I would wait - re-paint and remove the shutters first. You might find that you like the roof-line once you've cleaned up the windows and color situation. If you still hate it - then you can change it, but you might save yourself some money by waiting. For what it's worth, I kind of like the funky roof line (but I really like odd lines).

To me, the window box and shutters balance the space. I think that window's going to look small without them. I would remove whatever the trim thing is above the window.

I like the roof line and think it gives the house character - you've got the 50's garage in front (we have that, too), front door right off the driveway - I say embrace it. Pick a paint color that sets off the brick so that you have a horizontal anchor to the roof (a gray green?) and once you get the landscaping in, you might even think of it as a feature!

That's a huge alteration to the facade's appearance. There would be no way that I would consider doing something like that without an architect's drawings, just so I could get a sense of what it looks like: how the proportions and lines would change.

I think I would get rid of the shutters on that casement window and that little shelf do-dah above it. I would try to make a visual asset out of the asymmetry. Could you extend the window box to the right into that void? Carry the board-and-batten siding up to the dormer cheek? Short of that, I could also see some kind of trellis or planting there to take the emphasis off of that swooping eave.

It would have a lot more curb appeal if you took Norrey's advice. new plantings helps too. I love the roof line but it does look drab due to the colors of the siding roof and bricks. I'd remove the shutters and treat myself to a bigger window. If you dislike MCM, this house could go towards beach cottage. very appealing looking home though.

I agree - keep it and work with it. Without the roofline it's kind of just a boring box, even if you add the window. Perhaps you'd get far more mileage out of getting a really great garage door and taking off or at least harmonizing some of those elements around the window.

Why not simply repaint? Admittedly I think your roofline looks OK, but a lower contrast between the trim and wall color would really make it stand out less. I'm also not really in love with the high contrast of your garage door to the rest of the house, so you can fix that at the same time. Instead find a way to draw attention to your front door, which is currently kind of hidden.

When you are landscaping place some taller stuff in front of the roofline you hate (not right up against the house -- you don't want to look like you are hiding something!). A nice bed with a multi-trunk type tree at the center and some other sort of shrubbery surrounded by lower-growing perennials or grasses would be great.Use one or two huge, beautiful planters to draw the eye more to the front door area. I think Southern Living magazine did a feature about updating your facade a couple months ago that would be relevant to your yard.

three long narrow windows (connected) might look good, following the lines of the siding.

I'd definitely change that roofline & facade however I'd save money until I could do the full job, for now I'd just put some plants in the planter box, the shutters won't be as noticeable if you put some taller plants in front of the shutters.

I agree with the above comments. I think fresh paint and a lack of shutters would greatly improve the exterior. If it still bothers you you could plant something tall in front of the lowest part of the pitched roof since there are no windows to obstruct.

A 1-day quick fix: get some paint to match the original exterior wall color, paint over the white fasia boards along the roof line, remove the shutters and live with it for a week or two. It's hard to see past that bright white inverted check-mark on the face of your house!

I like it too! But if quaint and cute is not your thing and you're going for something a bit more modern, I'd say keep the shutters (definitely would make the window look oddly small as a previous commenter pointed out), but paint them, the brick and the angled facade bit in darker, contrasting colors. Maybe slate and/or a dark gray?

If your concern is the angle - add some taller foliage or a tree there to balance the height - maybe two or three manicured column hedges if you like a modern look. Finally, I don't own a home so I'm not thinking in terms of whether it would damage the siding, but a modern-styled trellis with a climbing vine or understated flowering plant crawling up that wall might also make it stand out in a good way. I recently saw someone using high-grade plaster sheet rock wire (like chicken wire but thicker and more industrial looking) as a trellis and it was awesome.

OR you could just embrace the cutesy look and put a bunch of geraniums in the flower box, flouncy gingham curtains in the window, then buy an apron, give yourself an up-do and call it a day.

Depending on if you have a modern vibe going on on the inside, I would lose the shutters, window box and shelf....change the paint so your trim/garage door doesn't contrast and choose a less blah colour. If funds permit I thing a nicer, ?bigger? window would work better. I don't think it's the roofline that is the problem...more a mod line paired with ridiculously traditional elements...shutters, curvy window box.

