Your house:

I think sage green with cream/white trim would look great. Yellow w/white trim would also look good.

Laurie

I think it would be nice if you made your flower bed follow the curved line in the floor so that it wasn't a box shape. I would plant grass. I don't think the windows are the problem more than the light in between should be removed. I would find a way to make the porch stand out more (maybe a railing of some sort, I dunno).

Move the garbage cans and ladder so they are not visible from the street. I think window boxes, and shutters would add interest and warmth. I'd also go with a lighter color.

Definitely lighten up the color, but on the body, with the darker trim. Add a more vertical plant on the left (as we're viewing it) of the flower bed. I'd also raise up that bed using stone or cottage stone. That also creates a small sitting area.

Agree that light between the windows is distracting. If you need that light there, you ought to try to find something that is higher than the windows.

Shutters won't work, and unless the room that faces us is one that would do well with a larger window, don't change it out.

Where is your entry? At the far right? I'd put in some planters with tall shrubs and lots of underplantings, you've got plenty of space with your hardscaping.

It might be easier to see what to suggest if the photo was more straight-ahead instead of off to one side.

I agree with others that the location of the light is awkward and I would move it if I could.

About the boxy planter area, since it's a big project to remove concrete, you could soften the lines of the edges by planting plants that will billow over the edges in spots. That planter area also gives you a great opportunity to add some vertical interest, perhaps a trellis with a climbing rose or clematis, or even a small tree or tall shrub.

Where the trash cans are in the photo, you could add large pots with flowers or something like that to decrease the visual impact of the concrete.

I don't think your house is without hope at all!

A $100 jackhammer rental for the day would do wonders! It's difficult to attain curb appeal with so much lifeless concrete. It needn't be replaced with lawn to make things look better, even low growing groundcover plants would liven things up.

Since the windows themselves are dark, I don't think I'd go with dark for the trim. Either use a light tone for the trim with a medium tone for the body, or a medium tone for the trim and light tone for the body. I'd paint some railings for the porch the chocolate brown of the windows and do a bold color for the door.

But the biggest (and one of the easiest!) curb change will be eliminating that concrete.

I like the idea of a nice light sage and, since the house is not huge, don't paint the corners in a different color like shown. Use the accent color on shutters but not outlining the house, the uniformity of one colorgives the house a calmer look. Get some sample cards and do a light shade on the house and even lighter shade on the shutters, It will expand the look of the house. It has to be a color you love but again, try to keep it light. Good luck.

I think the first thing you should do is decide whether you want your home to have a Craftsman or Cottage look to it, as you can go either way at the moment. You'd mentioned possibly replacing the two small windows on the left with one larger one. If you are ready to put that kind of time and money into your home, I think one large window could be a win/win situation: it would add more character to the outside of your home AND bring in more light to that room. Can that room take a large window? If not, I'd definitely get rid of the light. It's placement is very awkward there.
I agree that repainting a lighter color is a good idea, but which direction ~ Craftsman or Cottage ~ needs to be made first. As Yayagal mentioned, don't paint the trim at edges of your home a different color. That only makes your house look smaller still.
I don't think I'd add a porch rail for the same reason; the porch is small as it is and adding a railing will only make that more obvious. Instead, I'd make the porch bigger, bringing it forward more and if it isn't already, all the way to the end of your house on the right side. Make it a real place to sit and enjoy being outside. If nothing else, it would make your home look more welcoming and give it curb appeal. A small grouping of furniture there would be great.
Lynn

Does anyone remember a post (perhaps a year ago) about a house that was similar in size to this and the owner did some amazing things to improve it without spending bookoos of money. I think it was painted red (not that I am suggesting this house be red), lost of plants and flowers, and I think I remember a quaint sign somewhere on the grounds. It was quite a remarkable makeover for this type of little cottage style home. It anyone can find it, it would be great inspiration for OP.

My advice would be go cottage - perhaps yellow or sage green. Removing some of the concrete would definitely help and put in some colorful shrubbery and flowers. Cute window boxes.

