From your description of the neighborhood and the pics of your house I'm seeing a Craftman style color palette. I found a link from Sherman Williams that deals with exterior colors in that style. I like the first one. If it were me, I'd paint the house the suede color, the trim the mahogony color and the roof (if you can) a color similar to the Roycroft Brass color. If the walk and driveway are concrete or some material that can be painted, I'd also do them temporarily in the Brass color. I would absolutely remove the curly columns and add a simple wood Craftsman style railing. I'd do the shutters in the same color as the trim... the mahogony. Just one idea... but a place to start.

Here is a link that might be useful: Sherman Williams colors

Congratulations on the new home. It's cute already, and with some different colors will look great.
How green is the roof? On my screen, it looks grey with a little greenish cast. My roof is grey with a little greenish cast, and I can pretty much use whatever color I want.
I recommend really researching the Hydro-Stop before using it. Roofs are not one color. They have subtle shade differences. If you paint the roof black, I fear that it will be a flat uniform color that will draw more attention to it. If the roof is too green, then I think that a grey color will not be as noticeable as black.
By the way, with our roof, the body of the house is painted off-white, and the trim is a very light cocoa color. Once you have decided on the house color, then the color of the sidewalk and driveway can be addressed.
I agree that the addition color should be the same as the rest of house.
Once the exterior of the house has been addressed, then a few different plants in front of the house, would help them appearance. Right now it's all the same type of bush. Depending on where you live, and which direction it faces, perhaps a bush/small tree with a burgundy tone would be nice. For example, a burgundy toned Japanese maple. Of course, if the front door can be painted, a lighter color will put the focus on the front door, and away from the carport and addition. What is on the side of the carport? It looks kind of reddish. Maybe there is something that can disguise it a bit more. Good luck and congratulations.

I wonder if more of a pretty sage or olive green would look good with the roof color. You could could then paint the trim white or cream and the shutters black. I think you're on the right track with painting the the addition the same color as the house and replacing the wrought iron. I definitely think the green sidewalk and driveway need to go, but I don't know if you can get the paint off. Have you checked into that?

Laurie

I wouldnt paint the roof either. It may void the shingle warrenty - most have a 25,40,or 50 year warrenty depending on the grade of shingles. And I actually like the color on my monitor it is a soft color which I prefer on a roof. not many houses look good with black roofs, I think.
I am sure you can find a great color for the house and trim that would complement the style of the house and the color of the roof.
You may be able to get a professional to sandblast the paint off the bricks and paved areas.

The ironwork supporting the little portico says Florida or California to me, it doesnt say Craftsman. If it were me I would eventually replace the iron with wooden pillars- see what the others have to see what was originally there.
Or this is a second thought if you grew climbing roses or vines up them it would give it a cottagey feel and cover it up.
I think new plantings would def be good, and when budget allows get rid of the soldier plantings along the sidewalk, too regimented for your house. something more casual and simple would fit the style.Perhaps a cottage garden.
I like your house btw. Have fun with it.Sue

I think that house is very cute and has a lot of potential! On my monitor the roof looks to be greyish-green vs/ GREEN. Light-colored shingles help the home stay cooler in summer. I suggest not changing the roof but, instead, finding a color from the roof that is not so green and using that to paint the house. Perhaps grey, smokey taupe, sage, or white? It's hard to tell from my monitor what colors are in the roof. Painting the roof a uniform color just doesn't sound good to me b/c they look so much better when there is variation in the shingles.

I think you can have someone sandblast the paint off the brick window trim, brick porch and driveway, but I wouldn't bother with the cement walkway (lined w/shrubs). That walkway seems awkward to me because it doesn't connect to the driveway or the street...I guess it's just a path to/from the mailbox? I suggest taking that out altogether and putting in something that is more functional; soemthing that makes more sense (as in connects to the driveway and to the street) as well as is more aesthetically pleasing (and not green). There are lots of options: brick, natural stone, stamped concrete, stained concrete...

The 2nd story addition could use some details besides paint to help unify it better. Perhaps shutters on the window or some other trim around the window? Personally I think it's a rather non-obtrusive addition compared to some I've seen.

Thank you all so much for your wonderful comments...you have already given me so much to think about. I should have mentioned that the house is in Florida (so I too was a little concerned whether a roof paint could really handle a Florida summer beating down on it). I am going to drive by the house today and see if I can get a closer look at the roof to see if it has some of the the softer grey tones you have referenced. Perhaps because everything surrounding it is just so greeen, my eye has not been able to pull any other color out of the equation.

I tried to search the internet for houses with green roofs, but all searches turn up "eco" friendly green roofs with plantings. Thus, I have had a hard time finding any good examples of what paint body colors might go well with a green shingle roof. If you have any website ideas that would show me houses with green roofs...that would be great.

Again, thank you already for all of the insightful comments. Any other ideas or suggestions are certainly welcomed.

What part of the country are you situated?
I love the hedge down the pathway and am assuming it is boxwood. I would never get rid of it.
I also agree with not painting the roof. I think painting the body of house and shutters to start with and then seeing if more work is needed.

A poster on the HGTV decorating board just did her back patio and driveway in concrete stain, which looks beautiful. That may be an option for your steps, walkway and driveway. She used Behr semi-transparent concrete stain in two colors.

I have posted a link below, but you must be a member and logged on to the the photos.

Here is a link that might be useful: Link to concrete stained driveway

Here is a link which has tons of exterior color photos. You can select different house styles.

As for the roof color, most have a mix of colors and most likely offer you a wide range of exterior colors. I'd try not to focus on the roof color at first and seek out colors you like. Then see if they work with the roof.