Landscaping will help this a lot. Put a tall shrub or tree in that corner and you'll lose the awkwardness of that sloping feature.

I agree with Dave Barnes.

I'm just curious though, is it possible to climb onto your roof from the ground?

I agree w/the landscaping ideas that some have posted. Put in tall, slender trees to bring the eye upwards. I didn't read where you are located so if wind and storms are an issue then you may not want to go that route and go with a fun paint color and trm. As much I dislike 'shutters', I think if you remove them, it may dwarf your window as someone else posted. Good Luck.

What's your style? This roof line has a lot of potential and I have posted some ideas below depending on your taste (these images are just for inspiration):

Mid Century Modern: http://takesunset.com/2010/04/sacramento-mid-century-modern-home-tour/

Tudor: http://www.architecturetoursla.com/gallerypages/7.htm

Craftsman: http://media.tumblr.com/tumblr_lwd7h0Ob6S1r3muyd.jpg

The looks that I posed above can be attained without doing anything to your room line. All it takes is a creative use of trim, materials, and colors.

I actually kind of like your facade! Funny as it is to say. The swooping roofline to me isn't UNmodern ... a little different and fun. The brick veneer over the foundation, also fun.

One thing to consider that replacing a window with a longer, not wider, window, will probably be less expensive. So you could bring that front window down another foot or so with less expense. I'd probably put a pretty heavy trim around the window to bring more focus.

If I were picking a new color scheme, I think it would look more modern on this house to do a lightish grey on the vertical siding and a slightly darker grey on the trim and garage door. This would let the brick stand out a little more for interest while letting the trim recede. The garage door isn't very MCM so I wouldn't highlight it with a color unless replacing.

I'd also put a columnar or skinny evergreen well in front of the low swoop. Far enough from the house that it won't impinge on the house. Maybe something like a Serbian spruce. Other ideas are weeping larch (staked up high). Or a clump of ornamental birches that won't grow too high.

I'd also be tempted to pop some nice big modern house numbers right above that window where the 'shelf' is.

I notice you say you like Mid Century Modern -- didn't notice that at first. the roof line could work well for that I think, but someone tried to make it " cute " with the thingee above the window and the strange shutters the lines on the siding to add "interest" which you may or may not like. --very boxy that window area --also the fact that it the surroundings are so unfinished and maybe to the eye -- it may appear negative to you in some way. I say embrace it and simplify it .

I love the roof line! And I completely agree with adding a longer window that is boldly framed.

Are there a lot of houses around yours with the same roof line?

I have to agree with what a lot people are saying - keep the roof line. Especially if you're running out of money. Someone suggested painting the house a gray green - I can see that working really well. I can also see a burnt orange/red color looking great too with some contrasting trim. Maybe pair that with a natural wood front door, some brick/stone on the walls in the front door entry way, and a new garage door. This wouldn't be cheap - but if you wanted to make that roof line a feature you could consider changing the roofing material to a metal and that would give it some craftsman character.

Front door: http://www.heartsandhome.com/test/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/Wood_Door_Strip.jpg

Garage door: http://www.fauxtofinish.net/Exteriors/Craftsman_style_garage_door_AFTER.jpg

The roofline MAKES THE HOUSE! Remove all thoughts of changing it. I agree with your inclination to remove the shutters and planter. This is a mid-century design that got a little mixed up by trying to add older style windows (which seems to have happened a lot - new style trying to mash in old standards.) Search online for other mid-century houses that use a peaked roof. Most have windows that go up to the peak, or have a decorative element that mimics this idea. A lot have this section of the house be all stone or brick, not just the bottom area. Since putting in new window sizes and/or stone veneering can be expensive and can be done at a point in the future you can keep costs low by simply painting. I would first try things like a dark trim and garage door and a house color that is different than the brick so the brick can stand out as its own element. I think grey often goes well with brick and helps make mid-century houses "grow up." White trim is for colonials, and more traditional houses. Odd spots on the veneer (like too large expanses) can be filled in with a tall bush, small tree, or even a horizontal lattice.

None of these are exactly your roofline (which you should definitely keep!!), but here are couple links for ideas in the general area:

http://www.ontarioarchitecture.com/Contempo.htm

http://takesunset.com/2010/04/sacramento-mid-century-modern-home-tour/

http://www.apartmenttherapy.com/your-areas-midcentury-modern-h-127431

Lose the shutters and put in a bigger window, or series of windows.