Tuesday

I like the idea of sage green with cream trim. It is hard to tell where your front door is, so the suggestion for a straight on picture is a good one.

If you can use that large space of concrete, maybe you could have a short wall built and turn that into a patio entry way with some cute patio furniture. You would need to resurface the area to bring it together. Looks like you have plenty of places to accentuate with plants. Or you can remove the extra concrete on the left and turn that into a garden.

Not sure what look you are going for, but you might try cottage/bungalow. Replace the front light with a style that matches your new changes. Maybe some awnings over those 2 front windows.

{{!gwi}}

{{!gwi}}

Thank you so much to everyone for your input an advice. I will try to post a better photo later. I will definately remove that light on the left (eventually I may put in a larger window).

I will also work on making the concrete less severe. Unfortunately, the concrete area that you see is the extent of my driveway (I can fit two cars if I pull all the way over to the right- near the front door), so I can't really fit a seating area, unless it's just a bench. I wouldn't be opposed to renting a jackhammer and taking out some of the concrete. I could take it all out, but I would need a replacement I can still drive on. And the driveway is on a slope. Ideas? Can anyone suggest a tree that might work in the planter area on the left and that wouldn't affect the foundation (I live in Los Angeles)? As far as window boxes go, would I simply put one under each window?

The front door is actually on a perpendicular wall just to the right of where the trash cans are in the photo (the wall with the larger window on the right is actually set back a bit). The entry area for the house is where the two windows and ackward light are. I've thought about moving the front door to the center where that light is, but I think that project is beyond my budget and expertise (I've been trying to do as much work myself as I can).

I do like the craftsman look (and there are many craftman homes in the area)...I also love all things modern (most of my furnature is mid-century danish modern). I've put up about 7 sagey to apple green paint samples up, but none seem right. I just don't want anything too light or pastel, but the darker colors are either too bright or rustic. Suggestions? I was also thinking about a richer grey/chocolate brown for the house (with light trim), but most of you suggest I go lighter...so now I'm not sure.

All ideas are appreciated. Thanks again!

I don't mind the darkness of the house color, and a richer grey/brown sounds nice with different trim color, lighter as you suggest. I think getting rid of or changing that light fixture will make a big difference.

I'd take down the ditsy light fixture, plant something tall (bamboo?) on the far left blank space, and get some planters or huge pots with colorful plants to break up the expanse of concrete.

I wouldn't repaint. It's not a cottage nor a Craftsman bungalow, so I wouldn't try for cute.

You might consider adding an arbor stained or painted in your trim color--in area where the front door is to direct attention there. It could be attached only to the upper part of the house or have support posts to the ground. I think it might look good to have it over extend along the entire right by the recessed porch area there, or at least several feet wide out from the front door.

I think also that a bit lighter color exterior and a darker trim if going craftsman and perhaps white if you wanted a more cottage look.

I like your idea of enlarging the windows on the front and moving the light to another area.

You could add a rounded look to the shrub bed by using curved blocks from HD or Lowes for edging. They could be placed 2-3 high or even higher along your existing shrub bed and soil added to raise the bed height slightly. I'd take it even over the concrete (unless you jackhammer it out) toward the front door a little bit--add soil and some colorful plants. Add a potted vine to grow over the arbor at either end of the arbor.

Here is a link that might be useful: Attachment of an arbor to the exterior of a home

Idee, why does the house have to be a Craftman or a Bungalow in order to be painted "cute?" That doesn't make sense.

Vampire, I love the first two pictures you showed. A little paint and a garden would really spiff her house up!

Weighing in here.... What color is your roof? I can "see" sage with cream very easily, but since I can't see the roof....

The problem w/ removing the light (which would be nice) is that you then have a hole in your siding that you'll have to deal with. In the event that you go to the one larger window, no prob, just move the light to the peak and you're all set. But in the meantime, you need something to balance it out on the left hand side. Plant might work. Or something architectural? I see a cottage type.

