I scored two 91" tapered columns for my front porch off Craigslist for only $35 for the pair. I'm utterly excited about them and can't wait to replace the two on our porch.

This is an older photo, but the only one I have that shows it.

The current posts are located just behind the tree and the other is out of the pic at the right.

We've removed the railings & spindles (YAY!!) and taken off the scallops. That revealed a soffit of sorts, that hides the support beam. The posts have a Y shape to them, and a finish similar to the faux post on the left side of the house. We're going to redo the steps to the front door and we're putting in a walkway up to the door. The landscaping has changed, but the fountain stays put.

The columns have a collar about 6" from the top, but are just plain at the bottom. My question is, we're going to remove the Y, and the faux column at the left. Should I add some sort of base or top to the columns? I could do a ring cut out to mimic the collar. Would that make them look too formal?

Our house is a rambler, the brick is staying, but the color of the house will change. In front, we have a stone and wrought iron fence with stone teardrop finials. My landscaping is casual and tends to be whimsical.

I don't really want formal, and definitely not colonial...I'm thinking of painting the columns black, but would that look too heavy? I'll be putting up new gutters that will be white vinyl...and we're thinking of either a mossy green with cream trim, or cream house with brick red and black trim.