I personally really like the roofline. As others have suggested, lose the shutters, perhaps put in a bigger window - or a series of three long windows.

If you're feeling brave, I would paint the triangular part of the house one color, and the rest another color. The trim could be another shade of the house color. I think going daring with the paint might really make your house "pop".

If you hate the facade, why did you buy it?

You say you love mid-century style...this IS mid-century style.

Personally, I wouldn't change anything. I think the roofline is way cool. Just update the paint job with some colors that are true to your house's era...what year was it built? 1960s or '70s? Go with avocado greens, harvest golds and rusty oranges. You know the drill.

Love the house you're in.

I couldn't agree more with what others have said regarding landscaping. We have done this in a previous home and in our current home. When we have had spaces on the front of our house facade that felt empty or blank, where another window might be well suited, we have stuck a short tree in that spot and it cured the entire problem. One of our houses was urban and didn't even have a front yard, but we got an 7 foot tall potted tree and placed it in front of the blank space and it was amazing how well it balanced the front of the house! If you planted a Japanese Maple or some sort of low-growing tree in front of that space, I think you'd be very pleased with the results.

Congrats on the new home. Give it some time & finish the other stuff first (outside) & that may make the roof line less hateful to you. Paint the garage door something other than WHITE; ditto the roofline trim. Consider a bigger window; out to where the shutter edges. If you just take off the shutters, I think that window will look awfully small.

Even if every home on the block has 'that' '70s characteristic, I think it's still one of the better, classic characteristics.

Don't make a change to the front of the house with out an architect. In the short run it may be better to look at the roof line as a feature rather than a drawback - it's very much a period look. Painting the fascia to match the siding will minimize the odd lines, and thoughtful landscaping will help.

Ditto other commenters. I'd do a paler or brighter house paint, one that contrasts with the brick. I think if the brick stands out more, it would provide balance and really showcase all the features. I personally like the white trim, and the window box. Add some bright POP flowers, like hot pink, or red, and it will also help create a new focal point.

How about this: remove the shutters & window box. Add beefier looking supports where the existing ones are under the roofline (can just surround current supports so there is not a structural issue) -- use supports like the type you would find on a Craftsman bungalow, although nothing too ornate. Just big enough to be noticed and draw the eye to the upper part of the roofline. Also employ the landscaping & painting tips others have already given. I think this would give a very different look to the house but still be in keeping with its original style.

I'll join the chorus: For now repaint and wait. With a different color (and I'd consider painting the brick beneath, too), you may find you like the roofline, which IMHO has potential. When you have the money to work with an architect, you will have lived with it for a while, and then you will know (a) whether you want to change it at all and (b) precisely what you'd want to do with it. A change that big should never be done too fast or too cheaply.

Thinking about the idea of a stone or brick veneered entryway - what if you painted just the entryway and front door in a contrasting color? E.g. if house was graygreen, maybe mandarin orange. That seems a bit wacky...but could be fun.

The right paint, cedar slat horizontal wrap, and a good tree. DONE.

There is really no need to change the facade and I can't imagine that you would ever recover that cost on resale. The roofline itself is fine, it suits the house even if it doesn't suit you personally, you know? Good design will solve this problem for you.

I would remove the shelf thing above the window, the old shutters and the window box. Then I would design a new, cedar or ipe horizontal slat wrap that goes up to the height of the roof over the garage, and across from the entry wall to about 1 foot past the current shutters on the right. You could even wrap the cedar around the corner towards the door. The goal is to add a visually dominant element that leads you into the entry, away from the roofline.

Choose modern colors for your paint and make sure you lower the contrast between the fascia trim color and the siding. I'm visualizing an iron blue-gray siding (Benjamin Moore - Night Train) with a cedar reddish brown trim (Firenze - Benjamin Moore). If you paint the fascia a cedar paint color to coordinate with the wood shutters, that will really de-emphasize the roofline, make it look modern and cool, and save you the trouble and expense of reworking the facade.

Plant a tree (something eye catching like a Japanese Maple) in front of that corner and surround it with other shrubs and flowers - that will tone down the dominant line of the roof as well.

