Kate, your house is beautiful and has many interesting details in the front. So, I don't think you need the stone either. That being said, I'm also having the same dilemma. If I limit stone to only the foundation, I would only have a tiny bit in the front, and I wonder if it would look empty or insubstantial without alot of some kind of masonry product. I plan to add more white trim to compensate, but I was curious to see first how yours came out. :) Our current house has a course of stone in the front, and I never thought twice about it. That was before I discovered this forum. Now, when I look at it, I think, it looks like my house is wearing a mask bc that stone does not continue around the side, and it is cleary just a decorative face. I like stone though, and I wonder if I still need it in the front. I know that wasn't much help. Please post pictures though when you get your stone up. I'm dying to see how it looks!

you're in luck! i think i'm one of the first. i loved it from the first time i saw the sample and it looks incredible up. dh wasn't sure and i told him to "trust me". the day the siding started going up he ran home and when he saw it all he could say was, "wow!". sorry, i haven't got any recent pics but i'll try and take a few tomorrow. i really think it looks great; it seems much more dimensional (than the hardie we saw) because of the thickness of the material. the factory stained finish gives off varying tones of gray, rather than a painted finish which is opaque. the color is very close to our roof but i did that purposefully since there will be a lot of trim to break it up.

Lars, I like that color, I'm just a little afraid to do it! Here are my concerns. Thoughts? *Getting the right dark blue--sometimes I feel like you think you have the right color and then when the whole wall is painted, it looks turquoise, or too dark, or... *the white trim--I've never had white trim--only white vinyl windows which replaced white aluminum windows, and also white gutters. The gutters and the old aluminum grew mildew/algae. Will trim also go green with time in a place that sees gray skies up to 8 months a year (no joke) *the dark blue--any concern with oxidation/discoloration (but esp oxidation)? I've thought I'd probably only upgrade to the Aura for a dark color, as the way the guy described the difference between the 2 was how the solids are mixed/suspended between them (at least, that is what my lay-self took from his description).

Prune the front shrubs to knee height so the house is more visible. Touch up the front deck finish and the window trim with whatever weatherproof finishes are recommended for your northern climate. The mailbox, house numbers, owl and other things look like they could use a touch up, too. Then add a couple big pots of flowers that will look good til the first frost. Perhaps your totem pole could be installed out front on a plinth or gravel base with some garden lighting to illuminate it at night. It may need a coat of whatever preservative is recommended for its type of wood.