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Tandra Griffiths If you're willing to do major renovations, you could extend the porch and make the windows larger. If that's too much, definitely start with the landscaping. It looks like you've got a decent bed there in the front, but it's really sparce. What zone do you live in?

judyg


First, remove the vinyl shutters and see how your home looks to you.

tmac1 Actually this photo was from early last spring and we did work on the landscaping but I can't find a photo of it. I was hoping for some help with ideas about the actual house. The house is in Connecticut. The windows are all brand new already so that is kind of a done deal there.

judyg Then in the planting area at your entry, a miniature split leaf maple would look great..

judyg Then when you are in the mood, paint the house a more silver gray, like the roof.

tmac1 Great ideas. I think a silvery gray would be nice but I'm trying to picture it if it would be too much. It needs a paint job. What about adding like some sort of a pergola type thing in the front?

tmac1 I'm torn between gray and white.

msmolinski I would definitely add some window planters to at least two of the windows in the front (perhaps the two bigger ones.) Another suggestion I have is perhaps to repaint the window shutters to a brown, lighter blue, or even a softer cream colour. Or you can totally repaint everything to give your whole home a fresh look. The picture below is similar to your color scheme, but with a lot more warmth. It would look great with the red brick fireplace exteriors as well! Furthermore, I would look to adding some great terra cotta plant potters in front on the porch with some beautiful sunflowers planted inside. You can also consider a new front door light, something bigger with a more rustic feel.

judyg Two postings here...

tmac1 Actually the shutters were originally painted cream and it looked dated. I replaced them with black shutters. Now I'm wondering how it would look with no shutters at all! What great ideas thank you!

Scott Design, Inc. Here are a couple of ideas along with a very quick elevation
1. Apply Kleer or Azek panels to the gable ends. Since you don't have deep gable eaves, these panels will be very shallow but painted various shades of grey to accent depth. This is PVC material that can be painted and will not peel or blister.
2. Apply "fake windows" as 4-pane panels with casing on upper walls same size as existing small window. Hold window that will be on front wall the same distance off the corner as the other.
3. Bring roof eave over the porch around to the front of the house the same distance off the house as the eaves. Where the above panels will provide enough balance, this treatment will add weight to the front of the house.
4. Add 2 additional columns and dress up all three with capital and base (not sure how much room you will have for the door light; may have to eliminate it and add recessed light to ceiling)
5. Increase size of shutters on triple windows
6. You can also apply panels to the wall adjacent to the entry door the same height as the triple windows on the gable end wall and the full width of the wall. Then you can place a bench underneath it.

All of this is an attempt to balance the large amount of open wall shingle area vs.the rest of the house. It also accentuates your entry and establishes the right side of the house as the primary structure.

pud07 Maybe try stone on middle section to break it up a bit.

tmac1 Pud07 love your ideas! Thank you! What about adding stone veneer to the lower 1/3 of the house? Do you think that would work? The windows are all so high. Do you think white for the color of the house or do you like the silvery gray idea?

pud07 Maybe add stone to all of the mid section and pick lower 1/3 rd on another part., perhaps over the porch area or other side. I'd wait till I had stone in place to decide on colors for accent that might be in the stone.

Liz Chiron I was looking at some indoor/outdoor faux stone sheets (for my fireplace) just yesterday. Although it's in Australia, there is a video on this website which I think will give you some great ideas. Good Luck http://www.infinitistone.com.au/stonecladding/

tmac1 What about paint color? Would white look nice?