I think your home will be very nice when the painting is finished. It is normal to have second thoughts right in the middle of a project IME.

If I had your home, I would remove the shutters and beef up the window trim (in white). The shutters don't appear to be sized right or functional. If you want to keep the shutters, then at least remove them from the big triple window entirely and paint and put hardware (hinges and shutter dogs) on the others. If you do decide to keep the shutters on the smaller windows, paint them black. Or a very, very deep green almost black. This brief article explains why you want to have functional or functional looking shutters. https://www.lifeofanarchitect.com/residential-architecture-101-shutters/

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Denita, that home you posted is beautiful. Sandra, take some pointers from that pic. perhaps use some of the natural wood (or the cedar shakes) around the garage door area if you can't do the door. It does look nice w/o the shutters.

Denita,

Thank you for opinion. You just open a whole new world for me when it comes to shutters (or shudders as per the other article LOL).

We already decided that we were going to throw them away as they are very old and crooked.

Once they finish painting the entire house we will have a better idea how the house will look w/o any shutters. I'm still afraid it's going to look to dark and/or the windows too small.

But in case we decide to get new shutters for the smaller windows, how do i know the correct size? Same height and half the width of the inside of the window? The ones we have right now are 43''x14''.

Regarding color, is black or really dark green the only good options? What's your professional opinion about white shutters in this house? Do you think it will look too much as a beach house (which we are not)?

As far as the door, it was already in my mind to go either red or dark blue/black. But how about the storm door? We live in North NJ so the storm door unfortunately is a must have. Should we paint the frame of the storm door same color or just leave it white? What's the rule here? And... how about the attic gable vents? Are they supposed to be painted in the same color as the house or keep it white?

I think it's clear that I feel lost and full with questions... any help, suggestions, comments is really appreciated!!

I will update with more pictures as the project moves forward...

Hi Beth,

Thank you for your comment. I will definitely try to see how it looks w/o the shutters.

Thank you

sandra, was trying to find some other pics w/and w/o shutters. I did find one w/those cedar shakes. In Denita's pic, they have wood boards around the garage and a garage door. I like the look of cedar/natural wood, w/gray and black and white. didn't know if you could do the cedar somewhere like her pic

anyway, here are some shutter pics. you decide

If you do decide to get shutters, make sure each shutter is half of the size of the window so they appear functional. In the 3 photos Beth posted, only the middle pic shows properly sized shutters, the other two are the skinny (cheap) shutters that that article describes as 'shudders'.

The shutters don't have to function, just look like they could close and the hardware really helps with that look. The size is important and you can do any color you want that works with gray. I think this company can provide you a visual for shutters and colors https://www.timberlane.com When deciding your color, remember your front door is where you want people to focus their attention when they look at your house so it usually is a different color from the shutter color. This inspiration pic is to show the hardware and how it really helps.

My personal opinion is that your house looks great without shutters, but it is up to you and your hubby :)

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It's not too dark. You're more than fine. We're able to apply darker colors to exteriors a lot more these days because paint and colorants have come so far in terms of tech, fade resistance, light fastnesses, blah, blah, blah. So, darker houses are becoming more and more common.

I think that color looks great. You are going to paint under the overhangs too I hope. If you replace the shutters I would try brown wood to work with all that wood color in your front yard.

Looking very nice! Can't wait to see it when you finish and add thicker trim :)

That's a beautiful color!

Storm Cloud is considered blue and it is beautiful on your house.

Try the house first with no shutters.

I like this as an accent color for your front door.

The house is looking great and I agree a nice red, orange or yellow would make a great accent door color. Glad you decided to ditch the shutters as they added nothing.

i know i should probably wait until all is finish, but I'm loving it so much that I coudn't help in posting an updated picture. I'm sooooo excited!!!

Looking at this picture, I came to realize that the tree on the left that's is kind of blocking the bay window probably needs to go... What do you think?

Yes looking good! I'd keep all the plantings low in front of the house. Also maybe some plants that can hang down over the planters to break up the wood.

Painting your front door this shiny red would be awesome.

