I would change the colour of the garage doors, get rid of the steel, focus on landscaping to add more. I think a simple house is beautiful. But you can see that already from our very basic house design. :)

Just looking for advice to spice it up, everyone

Again, you want unique, classic, and spicy, but some of these are mutually exclusive, at least with respect to your house.

Here are some blog posts from designer and consultant, Maria Killam, that are well worth reading:

http://www.mariakillam.com/boringequalstimeless/

http://www.mariakillam.com/design-stone-exterior/

and focus on these parts:

simple and "boring" = classic and timeless, and also,

"Builders and buyers seem to be convinced that when it comes to exterior colours and claddings, more is more. And that’s too bad, because if you want to create a classic exterior, simplicity is key.

"Just like any design project nowadays, the options are endless, and it’s really hard to pick just one. So in an effort to be “interesting”, the general consensus seems to be, why not pick three? Or more?

"JUST BECAUSE YOU HAVE OPTIONS, DOESN’T MEAN YOU SHOULD INDULGE"

There are a number of architectural modifications which could be made which would improve the front facade of your house. For example, lower and reconfigure the roof over the garage. Ganging the second floor windows closely together, much as suggested in PPF's computer rendering, and a horizontal trim piece would enhance the architectural character.

But simply adding paint and a pleothra of exterior materials to the house will not be much help at all.

Yes, of course, Alison. You frequently disagree. But what I said is a simple fact: there are architectural changes which could help. Adding more lipstick and mascara doesn't help the fundamental problem. The issues with her design are not simply cosmetic. I'm trying to suggest to the OP that she is looking at the wrong strategies, but there are other effective strategies to consider which will make a difference. You and I will simply have to agree to disagree.

But if someone doesn’t want to make architectural changes does that mean they can’t get other advice or hear other options?

What? There's all sorts of advice, with a variety of options, in this thread.

If I were at the beginning rather than at the end of this process (heaven help me), and I didn't know what I didn't know, I would be delighted for the various suggestions and links. Especially if it saved me the cost of lipstick for the pig.

Alison, OP wrote, "I am really struggling with the exterior style and color. I have always been drawn to the modern farm house look." Others here are making suggestions to help with that struggle and to help the OP achieve her much-desired modern farmhouse look.

I can't see where OP mentioned anything about landscaping. And that can be very expensive "solution" to this sort of problem, even more so when it's ineffective at achieving the desired look.

I simply disagree with Virgil that paint and landscaping wouldn’t help. They definitely won’t hinder and if someone didn’t want to change their house much could make a huge impact.

One of the benefits of the OP posting today, the very day that construction has started, is that there is actually a last-minute opportunity here to make a long-lasting, and in the long run likely ultimately more satisfying and cheaper, change to achieve the OP's desired look. That's all. By the time you get done building a structure that doesn't look anything at all like the modern farmhouse style, you are basically putting lipstick, and/or mascara, on a pig. Yet if all the basic elements of that desired style aren't right, no amount of lipstick, mascara, landscaping, or paint, is going to disguise or change it.

Unfortunately, I have to get off this merry-go-round shortly and attend to real life livestock : ) . Good luck to the OP!

Except for the third garage bay, this looks like a house built in 1970, then remodeled in a effort to make it look more up to date. Choosing parts of different styles that do not work together, then forcing them on a house that does not want them.

The upper floor -- the part above the porch, overwhelms the front of the house, and the windows being offset to the left do not help.

The windows are not consistent with the overall look, looking instead like a misguided attempt at contemporary design.

You mentioned modern farmhouse, and as Halloween approaches, I'll suggest putting on a superman costume does not make you superman, just like wrapping a house in white board and batten siding does not make it a modern farmhouse.

What I'm suggesting is the house lacks an identity, instead looking more like it was designed by a committee where everyone wanted something different.

I'd make a suggestion or 2, but I'm not sure which direction to go.

Maybe you could reach out to a designer who could help you focus on a specific style/look, and could then suggest ways to apply it to your house.

placement of windows along with the shape of Windows is much more jarring than the garage

Hopefully you’ll get some suggestions and are able to change it as I think you will really regret it in the long run

I'm afraid garage heavy is a bit of an understatement. If structural decisions are still in flux, add vote for bigger picture reassessment.

