You don't really need shutters. I think the beams need to more substantial. Is this going to be a porch with a railing? Also you are still missing the entry steps. Are you planning a walkway to the front door?
Landscaping will do wonders. This is a nice house and looks like it will be roomy inside.

Thanks ellendi- I agree with your thoughts on the porch posts. I feel that we need to do something to "beef" them up but DH doesn't think it's necessay. What do you think can be done with them? They have 6" vinyl snap-on wraps now. Would we have to start over with the posts and is that even possible? We do not plan to have a railing and yes, the steps need to be completed- they will be cement with stone on the front and sides to match the house. We do plan to do some kind of cement/paver walkway from garage area (on left) to front steps. Is that what you meant by walkway to front door?

Any thoughts on what to do with the door stain and trim color? Thanks!

Here's another shot of the porch and door

Have you visited the landscaping forum? They can be quite helpful too.

It's going to be great once you finish. I don't mind the skinny posts. They remind me of the old east Texas ranch houses I love. (Ranch as in livestock, not ranch as in midcentury ramblers.) Once things are planted up and you get a swing out there (you're going to get a swing aren't you?) I think they will be fine.

The door trim could be painted to match the window cladding but if you can wait until the rest is finished and the lamps are up and the stickers off the windows and the porch is done...see how it looks then. Right now it's a tough call. I think I like it as is but it's sort of a moonscape right now. :)

Here is a link that might be useful: landscaping forum

Fori's right. Once you get some landscaping going and the lanterns up, your house will look very nice.

I do think shutters would help with the first floor windows though. They keep the whole front of the house from looking plain and blah. Before we remodeled, our old windows were like your's and it was the shutters that made the house look attractive.

I don't mind the posts either. There are a lot of old (and beautiful) farm houses out here that have the same thing.

When we first built our house money was short, and the sidewalk came a few years later. lol. We had it curve and go off to the detached garage. In fact, our setup is quite similar to your's regarding house and garage/shed.

Thanks! Your comments have put my mind at ease about the posts. I go back and forth on whether to do anything about them. My DH has been saying "there are smaller ones out there, we didn't get 4 inch" I do agree that things will look better once the lights and steps are installed. We won't be able to start on landscaping until spring/summer but I know that will make a huge difference as well, like you all said. I would like to get the door trim decision made but I guess there's no rush. At this point we are REALLY hoping to be moved in by Christmas but that's a long shot!

At first glance from a distance I thought it was just the unfinished part that made me think something was missing, but the close up caught my eye as to what I think is missing.

I think you need a bit beefier trim around the windows. I don't think you'd feel the need for shutters then.

Ditto the trim around the windows.

I like the door surround stained -- it makes it seem larger.

Congratulations on your new home!

I think houses need a little jewelry. The center peak on your roof could use a weather vane that makes you smile when you see it. The front door could use a pretty wreath. I think the whole thing will look tons better to you with some landscaping, and some flowering bushes up next to the house to soften the lines. If it were mine, I'd want a pretty porch railing and some rockers out there. Did you see the porches thread in our Gallery? I'll bet you'll get some good ideas there.

Here is a link that might be useful: Porches

I agree with beefier trim for the windows, but also think true, operable, correctly sized shutters would help "fill" the blank spaces on the front facade. I personally would make the columns thicker, but don't think it s absolutely necessary. These changes will cost a little, but are the type of changes that will give you a lot of bang for your buck.

I am strongly against you installing shutters, and agree with couple posters above that more substantial trim would outline the windows more fully.

IMO (take for what it's worth, I have no architectural training), shutters on windows such as yours are +++ fake in a gauche way. Shutters should be sized to be operational (even if not) which for yours would be short and fat. Shutters work for tall, skinny windows.

Landscaping is the least expensive beautifier in your case. Midrange = elongated porch/deck with railing in a contrasting colour. At the most expensive would be adding more dormers to your roofline "ducks head!>. Your house does look lovely tho.'