You're welcome LOL. (Hope these ideas help you see some new possibilities).

Why not remove the shutters and planter, and install a larger window. That would bring more light into the space and work with the proportions of the facade. And paint the facade as well. You might find that you like the roof line. Hmm, I think it would look great a dark grey/ black color.

I would make some of the more simple changes, before drop the money on the roofline. If you like midcentury, than you can push this house back a little closer to that. I'd paint the house a nice medium gray. Get rid of the shutters and planter. Replace the window all together with one large window. Paint the garage door black, and if you need to replace just the shingles on the roof I'd go with something darker than the paint color. They have metal roofs now that are cost effective and last a long and I think that will be fine enough. I'd also cover the brick with something a bit more natural, like stone or false stone. And don't forget to paint the door. "The midcentury modern style in homes is characterized by clean simplicity and integration with nature." So, I would then closely pay attention to the surrounding landscaping, making sure that the house blends with the natural landscape.

a tree planted in front of the house to the right of the window would be a nice addition to your yard and would help 'hide' the part of the roof line that you don't like.

You can run into all kinds of problems with leaking when you change a roofline. If you have an intact (non leaking) roof, be thankful and leave it alone. I agree that the window box and shutters should go, as they have nothing to do with the home design, as well as that odd shelf thing over the window. If you have the money, putting in a wider window is a good idea, but not as wide as the shutters are currently -- that proportion is wrong.

I think you might like the sloped roof better if you paint the fascia board and window surround and garage a dark neutral to contrast with a lighter color house. Say, for instance, a dark, purple-green trim color with a slate gray-taupe (close to what you have but a little lighter in shade and cooler in tone) siding. If you have room in front, perhaps a small courtyard surround in dark wood. Or plant a tree about even with that vent in your stone foundation -- a spreading Japanese maple, Bloodgood or Emporer One. The purple leaves and graceful form would offset your angular home perfectly.

^^ sorry, meant to say...

"If you paint the fascia trim a cedar paint color to coordinate with the CEDAR SLAT WINDOW TREATMENT, that will really de-emphasize the roofline"

ALSO NOTE, Firenze paint would go very well with the brick.

definitely would be nice if you can afford to expand current window. I like the roofline otherwise, but without shutters the opening may look small....

I agree with a lot of the other comments. I say paint you're garage so it's not SO white, paint the rest of the front and side of the dormer. I don't mind the white trim myself, but I would get rid of the little shelf above the window. If you could afford a larger window take out the old one and replace it with something with better proportions.

As for the angled roof, I just think the house needs some balance and an easy way to do that is with tall trees. I would recommend Columner Aspens (as long as they work in your zone - which if they work where I live, they should work where ever you are). They grow pretty quickly and are good trees for close to the house as their root system doesn't do the damage that other trees can.

Here's a badly photoshopped image with a darker garage door, darker house paint and trees.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/stream13/7268257880/

Depending on how committed you are the the siding, I'd think about removing it and stucco-ing the whole facade. I'd change the paint color to a darker gray shade (and paint over the bricks as well), and probably also change out that garage door to something more MCM-friendly.

As others have said, landscaping with some dramatic/graphic larger plants will help lots, but I'd also remove the window box, and do a large concrete (or that look) planter along the front of the house (basically at the brick line), so that you have a little dimension, and can have some gorgeous plants with interest front & center.

Remove shutters and put in a bigger window, then paint the exterior and choose a darker colour than your main colour for the trim to soften the edges of the roof line.

Some landscaping would also go a long way. You could plant some attractive shrubs and perhaps a tree in front of the hated roof slope.

All much cheaper than changing the roof line and probably just as effective.

First, paint the roof line trim to match the house color or darker so it is not accentuated. Then, put vertical trim boards on the portion of the house that does not have them. The eye will register the house as a rectangular shape as appose to a triangular shaped house with an addition.

Other suggestions;
Paint the garage door darker than the house color so it too is not the focus. Make the front door and/or the recessed entry way the focus of attention with a bright or light color. Most mid-century houses have painted brick. Paint the brick dark to match the garage.

As always, research, research, research. Google images, or Pinterest search mid-century house to get inspired. Your home has great potential.

