jterrilynn is a genius! :) I just now noticed she completed my railing on the octagon - lol!! Love it! You ALL have such a great eye - you have helped us leaps and bounds. My husband and I like the black posts. He and I are divided however on the lower level fascia under the deck. I am liking the house color as a tie-in to the rest of the structure with the brown fascia a close second. He likes it black. Hmmmm.... we have a few days to think about it before the painter returns. If anyone has more to weigh in on, feel free :)

You have a very classic home, so stick with that. I'd say white pillars and railings. It's classic and will work well with your other choices. This example isn't your home style or material but you get an idea of the colors. For the porch flooring that really depends. Remember that too dark or too light will show everything. Try to find a medium natural color.

Thanks for the advice and opinions. Please keep them coming. We bought the house two years ago, which was built in 1997 (but looks much older IMO). I've heard from neighbors that the builder did not like original homeowner's plans. I've had some designers and an architect come for ideas, and usually, they'll say, "I'm not normally a fan of painting brick, but this orangish-pink brick is one of the uglier bricks I've seen." Maybe I should look into lime-washing instead of painting? I'm still torn about how to best bring this very non-cookie cutter house into the 21st century. We bought the house for the curb appeal of the back yard but need the front to say, "Welcome Home," too.

I’m pretty thrilled to hear you’re keeping the columns, they’re wonderful. Very French Quarter. :) I wouldn’t do an awning, it would really change the style. For shutters, I’d have painted ones, any color you like. Can you show a close-up of the front door? I like your white windows and keeping this a traditional style.