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great color! I like the idea of some trailing flowers (bright pink/white/red) in that planter. can you dig up that tree and transplant elsewhere?

what color did you decide on the door? that red above is snazzy! here is a slate blue w/the red for comparison.

Are you putting the shutters back? I like a black or deep navy if so. Both of these pics have them.

Red, yellow or a navy blue, glossy, front door.

Hi Beth,

My husband is considering transplating the tree to the backyard but I'm afraid the roots are going to be too deep that it won't happen. Definitely is not something that we will do right away (too many little project happening at the same time).

As for the front door, we really like red but not sure which tone yet. I'm currently search online for some ideas and different tones that would work great here.

I ordered dark navy blue shutters from Lowes but then I realized that they were the wrong size so i canceled the order. We are going to give ourselves a couple of weeks without any shutters to see if we like it. Worse case scenario, we'll buy it later and hire someone to install it. But this time around we'll probably go with black. It looks slicker in my opinion.

For now I'm going crazy with other details... I added another post yesterday regarding the garage door: https://www.houzz.com/discussions/garage-door-hardware-advice-dsvw-vd~4804916 

Can you take a look and let me know what you think? THANK YOU SOOO MUCH!

The barn door adds? yes, I think it would work IF you moved the windows to the top (basically move them up one slot). But I'm afraid those squares would interrupt the look.

the closest I could find are squares like this. Notice the glass on the top slot and the gridded windows. Looks good like this.

Anyway you could replace that door to a wood look?? I think it would make a big diff and would look great w/the slate color of the house. This one is perfect:

this door was just like your current one,,,,look at the after w/the barn door hardware.

Or, have you thought about painting them to look like wood? If you can't afford to change your door to a wood look one (which is my number one pick), then consider this:

I wouldn't go with the barn door. The style of your house is not barn style. Paint the garage door the same color as the rest of the house so it sits back and doesn't become a feature. Then find the right color for the front door and make that the feature.

^^Agree 100% with cpartist. You want your attention drawn to the front door (with color and style) and not to the garage door. To have the garage door recede, paint it the same color as the siding.

Don't add the shutters. Your home is contemporary and not carriage style.

I agree with you OP, finish up the painting and enjoy your new color. It's almost like getting a brand new home :) Then tackle another project.

Go to the Benjamin Moore website and upload the elevation showing your front door with the new paint and check out various colors. There are some new ones that are fabulous.

ya know, there's 'barn door' style, and barn door hardware. Doesn't have to look like a carriage door. I think OP just wants to add some hardware to an otherwise blah door. doesn't mean it's going to make stand out and grab center stage, it's just going to compliment the entire package.

something like this is hardly 'barn door' looking.

Her door is right there in front. Trying to hide it will look weird. I don't like the idea of painting it the same color as the house, but I suppose you could and add simple hardware.

at the very least, do simple handles and new windows like this one

Better to work with it, give the right compliments, and have it blend (blend,,,not hide) seamlessly w/the rest of the house. treating it like the red-headed stepchild will just make it look 'off'. IMO.

Go with a garage door like this or similar if this one is too expensive or just paint the door you have the siding color if there is nothing wrong with your current garage door. Your home is contemporary now, stay in that trend....

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Garage door should be the same color as the body of the house, blue. Coach lights on either side of the garage door (and everywhere) should be black - the tiny ones from a big box won't cut it. You need fixtures that are bigger than average.

If the wrought iron hand rail is staying, that should be black too.

Well there ya go Sandra. Paint it the same as your house. Heaven forbid anyone should step outside of the box! Never knew there were so many 'shoulds' in design. I guess it's just my neck of the woods that I see our garage doors in completely different colors than the actual house color. To each, their own.

As for the lights, something along these lines would work.

[https://www.houzz.com/products/gemma-textured-black-outdoor-wall-sconce-glass-cylinder-lantern-light-prvw-vr~51993277[(https://www.houzz.com/products/gemma-textured-black-outdoor-wall-sconce-glass-cylinder-lantern-light-prvw-vr~51993277)

Progress Lighting

Lori is right about not getting a tiny light, but since you have a single door, you don't want a big honking one that's meant for larger garage doors.

size-wise, this one below is the biggest you should go. see how it looks next to the single door? keep it this or a bit smaller.