As in many of these posts the first thing that comes to mind is, "Who did this to you?" and "Don't you have a close enough friend that will tell you that you are making a mistake?"

Is this house being built on a narrow lot?

The three car front facing garage is the 'elephant in the room', the windows are minute details. The best advice here is the first comment.

One of the things you still have time to do is to change the roof framing over the garage. It is huge, in reality, and, as designed, it will be an overbearing image to all who approach the house from the front. It's an easy change to simply lower the ridge line, by either reduing the pitch or changing the roof style entirely. Neitther option will affect the current construction schedule.

You should be aware that with the current design, and given site work construction tolerances and workmanship errors, it may be easy for the current ridge line to exceed the height of the second floor fascia and terminate against the second floor roof line, instead of terminating just below the second floor fascia as illustrated.

That's how big the current garage roof design actually is. Reducing the height of the garage roof may be the single most significant and postive change which can be made at this point.

You want advice on exterior design. You lost the argument about front loading garage. You didn't tell us the general location and size of the lot/land. These issues are vital to effectively advising you.

Ranch and modern farmhouse are contradictions in terms. Because this is a two-story home, it is by definition not a ranch or rambler. Nor, is it farmhouse. This is a modern of the type that you see west of the Mississippi.

My suggestion is monotone. One color, preferably light. One material, probably stucco. Don't even try to go towards a "farmhouse" vibe. Keeping the exterior very simple is the best direction. In the end, you are going to have a garage house. Pushing the third bay back doesn't help in this instance. I'd save some framing money and keep the three bays on the same plain. The roof is going to be a problem if it ever rains or snows where you are located.

homechef59 - I dont think I ever said anything about a ranch or rambler?? I do like modern farmhouse but I am not married to that idea - just stated to give people an idea of my style, mostly though I like clean lines. Monotone, is an option, but I wont get rid of my black windows - those I love. I also won't do stucco.

First I'll admit that I'm not anywhere near a professional and I didn't read every post. Now I'll say that I'm biased toward simplicity and I love white, especially for a farmhouse aesthetic. For that reason if it were my house (which of course it's not) I'd pick one siding, white, wide vertical. To me, simple is beautiful.

For the front facing garage I'd recommend getting very nice doors. (I've been very happy with my Clopay doors, now 10 years old.) Yes, they're expensive but it's a big part of your facade and therefore (IMO) important. And the ones you choose can completely change how your house looks, whether you go for something that blends, something that stands out / matches the roof, or something that embraces the "farmhouse" thought like a totally red garage with white doors.

Lots of examples online for inspiration.

I didn't read every post carefully, but here is my thought. I don't know if it is too late to change rooflines, but to me a farmhouse has a steeply pitched roof. I live in New England so I don't know what farmhouses look like in north dakota.

Hi there! Since we only supplied the windows I had to check the plans for you. The material listed for the wood siding on the Spokane Modern Farmhouse is:

"6" W VERTICAL CEDAR T&G, SQUARE EDGE, FINE LINE, SMOOTH SIDE OUT, ECO TREATMENT"

I'm not sure how it holds up to the elements since that is outside my expertise. Spokane's winters would be considered mild compared to you in ND.

Hope this helps!

I would have considered a double garage appearance from the front with one of the bays being two car depth. One bay will be stuff, not a vehicle.

Love your ideas. Congrats on the new home! It's going to be beautiful

PPF, id appreciate your suggestions on how to change those two top windows to make flow better. Those have always been a point of contention.

The problem is, it's not specifically the windows, it is how the different parts of the house do not work together.

You need to work towards reducing the visual weight of the 2nd floor above the porch, and change the windows, and whatever else it takes to create a harmonious composition.

I could make the house pleasing to me, but it would likely not please you.

Thanks, Chicagoans! I really like the all white a lot more!

I do think the all white version has a lot to recommend it over the others.

I think this is one of those situations where "modern farmhouse" gets us into trouble. It's such a fluid term with no actual architectural meaning. You got the "modern" part, I think. But "farmhouse" isn't really an architectural style. So what elements of "Farmhouse" should be brought in? I think you're wise to avoid just trying to use "modern farmhouse" colors on a plan that isn't really farmhouse-y at all. Gables? Not all farm houses are gabled? Foursquares, for instance. While different windows and another roof pitch might get you a step closer, I don't think you can reach "farmhouse" of any flavor from here.

