Hi definitely remove the x bars on the deck balustrade. Landscape close to the house so it grounds the house. Trees will make it look less bare. Chose some that work for your area, that are evergreen, and are not going to grow really big. With a really plain house - dark colors will make it look better. Dark Grey, or black with a warm tone so it doesn't have a blue undertone in it. Make sure it is a warm grey or black. Use green foliage around it. Paint out the pergola in the dark grey too or white if you want a different look. Fill in the balustrade where the x is removed with plants in front of those areas. Grow a vine up the pergola that is nice.

Sorry I am so late coming to your site - you are an inspiration to all, homeowners and advisers alike. For your planting advice, I suggest you call Merrifield Garden Center to see if they will come out your way. They currently have wonderful garden centers in Merrifield and Fairfax (both in Fairfax County) and a new one in Gainesville, but they may come further south to wherever you reside. (www.MerrifieldGardenCenter.com) Even if they don't send designers to your area, they are worth a trip to see their huge selection for a day of pleasure and inspiration, or to pick up some plants. Most of my clients are in the Fairfax and greater Washington area, but I am currently living out west below Front Royal, VA on the Shenandoah mountainside - wonderful views. cascio.offsite@gmail.com

Thanks for the replies! My wife suggested we talk to a local real estate agent, so i think that is a good idea... just that Im not sure how helpful they are likely to be if we arent selling yet :) As for saving for our dream house, I dont disagree, however if doing this up nicely over the next ~5 years or so while we live here nets us some extra in the eventual sale, then that of course will help us as well. Interesting thing happened today actually. I got a knock on the door and one of the older neighbours asked if he could take some lemons from the tree. I of course said yes. Anyway he was telling me he had lived in the street for 40 years. I asked him if the house had always looked like this, and he said no that ~30 years ago the old old owner did a massive renovation and pulled off the timber and put up the bricks and gutted the inside of the house. Interesting stuff!

Moss. Preferably the thick dense dark green kind of moss that looks like a carpet that grows on the north side of embankments where little sun reaches. How close is your nearest state or national forest or, in the alternative, the nearest dirt road with an embankment that gets little if any sun because of shade trees. Take a drive and/or walk and see what kinds of moss you can find and take some pics. A dozen or so pieces would likely be all you need to get it started because, with the right conditions -- shade and moisture -- it spreads. (Ferns like shade but usually do better with drainage. Moss likes damp but will not grow in a puddle.) Where you have windows, you could create a "view" : With a concrete planter (or on concrete pavers set a large clay planter) with a trellis with English ivy. Alternately, you could buy your own pieces of exterior grade plywood and use deck screws to affix them to the fence posts and horizontal supports of the fence and decorate them w/paint and/or planters and/or metal sculpted art --- get creative.