Hmmm, at first I was going to say very simple forest green or black shutters. Then I took a second look and don't know that I'd do shutters. I think I would maybe paint the grilles and trim of the windows black or forest green.

What about painting the front door the one of the darker tan/brown of the stones.
Consider adding some landscaping that also has more warm earthtones to warm up the front of the house.

Ideas that are quick growers and offer year round interest would be hydrangea, autumn sedum, euonomous, prairie grass,

I don't think you need shutters either. You have the beautiful stone work. I think you just need landscaping. Nice house!

Another vote for no shutters. Pretty house, shutters will clutter the splendor of the house. I agree with the landscape idea of improving the blank spaces.

Another vote for no shutters! It is gorgeous just as it is! I think adding shutters will make it look cluttered.

Nice house!! Here's one more vote for no shutters, just add landscaping!!

You don't really have room for shutters that will look right, except perhaps on the garage.

Personally, since the house is new, I would either try to replace the siding on the front section above the stone with more stone, or replace the stone with siding. It is oddly placed, too high on the wall,and detracts from the wonderful porch.

Then add some great landscaping in warmer, earthy colors to compliment the yellow - rusts, deep burgundy, golds and rich greens.

Pick a wonderful color for your door to also go with the colors you love - a deep copper/rust, or a rich deep plum.

I think shutters would do wonders for your house! There appears to be enough room from what I can see, a bit close around the door but not sure that's a problem. I wouldn't make them too narrow, however. The stone on the porch area isn't transitioning in very well, really. It looks unfinished and I think the addition of shutters will complete the look of that feature. Will they lay flat over the two materials?

The roof doesn't read much green on my computer so it's hard to say but I would be considering a dark subtle green color.

I would also finish the left side of the porch, as on the other side. I imagine this is used as a passthru so would do a gate or finished opening on that side. Simply leaving it completely off has left this looking incomplete also. The rear post helps with the change from stone to siding as there doesn't appear to be a plane change there as a breaking point between the two materials. Defining the porch more clearly will make it flow or read better.

Very pretty house! Looks like a great location too.

I am sorry you don't LOVE your home. I DO! There is a twin to it just up the road from us and it has always been the one I would choose if I had that option.

I would paint the window frames, window sashes and all of the white trim on the house an earth tone pulled from the stone or the grout between the stones.

Very pretty house! Another vote for no shutters! I agree about the stone, either it needs to go all the way up on the porch or replaced with siding. But regardless, you have a beautiful home and I hope you love it soon!

I agree about the stone. It is creating a horizontal line in an already very horizontal area -- porch roof, porch railing, and this makes it look choppy. I think this is what is bothering you. It's the only flaw I can find. This is a gorgeous house.

Shutters will be good, but that will not cure the stone problem. It also looks good without shutters. I'd tie them in with the roof color though.

On my computer the roof is reading more of a grey. Could you possibly think of it in those terms and feel better about it?

Landscaping around the porch will help too, to cover the unfinished edges.

GREAT HOUSE! :-)

Paint the porch and railings to match a taupe or tan color in the stone. I also think it would be an easy job to continue the stone up to the ceiling on the porch. Then do the door in a great bronze or bottle green and add some foliage to the door area with large potted plants in good looking large pots. For me, the white is too stark against the stone. Blending it would look better.

i totally agree about finishing off the left side of the porch---with a gate at least if you want an opening. that to me will help tremendously!

the stone line is alittle awkward- if anything i would lower it a couple of siding boards, but don't think it looks awkward enough to warrant the expense!!! shutters would definitely take the eye off of the stone line-i would probably go with black, but don't think shutters are necessary!
i agree, changing your front door color would enliven your house and landscaping will add lots!! i would leave the trim white...

I love your house and agree with all the votes about no shutters. I would paint the door a contrasting color, add layered flower beds to the front and maybe a couple of tall potted trees on the porch. All it needs is some contrasting color.

IMHO the stones on the front are the most awkward. Are they real? I would have wrapped the entire house, or none at all. And I would have gone with the brick like the steps and foundation. I am not "getting" the stone/brick combo. One or the other, and the bricks look real, the stone not so much. Even so I would LOVE to have it for my own!!

I have to agree with the other posters about the stone. It looks out of place. I also do not see room for shutters. I think just painting the door and perhaps the casings and darker green or rich color would really help.

Landscaping and painting your door a deep rich color would help tons too.

Love your house!!!!

I think what we are all seeing is a lovely home that is devoid of much natural beauty (landscaping).

