SFGate

Elise Go for it and highlight the porch and gable and window trim then change out the existing screen door with a cool stained wood door that blends in with the stain on a new stained wood door for the front entry.

Shelley E. Yes a new screen door is going to be added and landscaping as well next spring. Do you agree with the army green trim around windows and soffets, & downspouts? that i am nervous about

Elise Consider how dark all of colors will be and which features of the home you want highlighted so they pop. Perhaps more contrast to espresso brown?

Shelley E. The stone work will highlight around the mid tone stained front door, and beams. We may use some stone on the window sills on the left as well. So that will be a lighter sandstone. Thanks.

decoenthusiaste I don't think square grids are the answer. I think you need to "contemporize" the entry door to match the windows. Keep the downspouts the same color as the expresso siding or it will look like you're trying to outline the house and will box it in. Lodge look might call for a green standing seam metal roof and more of a cedar color on the siding. Search the box above for "green shingle roof" and you'll see some nice lodges done this way - kind of Adirondack style. I think you can to a contemporary Adirondack thing with this house. You'll get some great ideas for beefing up the entry porch too. I haven't searched for Lodge or Adirondack on this site, but bet there are great ideas.

Shelley E. Thank you... i have thought of a green roof, and we have thought of a Metal roof, but that is double the cost, and if it rains its louder. i understand what you mean about the outline, but not so sure on the windows and doors. I am going to have the cedar beams but not sure if i am going to use a cedar color on the front door with the sandstone around it, or the same as the dark espresso stain on the house. I will look up those. and i have many pics and ideas in my idea book, just dont know how to post those.

Elise Architectural style shingles can add a lot of interest and are recyclable. A lighter toned roof can help with cooling costs in the summer, not sure where you are located. A lighter wood stain like pine or maple could add some color to the cedar and could be used on the doors as well. This could enhance the lodge look.

Beefing up the porch posts by boxing them in and staining the wood could be echoed on the garage as well in the trim. An artist can come in with a wood-graining tool and stain the garage door to match the wood of the front door. Less expensive than completely replacing it. Don't know if its steel, fiberglass or insulated.

Below are some pics of sample items.

Shelley E. I have thought of going lighter brown roof, so if i want to change the color outside to a neutral sand color i could and it would go easier. My original idea was to box in the base of the columns with stone as well, only there isnt enough room on the porch and we are not pouring a new porch. We will ad stone to the back garage at a later date. Trying to stay with in a budget, and i have to cut somewhere, so thats it for now. I need to find a good ap to work with different colors on my house. someone mentioned Alsides, i just havent done it yet. Do you know of any that i can upload a pic of my house and is easy to use with different materials? also your link of samples never showed up Elise? can you please post again? thanks so much!

Elise Sherwin Williams has an app that you can upload a picture onto and test run colors. I sent a door link for you.
http://www.etodoors.com/shop/family/rustic_and_arched_mahogany_doors

Elise Shelley, depending on your budget, your local lumber stores can place orders for you to special order doors. Also - handyman skills can help in staining unfinished doors with sidelites. Here are some pics to see the stained wood contrast to a darker color in the lodge look you like.
Checkout these pics:

http://www.hgtv.com/dream_home/hgtv-dream-home-2011-front-yard-pictures/pictures/index.html

http://www.hgtv.com/dream_home/hgtv-dream-home-2011-car-barn-exterior-pictures/pictures/index.html

Shelley E. Wow Elise, you know exactly what im looking for. I have see those before and have thought about using cedar shingles above the garage and in the front, and side Gables. I am now leaning toward a olive green or dark sage and cedar beams. I have tried to use the link with Sherwin williams but it wouldnt upload. i have used other examples of homes but i really need to see my own. Thanks so much. off to look at stain& doors tonight.
We are also not getting a wood door. We live in Stow, Ohio and the weather is to much moisture.

Elise Marine finish urethane could take care of that problem.
Here's Miller Paint link to upload that photo and test colors.

http://www.millerpaint.com/pages/virtual_painter.htm

Elise Shelley, how is your front entry project going?

