First, let me say the basics of your home are wonderful! Love the scale, the wood, the setting, and the arched doors.

If anything, I think the balcony is too small: it is the only horizontal element, and the color doesn't relate to anything around it. This makes it look pasted on, and distracts from the overall effect-- sort of like a bright orange necktie with a blue pinstripe suit, it's the only thing you see [this is why it seems large when it isn't].

First, I think the color needs to relate to the rest of the house. If it's redwood, it will look better when it greys out, if it's stained or painted, I'd re-paint in a shade lighter or darker than the house, staying in the same color family. I'd lower the height of the railing if possible and make the top rail thinner so we can see more of the doors up there. Maybe change the balusters to something we can see through, like a welded wire panel or even glass.

I'd also run it full width of the house to provide a stronger horizontal element, a roof for the entry porch, and room for some furniture [rustic rockers, a bench, small drinks tables]. I'd tie the balcony to the porch with a few 6x6 posts so the whole structure looks more 'on purpose', less like an add on. I don't think you have room here for both a balcony and a porch unless they are essentially both part of a unified whole.

Going back to the analogy of the pinstripe suit, your home is tall and relativly narrow. The siding is very nice, but it makes the height/width seem more extreme and gives the eye nowhere to rest [hence, pinstripes]. Providing horizontal elements that are larger yet blend into the overall scheme will turn that bright orange tie into a tastefully co-ordinated vest. It will also help the eye move from one point of interest to the next in a calm, natural way.

And finally, I'd paint the trim boards around those wonderful arches a strong, dark shade-- red, green, brown, even blue: it's a great feature and should be emphasized.

[PS-- Wish it would snow here, want to ski!]

I love your cabin! I think it is the color that bothers me of your balcony. I would bring it to a neutral tone close to the cabin color and maybe add a flower box! I can picture an upside-down v porch over the front door. If you build a large porch, it looks like it would have to be very sturdy to handle the snow. Good luck and enjoy!

Thank you both for your great ideas!! That's it! The COLOR of the balcony......unfortunately, that's not easy to change. It's composite. I bought about 600 sq.ft. of salvaged composite decking because it is so low maintenance (and it was cheap). Yet-to-come-are decks, balcony and porch in the rear- all around the house. The material was bought and intended for these other uses, not a balcony so prominently displayed in front. The builder built it out of the used composite without realizing that wasn't what I had planned! Just a case of mis-communication, I think. But he has been reluctant to re-do it, possibly because it is there already and there are so many other things to get done. BTW, since the picture, which was taken late spring of last year, the siding has been stained a rich dark grey and the balcony color doesn't stand out as badly, but I still can't change the color of that composite!! And before I go to the porch design I have to decide what to do about the balcony.
Please don't heitate to be brutally honest with me if need be. You are both saying just what has bothered me all along. I don't have much money to pay someone to redo the balcony but I don't think I'll be happy with the house until it is redone. Because of the snow it will probably have to wait until next summer before I can get someone to work on it, but please, if you have any more specific suggestions let me have them!! I probably have a few months to play around with the design.
Thank you both so much for your help. I welcome any sketches, color ideas or pictures.

I may be the only person that actually likes the color of your balcony. I would add shutters to that window in the same color. As birdlady suggested you could even add a small upside down v overhang, (no posts though), with an arch if that makes sense,(I have no building terminology coming to mind today--sorry!LOL!)

It is an adorable cabin. Kind of Hansel and Gretal like or Santa's hide-a-way! I love it!

This what the cabin looks like now. The balcony "stood out" more in the other photo so you could get a better picture of the shape and scale. The stain does help, don't you think? Then comes the fun of choosing a color for those old doors!! Any ideas now that you know what color the house actually is??
And eventhecatisaboy, why no posts? I don't know if the county will let me build a v overhang without the supporting posts (snow load is 113# up there). Thanks for helping me!!

Here is a link that might be useful: cabin color now...

I think for me on your house, the posts would get in the way of what I'm picturing in my mind. Our current home has an overhang without posts, as does my neighbor. Mine wouldn't be the right look for yours because it is made of copper and kind of like half and octagon shape. My neighbor's would work, but I don't know if they will let me take a picture.

I found a picture of Hansel and Gretel's house LOL! It has an overhang that I was thinking of! Not the best pic, but I hope you get the idea. I think with the dark stain you need a color that stands out.

I'm not as talented as the rest of the folks on this site. I'm sure they'll give you better ideas than me, but I couldn't help it and had to respond to your post because your cabin is so cute!

