forever I think the home has plenty of potential for exterior charm I would suggest: Remove all the shutters they are just the wrong dimension for the windows, they appear to be cheap & poorly installed as well the first level has 3 arches above windows & door perhaps an arched portico http://images.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://www.finalarchitecture.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/06/elegant-portico-with-brick-walk-up-porch.jpg&imgrefurl=http://www.finalarchitecture.com/entranceway-design-collection-from-colonial-remodeling-project/elegant-portico-with-brick-walk-up-porch/&usg=__VUutID-HZcCjwrx5bsZK-sV3F-w=&h=319&w=500&sz=83&hl=en&start=0&sig2=x4xhpisErBFcIm6OscckQA&zoom=1&tbnid=tDPG5NJXxW1k7M:&tbnh=128&tbnw=178&ei=1KOHTNXpM8H6lwe8xrixDg&prev=/images%3Fq%3Dbrick%2Bcolonial%2Bwith%2Barched%2Bportico%26hl%3Den%26biw%3D1016%26bih%3D509%26tbs%3Disch:1&itbs=1&iact=hc&vpx=695&vpy=82&dur=5603&hovh=179&hovw=281&tx=188&ty=126&oei=1KOHTNXpM8H6lwe8xrixDg&esq=1&page=1&ndsp=15&ved=1t:429,r:4,s:0 Another portico http://images.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://blog.redfin.com/washingtondc/files/2008/04/ramsgateroad.jpg&imgrefurl=http://factoidz.com/knowing-the-architectural-styles-for-remodeling-a-home/&usg=__znfWpicXIH5FcMQKQif8Qap8U2c=&h=300&w=400&sz=56&hl=en&start=0&sig2=ce1aqBvojfvdh1fTdD7dgQ&zoom=1&tbnid=Y7ikaaXsxk2lcM:&tbnh=113&tbnw=145&ei=1KOHTNXpM8H6lwe8xrixDg&prev=/images%3Fq%3Dbrick%2Bcolonial%2Bwith%2Barched%2Bportico%26hl%3Den%26biw%3D1016%26bih%3D509%26tbs%3Disch:10%2C102&itbs=1&iact=hc&vpx=253&vpy=215&dur=895&hovh=194&hovw=259&tx=133&ty=130&oei=1KOHTNXpM8H6lwe8xrixDg&esq=1&page=1&ndsp=15&ved=1t:429,r:11,s:0&biw=1016&bih=509 brick w/black front door & black shutters http://images.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://philly.brownstoner.com/decbrickwork1.jpg&imgrefurl=http://philly.brownstoner.com/preservation/&usg=__Tlm_qAa7t1gfk7SifSv8Ac1OCP4=&h=364&w=500&sz=196&hl=en&start=348&sig2=iosMnAug8v-qHVYP7Wr-wg&zoom=1&tbnid=X_M8-ms_v5O2pM:&tbnh=174&tbnw=247&ei=iaaHTMmEIYPGlQf9p_iKDw&prev=/images%3Fq%3Dbrick%2Bcolonial%2Bwith%2Barched%2Bportico%26hl%3Den%26biw%3D1016%26bih%3D509%26tbs%3Disch:10%2C17833&itbs=1&iact=hc&vpx=475&vpy=201&dur=3102&hovh=191&hovw=263&tx=121&ty=110&oei=1KOHTNXpM8H6lwe8xrixDg&esq=43&page=46&ndsp=8&ved=1t:429,r:6,s:348&biw=1016&bih=509 Remove the evergreen to the right - at least part of it, the part that is eating the house -is there house behind that? Trim the evergreen on the opposite side, it is now encroaching on the house. Someone decided to plant a tree way to close to the house in front, that soon will be eating up the front of the house - I would move that before it gets to large to move Make beds in front of the house with some mix of small evergreen types rhododendron, azalea and perennials Perhaps some type of facing over the existing front steps w/stone - if the concrete base is in good condition and install nice black wrought iron railing - Other black accents may work well too - urns - perhaps painting the front door black & then consider installing proper shutters best of luck

Cleaning it up by power washing the porch and any other areas that need and can withstand it would be a good start. Could add some contrast by using two different colors for the trim and columns. I think removing the iron in favor of a stair railing more in line with the porch railing and columns would work wonders as well. If it's in the budget getting a new rich wood door would be very pretty as well.

I would expand the walk as far as the side of the window nearest the door and replace the scalloped edging with a flush masonry mowing strip, brick to match the house if possible. Notice in Yardvaark’s sketch that the plants in front of the porch are low. On the porch I would want a bench, a couple of chairs with a little table or a rectangular planter under the window. To match the tree framing the house on the left side I would add a similarly sized one to the right Of the garage. Plantings in the front bed should be a combo of flowering plants and evergreens so there is something of interest year round.. Some plants can fill both roles. Right now your house has white, brick, blue-green and creamy yellow, which to my eye is too many different colors, some of which don’t work well together. I would likely remove all the shutters or at least the downstairs ones, replacing the uppers with shutters that are half the width of the windows. For the long term, plan on painting the garage doors a midtone brown that you pull from the brick so they don’t stand out so much. Start saving to repaint the house a color that works better with the brick, either the same brown as the garage doors or a sage green. I would also look into getting a wrap that makes the porch pillar look more substantial. When you decide on the color of the house and garage door, then replace the lights and repaint the front door in colors that will work with the new paint scheme such as a bronze finish. You have a cute house, it just needs a bit of tweaking to bring out its best.

Why can't you have black shutters? Because your neighbors have them??? Is there a law in your town that you all have to have different color shutters? Anyway you have a very nice home and I happen to think it looks great with shutters. How about a very dark green?