I suggest doing your research on fantasy brown if you are considering it. It sounds to me like a marble. (Super white is another that is often billed as quartzite but is is actually usually marble.). Not that there is anything wrong with marble--I chose it for the ktichen in our last house, but I did so knowing what I was getting. Those countertop geology threads are really informative.

I also live in the Northeast and I know what your saying. It looks like a beautiful classic home, but yes, it could use a few things to freshen it up. You have beautiful millwork, and floors, but the floors read yellow/orange to me. I would refinish the floors to something more classic. In the Northeast, many classic colonials have floors stained darker and richer. I have red oak floors, and am changing them from the color you have, to dark walnut mixed with a small amount of Ebony to counteract the red tones. I've already done my bedroom, and bath and am now doing the rest of the house. If your floors are white oak, you may not need the Ebony. In terms of your stairs, I think they're beautiful. The only thing I would do is stain the railing and the stair treads dark to match the floors, but paint the risers white. I would NEVER replace the ballusters, just keep them white and as they are. A runner would also cozy up the stairs. Make sure if you carpet the stairs you ask the installers to waterfall them. Paint is another thing you may want to update. The color appears to have a yellow cast to it, which again reads 1980-90's. I've been there too. Chose a light color that you love and goes with your furniture, but still has enough contrast to make your millwork shine. Yes, everyone will tell you to paint gray, but it's not for everybody and is actually waning in popularity where I am. However, there are some nice proven colors to consider. Ben. Moore White Sands (OC-10), is a lovely neutral beige/sand color that contrasts nicely with white trim and is warm and inviting. A popular warmer gray is BM classic gray (more of a greige tone). BM Revere Pewter may also work. All these need to be tested in your light. In terms of your fireplace, the picture is not close enough for me to determine what if anything should be done. It looks like New England Fieldstone, which can be very pretty. From what I can see, your fireplace is very large and the mantle looks skimpy in comparison, and a bit too far away from the firebox. Again, a better photo of the whole family room would be helpful.

Okay, so don’t worry about the rest until you narrow down your cabinet paint color. Backsplash comes last. Hardware and faucet are the jewelry of your space and you can really choose just about anything. I‘d start by getting much larger swatches of the paint colors you’re considering and tape them to your cabinets. Look at them at all different times of day and in all different types of light. You’ll start to eliminate based on what you see. Paint is very difficult to choose online because our monitors all look different than what you are seeing inside your house. Also, what does the rest of your house look like? You mentioned that some paints look a little too green and I’d agree, but not necessarily a bad thing. Do you have green in the rest of your house? Is the rest of your house greige? Is it a blank canvas? Ultimately, what do YOU like?

regarding the front, I'd pull out those round shrubs near the garage and the home since they do nothing visually for the home. You could change the garage doors to something more up to date, along w/the front door and removing the shutters. I'd do black windows. Let me show you a slew of pictures that give you ideas of colors and styles. (and don't be too quick to shoot down painting the brick. Romabio is a wonderful product w/almost no upkeep) not quite the same as yours, but I like the garage doors, the vertical siding, black windows and the addition of wood siding (you could do composite) if you painted the brick white it could look like this photoshopped these doors so you can see. Landscaping and a new driveway will have a huge impact on the overall look I love the after shot on this one. very modern looking. if you did your driveway and landscaping like this, along w/the black windows, black accents, dark garage door, a new front door and the added wood accents, it would look so much better here's another split that got a makeover. same color roof like you have. Consider doing some type of path down the middle of the grass. Notice all of the little details on this after photo. I love this one too. they got rid of the shutters, got black windows, new porch overhang w/the wood, wood posts, gray siding, modern doors/lights/address, and of course the landscaping similar splits w/a more modern redo. similar house like yours w/the brick. gray siding, updated landscaping. although the brick is painted in this one, you don't have to do it. (I like it better but it's up to you) Medium gray siding, black windows, new front door, wood garage door and upgraded lights. and landscaping. around back, the dark siding and black windows would loo like this. do a composite wood deck, or add some type of wood to warm up the darker, black tones very similar style hosue to yours, switched over to farmhouse style. they did paint the brick w/Romabio on this one do you like the green? this color siding w/your red brick would work. I'd still get a new door and landscaping and do the walkway down the middle. if you want a porch overhang, this one is nice. I wouldn't use the shutters