Here is a link that might be useful: Overhang idea

That's a wonderful cottage!! Now if I could have an inverted v overhang just like that.....but how on earth do you think they have it attached so that it doesn't fall with all that snow?
I can't believe you say you aren't as talented as others. I think you definitely are and thank you and all who have responded to my plight!! I have had fun with this build, just got myself backed into a corner (in more ways than one!) Thanks for putting the fun back into it!! I love all these ideas! They keep me going! Please don't hesiate to advise!

I think it looks fine now. In the first photo I thought that the window was placed too high, but in the second photo it doesn't stand out as much and I don't notice it.

I am assuming that you aren't done with painting yet? because I think it's very odd that the arched window and the door are different colors. I would like to see them both painted a red similar to the balcony color.

It's a nice house.

Thanks, Solie. You're right. I haven't finished painting yet. The doors are architectural salvage and since they already have many coats of paint on them I'm not too worried about the weather getting to them. I just can't decide about the paint color! You would stick with the same color as the balcony railings? I have to admit that I don't hate it as much as I did at first.....but if I do get it changed then I'm free to paint the doors any color I choose. And I'm having trouble deciding. At first I wanted them painted the brightest red I could find, I thought that would be gorgeous with the grey (but not so gorgeous with the balcony color), Then when red has gotten so popular (I'm not one too big on convention...) I'm thinking an orange-red or even periwinkle/purple. Or, if I keep that balcony I think the same color doors would be nice. Thanks for your input and compliment.

I really like the balcony also, and would tie it into the rest of the house by painting the doors the same color - maybe shutters also. A small pitched overhang - maybe longer on the right side to 'reflect' the main roofline? sounds perfect -- also with red trim.

Try posting on the Home Decorating forum -- Lots of Photoshop and design Wizards over there.

Sweeby, what do you mean by a small pitched overhang? Coming off the balcony sides? Both sides? I think I really like your idea but I just can't picture it. Sort of a fake gable roof? Gee, I wish I had a clearer picture...thank you so much. And you know?....having doors the same color as that &&%#@%^^balcony might not be so bad after all! LOL I was just thinking about adding some exciting color since the house just sort of fades into the woods.....but maybe that's a good thing! My own little private - invisible- cottage in the forest.
BTW...if you decided to draw me a rough sketch of what you mean by pitched roof maybe I could understand??! (Thank you)

This is my first attempt to post a picture, so I hope it works.

I shortened the railing so it doesn't make the door look like a window. Then I colored the interior railing black so the red doesn't overwhelm the house. And I added more detail to the door so it draw more attention.

Here is a link that might be useful: Balcony Help

I love that cabin! It's awesome, and the second pic is even better color wise. I am with the above posters and would use the porch color as an accent color around or on the doors and shutters if you are going to put shutters on. That looks like a great place to hang out, for weekends or holidays. I would love to have a place like that in the mountains some day. Good job!

Amy

Pardon the pitiful drawing, but this is an attempt at illustrating the roofline I had in mind:
{{gwi:1515291}}

Atlasvi, I can't get your picture open. What am I doing wrong?? I have an old Mac and sometimes it doesn't perform too well....I'd love to see it; does it open for you when you preview it? Sorry to be a pain, but I would love to see what your idea looks like,
And Sweeby, so that's what you meant!! I had tried to picture all sorts of "rooflines" and yours is so beautifully simple. That is an interesting take on angles and I like it. Thanks for tackling that drawing so that I could see what you had in mind BTW, how do you DO that??? Ihave so much to learn about drawing programs. So no posts, huh?
Amyks, thank you, and you are always welcome to come hang out at this one....
All of you, I'm overwhelmed that you would take time to give me your ideas. I was concerned that nobody would even care, and boy was I wrong. Thank you for your ideas, I am giving attention to every one of them. Thank you!!!

ctybo,

Right now I am at work and because of network security here, I can't see any pictures (I have to wait til I get home to look at pics). So I will have to wait to see if it works when I get home. If I can't get it to work I will try to post it with tinypic.com instead.

Attempt 2 to post a working link.

Here is a link that might be useful:

Atlasvi, I got it! Thanks for trying again. I bought a whole bunch (hundreds an hundreds) of iron balusters, if I could just figure out how to install them in that composite railing. I guess I could leave the floor of the balcony the composite stuff, and replace the balusters and railing. Oh, to have enough money to do this!! But it's a great challenge and I feel good about it. Thanks again for sending that 2 times.