with one very dark and the other very light. Also, painting the dining room dark will make that one set of windows especially dominant during the day." hamamelis, good points! "Curtains aside, they also seem to be asking me for a console or some such thing under the single panes..." I guess that would be possible if the console or some such sat far enough from the wall so that the drapes could move behind it. "Regarding the glass and mirrors, it occurs to me that the front room would change light and character dramatically with all of it gone. And that it can be beautiful when well done and lit." Excellent point. I think I'm not liking it now because there are so many things on it. I was looking at the listing photos and I much prefer it with a few select pieces of art. "Why is there what looks like a little wall sticking out in the middle, though, with the glass continuing on?" It does have a little wall that divides the glass area into two sections. It's just decorative and has been there since the house was designed - no doorway removal. justerrilynn, I like those styles of rugs. I've been eyeing them up on Overstock. I'm going to mull over the light-colored leather sofa idea. My set is getting older, but it's still in good condition, so it might be a hard sell to the BF. Lighter colors and a more MCM design would fit better in this house. I think after digesting all of the advice given, that I'll stick with light, neutral colors and hold off on the deep blue dining room. I suspect that a new coat of paint is going to go a long ways towards making things seem fresh and inviting. Thank you!

Hi Lindsey, thanks for your ideas about the house! We have an addition out the back of the house with a garage and large shed that meet our needs for storage, tools, etc. We have several farming friends who indeed have many unexpected costs and trials throughout the season, and I agree with your advice for that kind of life! Especially living debt free, too many of our friends have not been able to do that. However, our main source of income is not from the land and we don't consider ourselves to be farmers. I say this with much respect to farming families, and for means of clarifying the needs of our house. As for the standing seam roof, yes it was indeed costly but worth it to us. We only covered the house on the right side and middle, not the roof of the section we plan to dismantle. I know most of the commenters have advised against taking that part of the building down (including my FIL who built it) but we really are set on it. It's not of highest priority, it will be some years before we get to it Yes, the peaked portico is my favorite suggestion so far! As well as spacing the windows more symmetrically. I also think a window box below the farthest right window with trailing vines would be lovely. That room is our bedroom and we look out the window often.