Heaven forbid anyone should step outside of the box! Never knew there were so many 'shoulds' in design.

Maybe they are 'shoulds'.

There's a lot going on on the front of that house. It's visually busy. The terraced flower beds and the house itself is chunked up in levels. The garage door is older and not going to be replaced because it works; which means it's not something to feature and painting it any other color but blue will just add more lines, more focus, and more busy for no good reason.

Just because some garage doors are painted creatively and it works, that doesn't mean all of them on every house 'should' be.

Edit and simplify has always been my approach to exteriors and sometimes it's not always the most "fun" approach. But the upside is it usually ends up saving money because I whack the heck out of the extras. lol! :)

Lori,,,,I don't believe I singled you out. At all. Nor did I disagree with you. On this particular garage door, however, I do. Just because you paint something a different color than the body of the house, doesn't necessarily make it a 'feature'. Of course it depends on the house and the surroundings. Perhaps if there was more of a framing effect or some sort of actual trim around the garage door, I'd lean more towards painting it the same color.

That's great that you whack the heck out of extras and save money, but the flip side of that is it can often look like it.

Look, the garage door is right there. Ain't no hidin' it! Painting it the same blue as the house would just look weird to me. Maybe not to you, but to me it would. But then again, I usually step out of the box.

All this being said, it really doesn't matter what either one of us like. Sandra, it's your house and your dang garage door! What do you want it to look like? You're there in person and can better judge what looks busy. Any other homes like yours in your neighborhood? Do they 'hide' their doors? If it looks good, then go for it. It's a small, single door. Really isn't going to be a big deal one way or the other.

As far as exterior lighting, it really depends on what you are trying to achieve. If you want to match your existing lighting you're going to need black lanterns. If you want to switch it up you will likely have to replace all the exterior fixtures. The lamp post is keeping you in that direction. If you want a more contemporary look, you could change out the post for something lower and more modern.

Your house has that overhang in all the areas where there is lighting. You could put cans in the overhang everywhere and eliminate the fixtures entirely. It would look beautiful at night and be a very clean look during the day. I don't think you will be able to relocate the down spout due to the roof slope. Here are a couple examples of the cans.

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Lori,,,,I don't believe I singled you out. At all. Nor did I disagree with you.

Didn't feel that way at all Beth. Even if you were replying to me and/or did disagree, that would be perfectly fine. I've been around here long enough to know that's just part of the conversation process here on the Garden Web. And know what? I think it's like hitting the lotto when a poster gets great conversation on their thread with the GW crew volleying ideas and thoughts. #luckyducks

lol. you're absolutely right! didn't want you to think I was perturbed by your opinion. sometimes comments get 'lost in the translation'!

@Beth H, never even crossed my mind. I know you better than that by now. lol! :) I know you to always offer savvy, professional, sincere helpful insight.

Black shutters. Red door. I like the new color.

Lori,,,thx hon,,,back attcha' !

Great job on the house! Now, on to the landscaping. Can you bleach or frost those timbers to be more gray?

Wow! It looks terrific! The red door really pops. I love it. I like that you left the shutters off too. More importantly, how do you like it Sandra?

Very nice transformation!!!!

Sandra, I don't think your front door needs a light on the right side. The trim you added above the door and around the windows is perfect.

Love those colors together. So sweet and clean!

Yes I would add another fixture. to the door.

I would also think about painting the garage door something other than white -- the white isn't bad, but I think that perhaps a lighter gray (same as siding, just lighter) might work better.

I would also think about painting the trim around the windows black, navy, a darker gray, or the same lighter gray. Again, white is fine but I wonder if a different color would visually balance out the windows with the expanse more.

Plant something under and slightly "cupping" the bay window so it is more grounded.

Storm gray was a great color choice that can support all kinds of pops of color -- if you get tired of red, that is!

I was thinking of more a naturally grayed look. The brown is so harsh and dirt-like as a lead-in to your home.

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