Great suggestions - I will look at those this week when we go paint picking. One thing I forgot to mention is that the roof is green metal. I know... that's a BIG thing. That will probably make green a no-go? It's more of a faded dusty green - not mossy or sagey. You can see the green astro turf on the porch that looks pretty accurate for comparison. So, the things we're forced to work with are: green roof, white siding on the eaves and porch & probably black casement windows. We are painting a small bank of windows black this morning as a test. Another thing we thought about is that the interior panes are already black so if we do get a little outside the lines, it won't be a glaring mistake like it is now with the white on the outside. Also, we do have black vintage porch furniture that will serve as an accent. Pardon the mess on the porch - it's a work day around here! Here is a link that might be useful:

The structural part of the back porch looks to be original - at least the brick in the pillars is same as the house. The screening, door, steps, rail, ugly glary light fixture, etc can go though. Perhapsjust leave it as a simple open porch with railing/new steps + nice wood screening around the bottom to conceal the space underneath + a little carpentry to tidy up that wood trim up under the roof + a nice attractive ceiling light fixture + Id rethink gutter/downspout somehow. Contingent on condition of structural elements - not always possible to save everything but its nice when it can happen.

Hello all, I'm back with an update. We finally moved in on April 16 and the entire place is a construction zone. We have LOTS of renovations ahead so the next 5 months or so will be a dust bowl. However, I wanted to show you the "after deck" photos. I am SO HAPPY with the result! We have painted the trim - we pulled a color from the stone that also blends with the brick mortar color. I have new doors being installed Saturday. The door on the left will be the MC type that I showed in my March update. The door on the right will be a solid slab, no windows, and will be painted the trim color. I would love color suggestions for the front (left) door - any ideas?? I have a couple ideas, but I am not sure - it's difficult picking something that will "go" with brick, stone and trim.Here's a close-up of the front steps, stone, brick, etc. The discoloration on the steps is from carpet glue! Apparently the owners - prior to putting up the monstrous white deck - had put brown astro-turf all over the stoops. Most of the astro-turf was gone but we did find a small piece under the deck. All that was left was the glue residue. Otherwise, the steps are in excellent shape! Glue removal is a slow process but we'll get it done. Afterward, we may stain the concrete to blend more with the stone. Please help me with a color for my door. Thanks a bunch!

Wonderful, thanks for those photos. Since the view from the front porch is rural (no busy road, no close neighbors), you don't need screening. I'm getting a prairie "wide open spaces" vibe for your landscape design which fits with low maintenance. No foundation shrubs (too suburban) or shrubs of any sort. No structured garden. Is the steppingstone path adequate in all weather or do you need a poured sidewalk/wide bluestone pavers? That's the only hardscape work I'd do and only if necessary. Plant a large shade tree (preferably oak) toward the right corner of the house. A tree which will seem iconic and invoke memories of tree swings and summer afternoons at the lake house for your grands and great grands. Maintain a close mown lawn within 30 yards of the house (or at least within the steppingstone path and around the new tree along the right side of the house). Just beyond the path, install a naturalistic planting based on flowering perennials (preferably natives so they look at home) and some grasses in a wide arc from the driveway sweeping across the front and slightly turning the corner on the right. No plant will be taller than about waist high so you can easily see across them while seated on the front porch. Think of a flower meadow but with mostly flowers and only a few grasses. The size planting you can install will depend on budget restraints. This planting will be mown (on a four inch high setting) each year in early spring. Beyond the flower planting, allow the pasture grasses to grow up as an actual wild meadow. Again, mow this annually. So you would purchase one tree and a lot of plugs (small landscape sized perennials). Maintenance would be annual mowing and addition of new plugs every couple of years.