Thanks, for the ideas, Outside. Do a darker sage instead of black? Hmm yeah I could see that! The spouse was a little alarmed when I suggested black. :) Really, everything goes with the roof. It's quite neutral. The bricks aren't so neutral but not too bad as long as we don't do as the POs did and pick the ugliest one and match the paint to it. Yes, the cheap new windows installed by the PO are sort of cream colored vinyl clad (with 80s French blue trim--where's my goose in a bonnet?). In the back they are still simple aluminum framed. With blue trim. We do have a lot of stuff going on with the brick, stucco, cedar, siding...I had to tone down my landscaping materials because it was going to be just too many things fighting.

To phuninthesun (clever). Thanks to you too for the image, and how do you do that? I wish I had a program that lets me mess around with colors, etc. I've been wanting to see it with windows that are white around the edges. I had been considering getting new efficient windows with bronze edges because I could not visualize the white. And it looks so much better with the flower bed and a change in the bushes. What you see is what was here when I bought it. I never would have put a little round bush in that spot. The brick seems to be one-of-a-kind that might have come from another building or buildings, but I don't know. I doubt they did things like that in 1957 when this was built. Here's another photo of the brick at the back--just before I bought the house. I want to add french doors back there and a deck or patio, but haven't had time. Do you think the colors in the photo of the Mediterranean-looking house & patio would work with this house? I love those shades of green & yellow. THANKS again. Please feel free to add more suggestions.

It may be expensive, but I think painting the stucco white would totally transform the house. Then you could paint the wood frames of the windows the same color as the steel door and it would flow very nicely. It won't be cheap, but it will be worth it. Good luck!

Thank you all- I will talk to the contractor tomorrow about the Flashing tape. The siding will be cement boards. Color will be a medium toned neutral-something like this -SW keystone gray. Here is the stone that will cover the porch, foundation, and fireplace on the back porch. The top color is the roof color. The middle color is close to the window color but we will get an exact match if we go that route for trim. The two on the sides are some we are considering. i think any of the colors below would work with the stone, bronze Windows and trim, and dark bronze roof. The roof color is above the row of samples in the middle- it looks almost black here, but it is not that dark. Thoughts? I really appreciate your help. Millworkman I followed your advice on the choice of Windows for this project and want to thank you for the advice- we love them.