I don't necessarily agree with your architect about the trim because IMPO the finished product is a package of varying elements not just one color. The white trim may represent cottage to him just as the color your son & husband love represents southwest to you, but if you look at inspiration photos, sort through homes on Realtor.com or even drive around your neighborhoods, you'll see that the color is only one part of the finished package. I think you'd be best served by visiting a Benjamin Moore store with a photo of your house in hand. Look at the colors in person that you and family seem most drawn too, ask the color specialist there what he/she would recommend as a palette for the colors you like, and then get samples. You're never really going to know until you see them up close and personal.

Get a book with all the paint colors and look for those newer darker grayish greens-- they seem almost green but have overtones of the gray. It's THE color right now! (Ben Moore has awesome colors and any brand paint company/store can match to that deck.) Think about painting the door (not the frame, just the door) a contrasting color like burgundy, too!

okay, let's try that again....

Thanks! I think the trim at one point was a chocolate brown, because I can see remnants of it on the brick in a few places. We think we do want a color that's not brown/beige/tan/white -unless that becomes the best option, because we've always lived with those colors in former houses, and just feel like the exterior could be turned up a notch with something different. For a red door, I was thinking a deep cranberry color. DH still wants something brighter. I'm afraid that the brick, roof, and surroundings can't support a bright color.