Here's a crude mock-up with a charcoal roof -- not bad. I was thinking, though, since your windows look to be brown & probably aren't paintable, a white trim wouldn't look right. Here's an idea-- maybe your house needs some contrast to give the illusion of light and dark. So maybe a gloss black on the shutters & entry door? In this mock-up, I added some nicer garage doors since they're a major component of your house facade (as is the roof). A glass door could add some sparkle, too. I actually like your house: it has nice proportions and interesting lines, the brick is pretty. You're lucky that your roof has nice overhangs at the gable ends instead of stopping at the walls like mine does (now that screams cheap!). I'll bet your new landscaping will do wonders for it. Those birches are fabulous!

Removing those two trees closest to the house (the ones that appear to lean toward it) might be helpful in opening things up and making the front brighter. The board and batten style siding and the "X" trim on the porch give a very rustic cabin-like feeling. If you'd prefer white, you'll get more of a farmhouse look. It may work fine with the natural brick. Much depends on roof color. Very popular look now is all white with black windows. I would probably ditch the shutters if going for a more contemporary farmhouse. If you like rustic, you might keep them.

You have nice light golden red wood floors, a big bay window with golden trim, white walls. The problems are the furnishings. You need to replace the oversized sofa and two chairs. Sorry, as someone said, they're sucking light and space from the room. You don't necessarily have to go white or cream if you have kids. Consider a golden camel leather sofa with a couple of comfortable narrow profile recliner chairs for TV watching. The chairs are too fussy for your style, though you should go for something up on legs. Pair of recliner chairs for TV watching: Rug Console table along back wall near front door. Add a lamp. Add a long vertical mirror by the front door

Like all that natural light from the windows. Like the chairs flanking the fireplace. Instead of making a lot of drastic changes all at once, begin with adding white miniblinds inside the frame of each window, leaving your curtains/drapes off for a while. Even if you rehang your sheers, put the red drape away for a time. I like plants, too. You might consider keeping the smaller of the two larger plants, setting it in your corner, and either selling the larger one or giving it away -- perhaps to a family member or friend or even donating one to a local nursing home for their community room. If either ivy like plant is real, it may need to be repotted as both containers seem full. If it isn't real, wrap in a plastic bag and store them away, at least for a while. Keep your options open. If you get rid of both of the palms, consider snake plants as a replacement. My tallest one is 4' tall over the dirt in the pot but it doesn't spread as wide as the plants you have. It does usually have new plants come up in the pot beside the original. Next change, remove the dark platter and candle holders from the armoire. Alternately, remove the platter and change the candles in the candle holders to white -- then you could always change them as the season changes leaving white most of the time but using other colors, too: orange for October; red for December and February; green for March, etc.. Then change the lamp shades to white ones. Choose those that are smooth and plain and that have straighter sides (about the size as the bottom width of the ones you now have). If you're going to paint, consider choosing a creamy off white or a neutral tan that is a light brown w/o any pink or yellow hue. Would not want carpet or a rug with a fireplace if it burns wood. You could lighten/brighten the fireplace by changing the fireplace screen. Live with each change you decide to make, at least briefly, to see if YOU and your family like it better.