Your new home is quite handsome -- clean lines, nice materials, looks comfortable and sheltering. As much as I like Frank Lloyd Wright and his Cherokee Red, your red overwhelms the house. A soft gray blue or gray green would work better with the cream brick, the tan roof, and any landscaping you might do. Since the garage dominates the house facade, I'd save up for a nicer garage door style. It's not a cheap fix, but would add a lot to your home in terms of looks and perhaps value too. Don't get anything fussy, but something with clean, strong lines that could work with a contemporary home. A more contemporary door would be good too. Other than that, just better landscaping! Those old yews block the entry & your pretty picture window.

Our biggest issues are with the sunroom, really. We have a nice, light room that is long and narrow with low windows and somewhat awkwardly-placed French doors. Right now, there is a desk installed in the "alcove" area at the top of the plan, and there is basically just a big empty space from the desk to the back of the sofa near the TV. It feels awkward. We also really need a table that isn't the dining table, because we need a work/project space that is not our beautiful table. Ideas: 1. Put TV on alcove wall (top right of plan), near French doors, with built-in media cabinets. Then put main dining table in area near washer/dryer closet. Put small 4-person table in current dining room, with possibly a small seating/reading area near the hall doorway (i.e., 2 chairs). The concern with this plan is fitting in the sofa, chair and ottoman without blocking the French doors or feeling crowded. 2. Keep everything as-is, but add a small dining table between TV area and alcove at top right of plan. In alcove, put in built-in style storage and a reading nook. Inspiration: https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/originals/39/31/b0/3931b09c4cb4401fe7b2c9c6822d753a.jpg I'm afraid the small dining table (possibly a round table) would look awkward. 3. Put the small dining/work table in the old "formal" dining room and move the spinning wheels to the alcove area and install a storage wardrobe in alcove. But that leaves the problem of the sort of vast open space between the back of the fireplace and the French doors.

Please don't paint your brick. It's a great color. What your home needs is landscaping and a few minor improvements like painting the front door an accent color and paint the garage doors a color to blend in with the brick. If you paint the front door with a good accent color, it will come out of the shadows and be more welcoming. Your pics aren't expanding so I can't see if you have a coach light by the front door or see your address at all. These small things are inexpensive but important.

A base of evergreens all the way across will add harmony to the line of your house. Right now there's too much bare house wall showing and it looks choppy. Add any flowers in the area in front of the evergreens. Small flowering shrubs like mini hydrangea, or perennials or annuals. Is there siding on the back and sides or only the bit on the eaves and under the 2 windows? Your window style is cottagey/country so don't try for a modern look. I'm assuming new windows are not a priority in the budget. The red brick colour is actually very attractive. Not sure the grey-green will look that good with the red brick. All downspouts should be painted to match the brick. If you want, you could paint the siding under the windows to match the brick too. If in doubt go with a colour a bit darker and more dull than the brick. The shrubs will further hide it. Shutters will look OK if you like them. I like how the black trim looks with your cream/sand siding. Shutters, light fixtures, mail box, railing all in black. Another dark colour would look good too but the black looks great with the cream/sand.