My color direction is very narrow, am not a great help as the rest on here. I really like the newer dark colors being used on cottages and craftsman styles. Which would be an issue in FL sun for fading. But my first thought is a mid tone blue/green craftsman color.

Regarding your landscape. Would definitely get rid of the two rows of bushes along the path and connect it to the driveway. I know this is a difficult venture as I tore out the same in my front yard. But it was worth the work for creating a wonderful yard. And adding pillers is going to make a great entry.

The larger bushes need only to be trimmed on the bottom, get rid of the foliage and leave some strong branches so they can grow naturally as small trees.

I love your house and would enjoy a peek inside.

Here is a link that might be useful: Exterior house colors

I think a taupe or grayish color will go well with the roof and make the plantings pop. I wouldn't paint the shutters black. That's too stark for the house. instead, I'd go with a deeper color than the siding, somewhere in the middle tonal range. And replace the filigree with something more visually substantial.

I played around with the color for the house and steps. What do you think?
{{!gwi}}

I like the iron columns.

I'd put up some shutters on the addition so that it's closer in detail to the rest of the house, then paint it to match everything else.

My dream house is a lacy Victorian with a dark green roof, cool yellow paint with white and black trim. I just love that combination. Your roof isn't dark green, though so I don't think that would work.

Depending on the tones in the roof, I'd suggest tans, creams, grays or pale sagey green.

If you're in Florida, then a black roof will absorb a lot more heat than your current one. I'm in Florida too. What part of Florida? I'm in east central Florida.

When things settle down, then I think that there are plants that can be put on either side of the front door that will provide more interest than the ones currently there.
When (and if) you get to that point, the folks on the Florida gardening forum on www.gardenweb.com are very helpful.

I agree with mello_sacto's suggestions about the walkway.

I just searched realtor.com for my zipcode (32940) to look for sample color schemes.

It's a little hard to tell from the small picture, but this house seems to have a grey roof with a bit of green. I like the color scheme.

This is not my house, but I have a similar colored roof and house. Perhaps this would fit with your neighborhood. I've also seen a real subtle greyish sage green that looks nice, or perhaps a very light grey house with whitish trim.
Good luck

Here is a link that might be useful: sample color scheme

I would definately work with the "new" roof as it is and not paint it....to me, painting it is opening a can of worms. Adding shutters to the windows over the garage is an excellent idea. I agree with painting the "house" one color, by that I mean I would not paint the stucco and siding different colors as it is right now. One color will unify the house and not make the dormer look out of place. I like the selection of SW colors that remodelfl posted. Did you realize you could scroll sideways to view more examples? I like the roycroft suede for the house (maybe even a shade lighter), and the roycroft bronze green as an accent for the door and shutter. I would do a creamy off white for the trim. Sorry I dont know how to do photoshop, wish I did. I would also add back the dividers to the front picture window. As for the landscaping, I would take it all out, the house is too cute for all the overgrown shrubery.

Wow. I am overwhelmed by how wonderful all your responses have been. I am so grateful for the time each of you has taken to provide me with such fantastic feedback, links, thoughts, etc. I have so many new ideas to consider and am so much more excited about the house now.

Suero: I have emailed this link that you did on photoshop to my whole family and they are AMAZED by the transformation. It looks like a totally different house! Interestingly, the brick front porch was chipped in a few places and I could see that it is definitely red brick under the green paint...so your tweak of the porch color really helped to envision what it would look like if we snadblasted the green off. Thank you so much for taking the time to photoshop it...it really helps us to envision a whole new look for the house.

Many thanks to everyone...this has been invaluable!!!

If you go onto www.gaf.com and click on roofing/residential homeowners, there is a link to the Virtual Home Remodeler. You can choose a style of house and play around with different shingle and siding colors. There is a green 3-tab shingle much like yours - Green Mist in the Royal Sovereign line. Put that on one of the ranch homes (they don't have a house exactly like yours) and play around with siding colors to your heart's content!

Here is a link that might be useful: Virtual Home Remodeler...

I agree with the others about not painting the roof and never, never have a black roof in FL unless you like paying for the A/C running all the time.

I really think you can work with the green roof. Right now everything is green and that is all you are seeing. I am thinking a nice taupe or the right tan and your house will be beautiful. Also agree about painting the addition whatever color you choose for the body.

Think the landscaping needs to go.

Congrats on your new house.

I kinda like the wrought iron, especially the way the railings curve at the porch entrance. The curves compliment the curve of the steps. So charming! The wrought iron is a nice old-fashioned decorative touch that gives your house some history. Columns would be more contemporary, but are bland and just don't fit the age or style of the home.

I also love the lamp post in the front with the arm from which to hang an address or welcome sign. The curving walkway is charming too. Perhaps take out the shrubs & flank the walkway with something that flowers?

What a cool little home! Lots of features to play up.

If it were mine, I'd go with a creamy color for the house, with a darker green from the roof for the trim and facia. Change out the wrought iron...it's too frilly for the house. Put some mullion trim and shutters on the addition...those horizontal windows don't work with the mullioned windows in front. I would keep the shutters the same color as the facia & trim, not black. I'd do the front door in black, tho. If you keep the wrought iron for now, paint it black, that would give it some weight and look less frilly.

I'd put flagstone down on the porch, that is contemporary, fresh and would fit with the house. Rip out ALL those shrubs and relandscape. Those shrubs are really dating the house. Check with local landscapers to see what works in your area, but get rid of those shrubs...PLEASE!

Also, get a more updated lamp out front. That one is very, very dated, and there are beautiful ones out there now that work much better.