Could you post a few more pictures from different angles? It's hard to get a feel for the place with just the one. That said, the house is overwhelmed by all that gravel, so I'd be thinking about addressing that first.

We have just published an article on curb appeal! It has some great DIY tips, and ideas for when professionals can help.

We also agree with the previous post - you need to soften the look and get rid of that gravel. Perhaps contact a Landscape Architect for advice?

Amerex Home Renovation Blog

I gather that the gravel is there to serve as a driveway, and I understand why that has to stay, but does it need to extend beyond the garage? Simply landscaping the front past the garage would do a lot to soften the look. And if you're not using the garage where the table and chairs are, perhaps you could lay a few pavers to break up the look of the gravel and create a more inviting patio area.

It looks like you are not using your second garage, so perhaps you could add some lawn and bordering plants to separate the area? If not, pavers, like @jmm1837 suggested. (cos not everyone wants to mow such a small space)

I think a pergola should reflect the angle on the roof and siding, and have a modern vibe to it. Maybe do a search on Pergolas in Houzz Photos to get some ideas. Here are a couple at random:

Muirlands Modern · More Info

Palo Alto Residence · More Info

Cloud Residence · More Info

I think as a contrast a flat roof pergola would be best, as long as you don't have to drive up to the back of your property on the left hand side of your property/photos. Start the pergola at the side of the post near your front door, extend over your corner garden, leave that part of the pergola open roofed, then once past the return section of the house and past the edge of your garden, then close the roof in, so that the structure makes your house look wider and gives it more balance, pave that area, then you could place your outdoor furniture there, it would give your house more of a square look, as where you have your outdoor furniture now, unfortunately just adds to the unbalanced/long look and it is obvious it is not meant to be in front of a garage door. Also stain the pergola, do not paint it, particularly DO NOT PAINT IT GREY!, then finish off by planting, in your current garden, some red flowering plants, finally add a new garden between the end of your new pergola and your side fence line with some tall shrubs for privacy and to soften the look. Good luck

Is money a restriction? You do have far too much featureless gravel, but rather than lose the back half of it to a lawn, you could make a feature of it. Add a driveway border to delineate the purely practical side of it (sleepers, bricks, even a buried plastic edge would do) and use pavers to create a nice path to your front door. Curve it a little.

Dig a little potting mix into the non-driveway gravel and add tall grasses and floral perennials so that you essentially create a walk-through border. Tidying up the plants in winter is less of a chore than regular mowing, the looseness flatters your house just as it is and you add colour and year-round interest. Go for things like salvias, phlomis, bearded iris and self-seeders like alyssum and escholtzia among decorative grasses. Add height by maybe putting in a trio of tall pointy cypresses, or the more interesting (Kaizuka!) junipers.

I like the house. It's the driveway and landscaping that don't work with it. I wouldn't add lawn but low maintenance native groundcovers. That downpipe stands out and needs to be painted. While I like the idea of a pergola if you can't afford to finish the driveway now I don't know if that's a cost effective alternative fix.

Can you paint that cream downpipe so it is less prominent? it is not a feature you want to draw attention to.

On the front wall to the left of the entrance doorway how about putting a bracket on the wall and hanging some plant to soften the brickwork?

not sure if you have painted the top of your home resently but the dark gray does nothing for the blonde brick. You would be better repainting the top half in a colour like Dulux warm neutral and then put up a few plants to give it a more appealing facade. With the gravel to keep funds down add a little lighter colour stone to it ( small river stones of whatever) to lighten the space.

Johnena - I think the seen capping colour from the CB roof works well, I do agree it looks blocky.. So I think it just needs something to break the two colours.

Plants can hide a multiple of sins (or bad sights) maybe ask a local landscaper for some ideas. What sticks out most to me is the difference between the upper wall and the bricks. I would consider changing one of these colours to blend in more naturally with each other e.g. paint the bricks (a big job) or paint the upper section. Maybe paint the upper section a similar colour to the grout of the bricks or something similar - you can also call in a local colour specialist from your local paint store supplier.

Going through the photos these are my thoughts.

- Personally I do not mind the contrast between the colours of the house but it is a strong contrast and might not be to everyone's taste. Do you dislike either of the colours? Changing either colour involves cost and possibly increased ongoing maintenance but if you hate the colour scheme you might feel it's worth it.

- The change in driveway material is visually distracting. It looks like a tight turn into the driveway? As has been said, reducing the amount of gravel would help. I'm not sure what else you can do in the short term.

- The PVC downpipe needs painting so that it doesn't stand out.

- What is the tree on the corner of the house? I think when it gets bigger it will improve the kerb appeal. When it comes to landscaping sometimes what is needed is patience

- Do you need the path to be so wide. If you don't need it for say trailer access or something like that I suggest extending the garden bed on the left further across towards the front door.

- What is the upper lawn for? I lived in a rental property where I had to mow the lawn at the top of a sleeper retaining wall and if possible I would always design such things with a garden bed along the edge to avoid needing to mow right up to the wall. Bonus benefit, you can plant something to spill over the wall and soften it.

- The plants in front of the garage look too large and random and distract from what is quite an interesting modern roofline. I see something like a larger garden bed with more variation in colour and texture, or perhaps more uniformity and one feature plant? And the house number on the brick wall in the same colour as the upper part of the house.

- How's the drainage? I finally worked out what else was bothering me. Not strictly aesthetic. But it looks like you front door is not very high above the surrounding ground level?

- I think the bush garden style with the rocks and strappy plants suits the house.

Carrie, I love the Deborah Carl photos on this website, and I agree about the lawn being a "canvas waiting to happen", nicely said.