Shelley E. Wow, perfect timing. I think i just made a final decision about 1 hour ago but still teetering. Lol i really listened to what you said, and I had thought of going lighter but i was second guessing everything. So i went to Sherwin williams I have come up with a light green color for the house called Cargo Pants SW7738 for the main color, Herbal wash SW7739 a sage color for the trim. not sure if i should have the soffets and downspouts the lighter or darker green. Beams in Cedar. and the brick to the left i think we will go over it with a stone called Sagewood Stack Ledger and around the front door and stairs. I have a company coming tomorrow morn to give me an estimate. I also have called the roofer with an ok, just need to hear back from him on when. I hope he can still do it before thanksgiving. the roof will be a Weathered Wood Ultra HD Timberline. The front door & side lights will be Espresso Mission styl;e from Home Depot called the craftsman collection (preston) design in glass. I love the dark wood for front door and am wondering if i should do the beams dark to match the door, or the door lighter to match the cedar beams? i know i need to move fast. everyone is booked. i am also starting to look at some of the beige colors now, so i am going to put it away!!! i dont need to second guess any more! drives me nuts!
Thanks so much for your input. sometimes you just have to put things down and come back to it later.

Shelley E. Also the app for sherwin williams isnt really doing it justice, and a pain to use. i was told about a benjamin more color visualizer, but its not an app. so im going to try it!

Elise Wow! Great progress there. I like the idea of the lighter door to match the cedar beams as that provides more contrast. Good luck with the apps. Can't wait to see photos posted.

Shelley E. i have to say i have been on the ben moore site playing with the colors and now I'm wanting to go beige, & white? I love that dark door! putting it away and going to bed. thanks. i wish i could make up my mind!

Shelley E. Thought i would check in to say the roof is done and it is a grey brown. i have ordered the door which is a deep espresso brown. i chose the dark after speaking to a professional painter with the outside color. to go lighter would be tough. I am very upset with the company we ordered the door with. it was to be in on Oct. 31 st, and installed the first weekend of nov. it wont even be shipped till dec 3rd. and hopefully installed next weekend. pics to come. i have bought some Hemlock trees on sale and they will be going in the ground next spring along with the stone work over the existing brick and around the front door and larger front step with some boot caps around the beams. I so wish it was spring, but it will give me more time to work on the landscaping. need to buy a design program for my Mac computer. very impatient with this door thing now.

Elise Sorry you are having a tough time with the door company, but you will have a new door in before Christmas! Check out this landscape design program and see if you like it.

"We do however test for compatibility and SmartDraw is supported running in Windows on the newer Intel-based Macs." customer support at SmartDraw

http://www.smartdraw.com/specials/landscapedeck.asp?id=328031&gclid=CJ2x5cCb_7MCFSXZQgodGiAAzw

houssaon Hemlock trees grow very fast. If you don't prune them to keep them as a privacy hedge, they'll be over twenty feet in five to seven years. Keep that in mind when you plant them. Naturally they are about 15 feet wide and 70 feet tall. I love their graceful form.

Leigh Durand IMO Downspouts should rarely be features (they are ugly)! and should be the same colour as the body of the house.

Shelley E. Okay here's a new shot of the new grey brown roof and the dark mission style front door with stained-glass windows and side lights my thought is to go over the existing brick to the left with Ledgestone and around the door over the porch and remove the one step and make a longer step the length of the porch the beams will have a Y at the top. Does anyone think that the Ledgestone up around the front door is going to be too much the reason that I went dark with the door was because I was going to do this down around the door,
I'm real concerned about the stone and putting it in and spending the money and it doesnt turning out well. I need some feedback please. Also should I stain the house darker or do you have a color preference there is a picture in my exterior folder idea of a grey taupe house with white trim that I'm absolutely in love with but need some feedback.
I'm going to also upload a picture of a house that I saw with this with a different color that I'm thinking of going with that as well, it has more of a greenish tint to it but I do not have a color code so let me know what you think of that too.