I'm in the landscaping will make a huge difference group.

I'm not a fan of shutters in a home like yours. I would put railings up on the porch, if I was making the choices. And I'd probably paint the front door a rich, sassy color. But that's me.

Porch decor = big pots of plants and flowers, comfy chairs and small tables, a SWING (!) will add charm and character.

But...landscaping will do wonders....get thee to the Cottage Gardening forum (much nicer folks than the landscape forum) and to a local nursery for ideas. Steps, a walkway, and a variety of shrubs...yep!

I think your home is lovely. The columns didn't jump out at me as an issue.

What colors do you like? I'd paint the door. I think when you get landscaping in it'll really dress it up.

The only thing I noticed is that there is a lot of roof mass. I might add adormer or two.

Thank you all for your thoughts!!
I have thought about the option of making the window trim more substantial because it was also mentioned on the Building a Home Forum and I do think it would make the windows stand out more and help balance things out. The reason they are the way they are is because the Anderson windows we chose that were within our budget (400 series woodright double hung with pine interior) didn't offer any trim options. And with the siding being vinyl, wide trim around the windows just isn't a standard option with builders in our area. We did not use an architect so all decisions were made between us and the builders. I really feel that they gave us limited options...and we depended on them for insight on what to do because we have never built a home before. I have mentioned the window trim to DH but we are not sure if it's even possible to add wider trim with the siding and stone already installed? Is there a product that can be snapped or nailed on over the siding and stone?

I have thought about the option of adding porch railings, however, at this time we do not plan to do so. It's just not the style of porch that was shown on the original house plan and it was never our intention. The porch floor is not very high off the ground and maybe once the dirt gets moved around to where it's supposed to be...and of course landscaping put in, it will look okay without railings? Our elevation is a little higher than the original plan due to us adding a walkout basement on the back of the house....so maybe railings would make sense if it looks blah after dirt is moved and grass planted.

Yes, we do have a lot of roof mass...this is due to having 9 foot ceilings throughout the main level as well as the garage being made larger (on the left side of the house). I appreciate the dormer suggestion but honestly it is simply laughable to even consider adding more dormers. The house was JUST built and we certainly will not be making any structural changes...ever. This is the way we wanted and envisioned the the house to be...a cape cod with three dormers. The original plan called for all three to be the same size, however, we decided to make the middle one larger to create more interest.
Here is a photo from the original house plan.

I think the house is beautiful.

Can you post a closer pic of the front door? From the pics you posted, it looks lovely to me. The brown tones appear to coordinate with the rock work..... I think it ties it all together. If you paint the trim there sandtone, I think it might make the door look puny. It currently looks balanced.

I like the idea of adding trim, but adding it around the windows might not work in the dormer area. It looks like space is tight. If that is the case, I wouldn't like only the bottom windows with more trim..... I'd want them all to match.

I agree with those who say to add landscaping. It will really change the appearance and definitely distract whatever is bothering your eye...

I think your house is pretty too! I'm really drawn to this style. In fact, I immediately recognized the photo of your original house plan, because we almost went with the exact same one.:-) We ended up choosing a different plan that better suited our interior layout needs, but I love the exterior look of yours. I understand what you're feeling about not loving your house yet, though, because I remember feeling that way too. I really think you'll be pleasantly surprised at how much lighting, walkways, landscaping, flower pots, chairs/swing, etc will add to the overall look.:-)

Okay, I see. The reason it looks like a lot of roof mass is in part because there is a lot of mass below, since you used a less window then in the original. (roof mass is not about the ceiling height; that only impacts the walls) Changing the windows or adding dormers would be costly, so I think that maybe shutters (even though in a perfect world they would not be the purely decorative kind) are a good option for you. It would give a little visual relief from the large expanses. I think introducing another color on the shutters and door would also be pleasing.

I agree with you about the railings --- doesnt look necessary to me. In your original plan photo they have great planters across the porch. I think that will look really nice on your house!