If it were me and I were replacing the windows, I would make it look like three doublehungs together to give you more of that cottage feel. One really nice detail is the trim work. They didn't skimp on that and and it will make a huge difference when you get it painted. So definitely think about keeping it beefy, as it were, as that gives it character and tells something about the age. Ditto on the overhang and the corner boards.

Looks like you live in the southwest? Alyssum should grow there easily and could soften your flower box w/out ripping out concrete, especially if it's dripping over rocks, as in the second pic that Vampiress posted (which is a great direction for you, imo). Or creeping thyme or oregano. Then I'd plant bright annuals or perennials. Fill that sucker up w/ pretty flowering plants, brighten the walls and you'll love your house!

I guess I meant "Cutesy"--it's a nice house, but to my mind there's no point in trying to make it into a faux Craftsman without the architectural details or in to a cottage with some windowboxes and gingerbread.

She's in California, Druid.

Thanks for clarifying. I thought you meant not to paint the house at all. lol

I have a few ideas for your home. i have included a sketch and a photo album on Flickr for ideas about colors and plant selections. hope you enjoy

In front of your home I have added a small courtyard surrounded by a low stone wall. You could even use a low wooden fence. A modern bench and a pot of foxtail fern. The footing could be pea gravel, decomposed granite, flagstone or whatever you like. Even packed earth.

At the top of your drive you have 2 tall planters with boxwood balls and a long low planter full of foxtail ferns. The ground cover is paddle plant.
The containers are galvanized metal.

on the porch another tall container with box ball and a smaller rectangular container with 3 smaller box balls.

A bouganvilla vine adds color and softens the left corner.

For the color, I love what Lauren from purestylehome blog has done. For your home, I would paint the trim the same grey or just a shade lighter. SInce you don't have alot of architectural detail, you don't want it to take center stage. This will give you a monochromatic look.

I suggest a bright color for your door. Lauren chose pumpkin orange.

The stone wall could be bluestone as I have shown or the lighter stone on the bottom half of Lauren's home.

More ideas:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/50366623@N07/sets/72157624097082386/

Bravo dogridge! What a lovely design and how nice of you to put all that together for stephc la.

I don't mean to highjack the thread but do you have any info on the bluestone products? I love them and they look real (vs faux.) My kitchen backsplash is bluestone (very, very similar to one of your pics) but I am sure it is not for exterior use.

sufjar, love the arbor!

kitchenkelly-

I did a google image search for "bluestone wall" and got most of the images from there.
The one that looks most like tile is this

http://www.kafkagranite.com/bluestone_basalt_wall_cladding_tiles/index.php

I think the low and long lines of your house would work well with a modern makeover, since you said you like modern. If you have to park there, then you need the concrete, after all one of the main modern mantras is form follows function. I've seen projects where they score concrete with a saw and then stain to look like stone, maybe that would work. And ditto, about the axing the light. A low stone border on that flower bed and maybe some tall grasses with a bright pottery fountain. I think the rich grey/chocolate color you mention would work, something in a cooler shade than you have now, with just a shade or two lighter trim. Anyway that's my two cents.

Thank you dogridge.

Steph, I live in the L.A. area also. One idea for a "tree" at the front would be a crepe myrtle, some varieties of which grow to 12 ft or so. It would be a nice vertical accent on the left. CMs are pretty care-free in Southern California, especially once they are established. They flower in July/August & come in red, raspberry, pink, white & lavender. Red & raspberry seem to be heavier bloomers. You could consider a couple of clumps of agapanthus next to a CM. Agapanthus spreads in clumps, is also low maintenance, & blooms in June. Flowers on stalks range from white to light blue to deep purple.

Your house is cute & has great potential. I like the idea of curving that front flower bed (maybe just by removing the paving stones that seem to be added?), & moving the front light & trash cans. I also think a lighter color would look good - or even just a lighter trim & leave the body color.

Be sure to keep us posted on what you do!