I found an awesome website on the landscaping area of GW, thats called showoff.com. After uploading your pic of your house, you can add trees, shrubs, flowers, patio furniture, grass, etc. It really helps a lot.

BTW, it looks like the lovely evergreen tree you have on the side of your house is planted way too close. I'd move it further away (depending on the species) while it's still hopefully young enough to transplant.

Really pretty house!

Yes -- another vote to remove the stone facade in the future.

And another vote against adding shutters.

Do finish the end of the porch with a gate and stair/s.

BUT I do vote strongly for putting your money into the start of landscaping around your home!

Start with the basics -- check out your soil (region, area type, site-specific needs), modify and work on proper drainage for your site; make sure that you have outdoor electric and water access for the whole site.

Map out and start to create the hardscaping (walkways, patios, raised flower and veggie beds); check out species and types of larger plants and map out sites for treees and bushes.

Very nice house! I agree with the chorus that shutters would overwhelm the house. Landscaping will do wonders!

In the minority here, but I still think that the windows don't stand up to all the architectural details of the home. They look minimized and unfinished. If shutters aren't possible (too cramped or stone issue) or you decide against, maybe they could be trimmed out more to give them more weight and substance. I think the upper level looks heavier with all its interesting details and dormers. The lower level windows need more presence so that they balance with all the other features.

Very pretty home!

Well, last year we re-shingled the roof and painted our little lake cottage--pale yellow with a green roof. :-) I agree that, with so many windows, shutters would overwhelm the house. I also agree that simply painting the door might add the appeal you're looking for (although I find the color scheme already appealing, obviously!). I painted the door at our cottage a very deep brick red.

Wow. Nice house. There is too much positive going on there to nit pick it. I'd just add landscape in earth tones.

Like others have already mentioned some creative circular angled landscaping is all you need.

P.S. I'd only shutter the bottom singles ;) excepting the one in the alcove which I'd leave without. There's clearly no room on the dormers and I'd probably leave the other arched one over the garage unshuttered as a decorative accent window, keeping that area light and consistent with the others.

Is this a Daonald Gardner home? Looks very similar to ours. No stonework on ours, and we have similar siding with a black roof, and black shutters-I think they look fine! :-) And as mentioned, landscaping will add a lot of curb appeal.........be patient!

That's a pretty house! I love big porches like yours. I'm another who would say to hold off on getting shutters. Put in some landscaping to soften and compliment the look. (Find someone who will do a plan you can install in stages. Landscaping is expensive so you will want something you can work toward over time.)

Congrats on your home - it really is pretty!

I'd put crown molding at the top of each window and add some mellow landscaping. Your house is quite lovely, and once the landscaping fills in a little, you will love it so much more.
I don't think you need a lot of tall anything, but just some live stuff to fill in here and there, esp between the porch and garage and below those windows.
I would trade houses with you in an instant and I don't even have to see inside to say so!

I agree with most of the responses. No shutters. What about painting the trim or windows, if they are paintable?? The windows appear to recede into the siding. Adding a chunkier trim around the windows would look nice, I think. And paint the door to make it really stand out.

Certainteed has an easy-to-use tool that you can use to visualize what your home would look like with different trim colors.

Here is a link that might be useful: Certainteed visualizer

Linked is an example similar to your home showing how heavier trim gives a more finished look and the windows more presence, balancing the elements. Beefier porch and more elaborate trimwork but still similar in style and with the pale yellow color. Without shutters I also think you will need to address the stone area. It really does look as if it was left unfinished. Maybe that part bothers you? Residing an area or taking the stone to the ceiling might be costly and involved. Could also be tough getting the materials/color to match just right after the fact. Be careful! You might also try a piece of trim above the stone to transition the two materials. It would then have a finished intentional look. A narrow stone 'ledge' type piece is also used to accomplish this.

Another yellow house but a bit more contrast with the deeper yellow:

Here is a link that might be useful: Yellow house from Donald Gardner site

I like the color, but agree with Les that the faux stone work looks unfinished, at best. Siding would have been a better choice.

Shutters would like nice on the lower two garage windows, but good chance they'd appear crowded on the other windows.