Therefore, stay faithful to what the house is telling you. The white is good. I also like PPF's grey - lessening the contrast makes it flow a little better.

Virgil, for the lurkers here in the audience, how would lessening the roof over the garage work? Would the pitch get lower, and would that be an issue for snow/rain?

Holly, there are various strategies to reduce the height and ridge intersection of the roof over the garage.

It's difficult to be sure what's real and what may be pictorial distortion, but it appears the pitch of the garage roof may be steeper than that of the house. If so, decreasing the pitch is certainly one strategy.

Another strategy is to fragment and reduce the overall roof by reflecting on the fact that the garage facade is actually two planes, thus enabling the roof to respond to the two different planes, rather than simply being a large, single "cap" over the entire garage.

A third strategy is to make the garage roof two simple gables, one for the facade with two doors, and another intersecting gable for the single door facade.

Any pitch of 3/12 or more will work. Shifting the garage floor plan a bit will also help.

It appears what may have happened is a preoccupation with an intial floor plan unitl it was "perfect", and only thereafter was a roof design considered, resulting in something which simply keeps the rain out of the "perfect" plan, but which results in a very unresolved exterior.

This is the sort of thing which frequently happens when one considers only one step of the design at a time, in a sequential process, rather than a holistic and integrated design process.

Virgil - hindsight is always 20/20. That is exactly what happened.

Holly, I didn't realize modern farmhouse would send so many responders into a tizzy (not you). I am definitely abandoning the idea of farmhouse. We changed some planes, pitches, windows - overall did the white, with a light wood accent area and we really love our "GARAGE HOUSE" (slightly spiteful with that term ;)) and cant wait to go through this process to the end result.

When you start construction, keep a very close watch on the framing, especially when the garage roof framing starts to ensure that the garage roof ridge is placed below the eve line of the second floor roof.

With only a few on-site measurment miscalculations, the ridge could easily wind up above the eve line of the second floor roof and become even larger than the perspective drawing shows.

It should be one the items on your critical list.

Good luck on your project.

I didn't realize modern farmhouse would send so many responders into a tizzy

The term doesn't send responders into a tizzy, but it does prompt them to start warning the prospective homeowner that, as you discovered, there is a good chance of design problems ahead that can adversely affect the build and the homeowner's enjoyment of the final product. That's because, as Holly explained, modern farmhouse isn't an actual architectural style, it's a series of elements popularized by Joanna Gaines and others. And as PPF mentioned above, the problem is how the different parts/elements of a house don't work together.

What some forum users don't understand is that when the people here offer critiques -- and some can be quite blunt, and usually the blunter the critique, the more concerned the pros and experienced amateurs are -- for interior layouts and exterior elevations, it isn't to be mean or snarky, but to alert the prospective homebuilder that expensive, time consuming, and unpleasant to live with mistakes and consequences are on the horizon if the homebuilder isn't willing to understand the suggestions; a phrase that often comes up here is "you don't know what you don't know", and yet it's often an uneasy sense that a design isn't quite right -- that "struggle" you mentioned in your original post, that brings posters here for the first time. That's a very valuable inner voice and more people should listen to it : ) .

As GardenWeb member Buehl has written on the Kitchen forum FAQs, and it certainly applies here in the Building a Home forum:

When asking questions (e.g., asking for layout help), please keep in mind that everyone here is trying to help, not criticize maliciously. Some of us can be blunt, but no one is out to deliberately insult or hurt anyone. When your kitchen is done, we want you to have a kitchen that functions wonderfully well and looks nice overall -- but the process will take time and may entail comments that many times you won't want to hear (e.g., when a layout is dysfunctional). We strongly recommend you "keep listening" to what others have to say but, in the end, you don't have to take any advice given here. It's your kitchen and you are the one who will make the final decisions!

It is definitely a process : ) .

*Not my furniture, my style is more Scandinavian

Ceiling

Living

My favorite view. Makes my “garage house” my home