I would rip off those shutters completely. They're interfering with the mid century roof! And so is that window box. With a careful selection of paint and (eventually) landscaping, you'll lose that weird vibe that's happening right now.

I'd embrace the character of your home's facade as it is inline with the mid-century modern stylings.

Ya so I really dig the roof. It's great. For some reason the asymmetry of it all makes me think of a quirky, quaint Hansel and Gretel-y cottage. I would totally go there. Maybe add some nice vines? And I agree about cleaning up the window and painting.

I like the roofline.

I know I'm repeating other ideas, but paint the white fascia to match the house (or at to least contrast less), lose the shelf, KEEP the shutters until you can afford to install a wider window, lose or PLANT the window box, and plant three at least 6 foot (taller if you can afford it) columnar evergreens (arborvitae, juniper, cypress) evenly spaced between the window and the end of the house. (Three, no more no less.) This will obscure the roofline you don't like and add a nice geometric component to your landscape.

Just Google mid century modern house facades and you will begin to visualize your house. I too love the roof line and believe that the issue lies with the window. When you see pictures you will see examples of how windows can be different shapes but fill up the space more. NO shutters for sure or other do-dads. Think clean lines. I would also paint the brick. I agree that the colors should be darker and a more modern vibe with the door color as your focus. I visualize an amazing toffee or carmel with black accents. Or dark slate colors. Just be sure that the Front door is the bold focus color. Goodness paint the garage door, I soooo hate when people leave it white and sticks out like a sore thumb. Remember what you want the focus to be, which for me should be the entrance.

Good luck! Share the after pics!

Maybe on the side above the slope put a metal decoration. I can't find exactly what I am looking for on the internet, but here are a few links below to show you. Not sure where you live, but I've seen on the East Coast a lot more country looking homes that use metal stars as deco. I think something above the roof line would maybe balance out the placement of the window and blank space on the right.

http://shop.hobbylobby.com/store/item.aspx?ItemId=168506&F_All=Y

http://www.google.com/imgres?um=1&hl=en&sa=N&biw=853&bih=551&tbm=isch&tbnid=27sM0MslCWYUKM:&imgrefurl=http://andsewitgoes.blogspot.com/2009/09/travel.html&docid=0cn6POSDVTSbQM&imgurl=http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_zpxNq11gw0E/SsRW3Q3o57I/AAAAAAAAFKI/VHqtvXs4oj0/s400/house-star.jpg&w=400&h=300&ei=8-K_T9CNEILY2AWRg4yWDQ&zoom=1

I would keep the roofline in tact... replace the box planter window with a much larger rectangular window, paint the house a lighter color, paint the brick a slight shade darker than the new house color, and paint the trim with a dark color and invest in a dark simple but quality garage door.

I really like the angled roofline!

Lots of houses in my neighborhood (mostly from the '50s) have more cottagey features like the shutters, thingie above the window. Even fake dovecotes. Not all midcentury houses look like Eichlers.

Think about removing the shutters, though like others have said, the window will read much smaller.

The other alternative is to reverse the contrast on your house. If you can't afford to paint eveything (or really love the main color)--and your paint seems to match your roof and the brick--think about painting everything that is white a color that is DARKER and contrasts with the main house color. Then paint the front door some sort of awesome color that makes you look there instead of at the roofline.

Work on your landscaping. Other people have given a lot of great ideas. I prefer asymmetrical landscapes, but do what works for you. I'd plant some sort of tree w/ a light feel (like a Japanese maple) in front of the part of the house where the angled roofline comes down. The color of the tree could also tie in with your front door (red, burgundy, or orange? or if you put in a green Japanese maple, you could paint the door a more chartreuse color.) You could also put some midcentury-ish planters near the front door, which would also draw the eye away from the roofline.

I've always found the best thing to do is live in a house for awhile. It's amazing the things you thought you wanted to change that become features you love.

Do you see yourself being in this house for decades to come? Does the roofline show on the inside? If so, is it an awkward feature of a room you use often? Do you have the budget to redo the roofline without it being a big hit to your savings? If yes, then do it. Otherwise, live with it a while. How often do you stare at the roof from your front yard?

On the other hand, ignore the people here (and me, sans practical budgetary and investment advice aside) who say they just loooove the roof. It's not their house, it's yours.