I think you have a lovely house and with the proper landscaping and a little tweaking to that porch, it will all come together for you.
It seemed to me that your house was modeled after the Tidewater style so I googled to see how they were traditionally finished off. That stone veneer just doesn't fit the style. I found a house that is very similar to yours in which the porch is extended on both sides. I think the heavier columns and extended porch help to balance out the weight of the roof. Most of the columns on the houses I looked at didn't have turned post columns. Pictures also showed the houses with and without shutters so that's a matter of taste. I think I'd wait for shutters until I removed the stonework. Timberlane makes nice wooden shutters. If I were going to do any construction work, I would wait on the landscaping so things don't get trampled. Don't you love it, you asked for help with a paint color and we've found ways for you to spends thousands more dollars. Here that link to that one house. I'm sorry I don't know how to just show the picture.
http://www.eplans.com/country-house-plans/tidewater.hwx

I am by no means a designer of any description, but isn't it the case that babs' house, if looked at straight-on from the front, would have the stone ending at each end of the porch with balancing sided sections at the outsides? We're looking at photos that are at an angle. I'm not discounting anything any of you said above, just think the house might look quite different straight on.

Also, I notice the OP hasn't been back in six days; I hope she returns.

Yeah, we're kinda talking to ourselves here, lol. I agree the angle of the photo could be deceiving/distorting.

Here's a shot of an unshuttered home where the more substantial porch posts are key to carrying the lower level.

{{!gwi}}

And another example showing shutters that are in close proximity to the door. I think it looks fine and is a matter of personal taste. You'd have to consider yours is an enclosed area and also how close the shutters are to the porch posts at the ends. Before jumping into anything, you might do some mockups with painted brown craft paper.

Hope the images help.

I agree with many before...I would not add shutters. Your beautiful home does not need them. But I would paint the door and seriously landscape.

Finish return on Porch Rail so it will make sense where the stone stops.
add Charcoal Gray Shutters for contrast except where stone is. Stone is stopped at and odd height. If you can acquire the same stone finish height up to roof.

Putting in a return! What a great idea. I don't think anyoe has mentioned this previously. I agree with someone above though who wrote that matching the earlier stone with a later installation (even if it's the "same" stone) will likely be difficult.

Yes the return is one thing that is contributing to things looking a bit unfinished or incomplete. Another thing with adding in more stone is that it's fit or cut to that rectanglar area. Matching the mortar is yet another issue. I'd probably opt for siding due to the layout and the brick used for the foundation. Also it's lightness. Of course, there's still the issue of the siding having been cut to accomodate the stone. There's not a plane change there. Just a run. But the porch columns and maybe a vertical piece to join the two areas would address that.

Agree with Spring meadow's every post, idea and suggestion, right down to the specific windows for shutters or beefing up window trim in lieu of.

Carry stone all the way up and out on the front elevation, or get rid of it all together. Paint the house white, the front door and the shutters dark hunter green. You could possibly get away with a red front door, as well. won't look earthy, but at least it will look like a traditional farmhouse manor.

At the very least I would change out the porch posts to something more substantial, either round or box columns. That takes away a bit of the "off the shelf" look and immediately gives the home more of a permanent presence.

THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU ALL FOR YOUR GREAT REPLIES!!! I really do appreciate hearing insight from someone looking at it with an outside opinion. We have been mulling it over for the last few weeks and this is what we've come up with:
1. Start by taking down the stone and replacing with siding. I really don't like the look of "river rock" anyways and it definately doesn't look right with the colors of the house.
2. Spend some money on landscaping ~ I am very much a beginner at this, which probably explains why we have none!
3. Possibly getting making some wood shutters for the garage windows.

I really would like to replace the porch columns but I'm thinking that would be pretty costly?..

Here is what I'm reaaaaaally trying to talk hubby into: tearing off the green roof and making it a brownish-grey!
But one thing at a time, right? ; )

On one home fix it show I saw them adding visual substance to existing columns by encasing them with a product. Cladding them I guess you would say. This would not be as expensive or a big a job as replacing the columns you have, in my mind anyway.

Christina, I love your enthusiasm, but replacing a roof on a new house solely for cosmetic reasons isn't done because it costs multi thousands of dollars. You can make much better use of that money elsewhere.

I would make friends with your local nursery, take photos of the house with you and simply be honest with them. Tell them you are an very happy new home owner, overwhelmed, don't know anything about gardening/landscaping but you really could use some help to come up with a 3/5 year landscaping plan. A lot of nursery owners will come to your house free as long as you purchase a plant or two. (huge help) Start with a tree in between garage windows. Plant it at least 5 feet from house. (make it an anniversary gift so it starts memories/roots for the two of you) Plant other trees or more expensive special plants on important dates as they come, children, promotions, birthdays... Definitely go slow, but you will be amazed at how far a couple hundred dollars can go. Hang some plants on the porch it will fill in and soften the porch area. Don't forget winter color too, like red twig dogwoods, willows, --- Lastly, paint that front door a fun color that you love! ;-) Enjoy & Good luck!!