We are building our own board & batten shutters for our garage. We intend to install them in the closed position (security for our garage), and I was wondering the best way to do this. The window on our garage is identical to the double hung window that loads at the top of this web page on this forum. My thought was to get "invisible" hinges, or hinges that don't have the removable pin (from the outside), and from the inside of our garage window, we'll install an "L" bracket and simply screw these into the window sill so they can't be opened from the outside. I'm not looking for any decorative or fancy brackets, just something practical and hopefully hidden for the most part. We don't want to screw the panels direcly into the window frame, because after patching, caulking and painting the nail holes we obviously won't be able to remove the shutters for repair in the future if needed. Can anyone recommend any particular hinge or method to this madness? Thanks

My opinions only. OP, it's a little difficult to know what you mean by making the siding more modern. But to answer your specific questions: 1) Should I alternate siding materials? No. IMO alternating siding material can be done well but for the most part is poorly executed. From what I have seen it becomes a jumble of materials that detracts from the house. 2) Should we incorporate stone? No. Board and batten siding is classic and timeless. Stone is a passing fad in its current application, especially now with it being added to places where it doesn't belong. Don't get me wrong, stone can be appropriate and also classic, but not the way it is thrown about now on the exterior as some sort of stick on applique. Scroll through houzz's images to see which contemporary board and batten home appeals to you. Here is one in white that is contemporary. Naturally you would look for colors that you prefer (dark) rather than the white shown below. This is just to give you an idea of contemporary board and batten siding appearance.

I would use rough-sawn lumber from a mill. Rough-sawn accepts stain very well. I can get a choice of white pine, hemlock and larch around here in 10 or 12 inch widths. You might find something different where you live. Cedar is great if you can get at a reasonable price. I would finish every board on all six sides before installing and would add a top coat of finish afterwards.

A one inch tolerance will not make or break the installation. Given that each wall is its own elevation, you should map out the approach for each individual wall with your finish carpenter. I have board and batten on my home. While I didn't build it, I know the builder and his carpenter. They are very good at their jobs. I went out and checked what they did on my back wall and porch. Here are some pictures of the back porch area. I think that it will help you with your project. It's a bit of a mess right now. Waiting on the painter. We had a tornado go through recently and level a lot of the town. We got lucky. But, the exterior is covered in dirt and debris. The back wall is centered and works to the corner. The side walls with the French doors work from the corner to the edge. I think the only rule is not working out a solution that causes the carpenter to have to split or trim a batten. That won't weather well. Given that a picture is worth a thousand words. I hope this helps.