I like MCM, too, and you sloping roofline is what drew me to this post. To me, the roofline looks mcm and I find the facade (minus the shutters and planter box) quite interesting.. Personally, I would invest in making the window bigger and landscaping.

I think the house looks very MCM with that roof line, but I'm not a pro at architecture either LOL. Either way love the roof line!!! I agree with most other posters to keep the roof line and replace the window but my change would be to put in several vertical, narrow windows in that are custom and go from the floor line inside up to the roof line and mimic the roof line. Then in between the windows I would try to find stones that match the foundation to go up to the roof line also and plant 2-3 vertical bushes or trees (something you can groom into a geometric shape in front of the vertical placement of stone. if you cannot find stone that closely matches or you cannot afford them, where you would have put the stones change the color of the siding to something that will pop a little behind the plants that you choose to put in front of those sections. I say play it up more rather than try to hide it! I truly believe that you aren't fond of it because of that window that is there now, which, like other posters, I truly believe someone accidentally mixed architectural styles there.

Removing the shutters and window box would help a lot, and what about a round white globe pendent at the entrance? If you don't like the roofline draw the eye towards the entrance and add landscaping. I think you can make it work without major construction because the bones of it looks mid-century to me. I think you may have to be purposeful with the color and what ever color you paint around the window. Getting a bigger window as some have suggested will be really expensive, too.

Your house IS MCM. Check out the Brady Bunch house, built in 1959:

http://mid2mod.blogspot.com/2012/02/brady-bunch-house.html

I would remove the shutters and window box and enlarge the window width by about 50%. Then keep that paint color or something similarly earth-toned, but paint the roofline trim the same color as the house. Paint the garage and window trim either the same color as the house, or a complementary earth-toned shade. Then make sure your front door is mid-century appropriate in style and paint it something eye-popping. Orange maybe.

http://gallery.apartmenttherapy.com/photo/la-rachelthurstonhousetour/item/300417

http://gallery.apartmenttherapy.com/photo/jeffs-resourceful-mid-century-remodel/item/339063

I like it the way it is. Is has clean lines.
I don't like the color, though.
Paint it, and put a decorative trim on the fascia boards.
Save money on an architech and get landscape designer instead.
Once you put some flowers in the window boxes and plants in you will be surprised at how much you will like it.

Actually, the Brady house also has shutters.....
As long as you can't afford a wider window, I'd leave the shutters for the proportions. I'd definitely remove the shelf above the window. I am not sure about the planter (at least if you'd consider planting it), but I think what bugs me most are the ornate brackets underneath it. Maybe you could replace those?
Paintwise, I can very well picture a greenish-grey, as others have suggested; with white or light grey trim. Light grey might have the advantage of letting that enormous garage door fade a bit more into the background.
Additionally, as soon as that garden is cleared up, it will look much better anyway.....

it seems that the window was replaced with smaller, leaving the insert above (is this a bird refuge now?), yet the new window picks up the horizontal roofline over the garage, so that is the replace question. keep rooflines, garage door s/b siding colour, entry lighter, dump colonial shutters (not good size for window, either), paint trim darker than house (black, chocolate, navy), add not too many slender bushes, planter optional.

I can understand removing the box and shutters if you want to go with a MCM style. I think the roofline is great as it is, though. We also have an asymmetrical window, and I would suggest the same plan we have: Balance the window with the landscaping. Plant three skyrocket junipers (or other tall plant) on the right side of the window.

The roofline is this house's best feature -- don't get rid of it. If you are just starting to like midcentury modern, gorge yourself on MCM blogs and websites, and soon you'll realize that your roofline is something many MCM aficionados would kill for. The window box and its adjacent paraphernalia look a little too colonial for the rest of the vibe. Streamline that, repaint in gray (maybe with a darker gray or other contrast on the upper right triangle) and add some orange (flowers, front door or -- if you're bold -- the stripe of the roofline) and you're set.

Don't [try to] fix it if it ain't broke.

Don't remove the roofline!

I personally think you should keep the roofline the way it is. If you remove the shutters and planter box, I think the window is going to look small and misplaced. I'd be tempted to replace that window with a much larger window in the same spot before I changed the roofline.

As a fellow MCM lover, I say keep the roof line. It makes your house look more MCM in my opinion.