Good luck.

You've been staring too long lol. It's going to be lovely, all the choices you've made are fine. Put some nice white rockers or a swing, whee, and relax and enjoy what you have.

Do a search on vinyl window trim with vinyl siding and a lot comes up.

I'm linking one below. I think you have space on the dormers.

Here is a link that might be useful: One product used with vinyl siding

I think you can put some garden fountain or aesthetic focus to your garden this'll help your garden bright and colorful. You can see more ideas about outdoor decor ideas from home decor blogs.

Here is a link that might be useful: home decor ideas

There are square fiberglass columns that can be ordered split (so you'd have a front half & back half that get attached). We used the structural ones (un-split) & went with 8" squares on a cape that is 34' wide (4 columns, same as yours).

I think you need something to help pull the eye down to the door & porch. I understand you don't plan to do railings, so bright colored flowers or foliage along the front is an alternative.

As for the window trim, there are PVC molded trims that could have been put on when the siding was going up, but would probably be a PITA to do now.

yayagal- haha! I'm sure you're right. I read your comment to my hubby and he laughed and said "YES!".
Thanks lyfia-I have been looking into options for window trim and had come across the same link. I'm thinking that might be an option to add at some point.
EngineerChic- thanks for your ideas. Our posts are 6" squares and I think they are vinyl...or maybe they are fiberglass. I'm not quite sure. I was thinking that maybe 8" would've looked better.

I didn't read all the responses - but, I have/had the same problem w/my windows and doors. The builder showed me houses that he built w/the larger trim and said it was standard - I didn't need it added to the specs. Yet, when the windows/siding went in I have this little skinny trim - that too me looks unfinished/cheap. I could add shutters but that would not solve the problem w/the side of the house windows unless I put shutters on them too, which too me would be too much bric-brack.
I think if you get wider trim work it will look very nice - but, you will have some size issues. It won't look right where you have th stone (yep, I have the stone issue too - but, luckily the stone guy self trimmed those couple windows. Then your upper windows you can't have the larger trim creep into your upper section of trim either. Why not just try it on your lower windows and see if that makes enough difference to make you happy.
I too relied on my builder for his expersise - LOL I have learn't never to do that again.

First let me say that I love your house! I think the thing that makes it look off is that your dormers look heavy over the windows and door below. Bigger posts would help, but I really think once you get a couple of benches under the windows, or rocking chairs, or whatever, that will look balanced. You could even put a couple of big pots on either side of the door with a tall, slender evergreen, and it would balance out the weight of the double dormer over it.

But you'll get used to looking at it this way too and soon you won't notice whatever it is that you see now. We're all very critical of our new creations whether it is a house, a kitchen, or just small section of a room. But then we get used to whatever imperfection that was drawing our eye.

With a brand new house, I bet you have plenty of opportunities to spend more money! If I were you, I'd avoid architectural changes and would paint the front door a new color (warm red, a green, other); paint the surrounding trim in the same white as the columns; and purchase a couple of large, tall planters to flank the front door. I'd plant the planters with help from a good local nursery, putting an upright evergreen shrub in the center with an assortment of lower plants around the edges. Eventually you might want to put a bench under one of the windows, or perhaps a pair of chairs + or - a little bistro table; maybe even both. Front porch furniture always looks so inviting.

Did you see this link about a very pretty front door transformation? The "before" is similar to your door. Good luck, and enjoy your new house.

Here is a link that might be useful: a front door transformation

Beautiful house!! I like the larger dormer in the center.

Agree with everyone about the larger trim on the windows, and I think some pretty window boxes under the windows on the porch will balance the windows a bit. I also think some corbels on the posts would look good.
When you get some landscaping it wil be gorgeous!!

Nancy

Your house is lovely and has loads of potential, but the first floor windows are the problem, imo. They are small "and" smaller than the second floor windows, making them look almost like basement windows in comparison. I would definitely find a way to beef 'em up. :)