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dommaria Can you paint over the side bricks, so they are also white?

bonnielynn75 I don't think the exterior is ugly at all! The white is balanced out and the mixture of materials" is what it is" Other than a missing shutter, I would concentrate on the landscaping. So many historical style homes have a nice curved walkway and plantings along it. If you increase the porch area at the door you could add a couple of urns. It would be worth a visit to a landscape designer to suggest some things to create some curb appeal. It is a lovely home, you should be proud of it!

feeny It's a lovely house, but if you want to de-emphasize the white siding areas you could paint them a taupe or khaki or pale olive-gray color (using a shade taken from the stone facing below), or even just an ivory instead of stark white would soften the look. I suspect colors like those would be acceptable in a historic district (we too live in a protected historic district with houses from the 1920's, and those shades are used all the time for trim and siding).

Melley Nelson Design I agree, get a color closer to the stone color and then, and usually hate shutters, get appropriate sized shutters, good looking wood ones if you can. The ones on your windows are not 'historical', they don't fit. Bulk them up, paint them not black but a color to work with the stone paint. Then add some color at the door to draw your eye to the details there.

Jayme Hobbs Did u reinstall shutters on the stone area? Agreed that painting the stone would be of a big help. Have u considered a front door color?

mmilos I would focus on landscaping and a new roof. That cheap, light gray composition shingle isn't helping. Go with a charcoal gray architectural shingle. Remove the antenna. Improve the landscape. Paint the front door brick red or a very dark green (full gloss). Add missing black shutters.

mmilos Also, are your windows simulated divided or true divided light? They look like flat panes of glass with the mullions sandwiched between the glass...If so, I'd replace the windows for ones with thicker divided light mullions.

Jayme Hobbs I like the dark door

TJP Designs and Construction LLC I’m not an advocate to paint stone or brick (only as last resort). Once the shutters are replaced with larger ones (with complementary color) and possibly adding a planter box below the lower windows, there won’t be much stone showing. Add in new shingles, and possibly a new wood front door and what a difference, not to mention landscaping!

joanjean1 Thank you for all the ideas. @bonnielynn we can't change anything on the structure so no changes to the porch. We have already changed the roof and the antennae is gone, we still have shutters to replace. So wood shutters is the way to go? @mmilos the windows are original to the house they are wood single pane with the mullions and storm windows outside. The energy efficient double panes are not in the budget as they would also have to be wood and the windows are 45 wide and 75 tall. So that would be too expensive right now. @tjp I won't paint the brick but like the idea of the window boxes and shutters. We are still working on the landscaping. Do you think we should get shutters like the like the ones you post? We were looking at the ones with the closed louvers.

joanjean1 We have painted the door black it is the original wood door from 1940 so we saved it.

mmilos joanjean, windows are fine then...it was the storm windows that threw me off.

mveasey I love the house! I would definitely not paint the stone. If you paint the siding the same stone colour, the house will seem split in half. Paint it a complimenting colour,some paint manufacturers websites let you upload photos and try out different paint on selected areas of a photo.you can play around that way, without having to lift a finger (except on your screen).
Good call on the roof. Love the front door arrangement. And yes, some landscaping will add curb appeal, and mellow/unify your exterior look.
Again, it is a beautiful house.

joanjean1 Here are a few pics of the exterior of the house

mveasey Wow, it is even more beautiful and bigger than I thought!
The greenery makes such a difference...

joanjean1 I thought maybe if I put a tree on the side of the front yard that has the siding that would also help to block the siding. I got rid of the pink flowering tree on the right it was too close to the house and was blocking the brick part of the house that I do like.

Jayme Hobbs I think once the shutters are back on, it will make a huge difference...I wonder if there are any products to "treat" the stone and add a little sheen? Not familiar with that but wonder if it would perk it up a bit and help restore the natural beauty of it. Painting door will help. More height variation in your shrubs and plantings will help. Pic shows more variety in height and color/texture. LOVE your wonderful home!!

houssaon Why can't you change the color of the siding? I mean from a bright white to a more light tuape. Would that be allowed?

I do love you house and love to see neighborhoods with this type of housing preserved.

joanjean1 Thanks Jayme, The plants are only a year old. I have boxwoods that grow to 3 ft and forever and ever hydrangeas that grow to 5 ft roses and limelight light hydrangeas and some other plants so in a few years it will look as it should. that is a beautiful house very symmetrical as a colonial should look. thanks for the pic . I will try to find a pic of the door as it is now.

joanjean1 houssaon, I think we maybe able to get away a small change in color. The historic district is very very unyielding. Most the homes are 1920 and 30s mine is the ugly ducking in the neighborhood but it has a very nice footprint/layout and lots of character and charm.

joanjean1 http://www.houzz.com/photos/users/joanjean1

Jayme Hobbs Cool...I like the door!!

TJP Designs and Construction LLC You may want to check with your historic bylaws regarding the style of shutters, if you have an option you may want to get a sample of each (raised panel and closed louver) and decide which one! Good luck with the project!

Sweet Caroline Garden Design I own a century old house in a city landmark district and I know the rules can be strict. However, your house has apparently been changed from the original and if you hired an architect to draw up a plan I'd suggest that he or she try to match the left side with the right by applying a brick facade. By emphasizing to the commission that you are returning the home's style to the original I believe you will have success. I would also keep the landscape very simple and have made a rough sketch of what I would do if you were my client. That 'Limelight' hydrangea that you have now will grow to be quite large so I'd make sure I would give it plenty of room - perhaps on the far right side. This was my favorite shrub in my own garden because it blooms so beautifully for such a long time.