Sorry, millworkman. live_wire_oak- It seems we have no code enforcement here. Inspectors cleared this house before we bought it. We found extension cords plugged in together that were wrapped with duct tape BEHIND sheetrock walls. We found we had to put most of our money on fixing the issues the inspector didn't catch. How can they catch them when the issues are inside the wall and ceilings? Yes, we have 4 picture windows in a bedroom and no operable windows, but we do have one door for egress to the patio. So we have put in 3 beams, rewired the house, 2 new heat & air units, rewired electrical in the pool, gutted the kitchen, sheetrocked walls and ceilings, 18 pine trees cut down before they fell on the house, new dock floats, rewired dock, new walkway to dock. So there is no money left for siding. I agree with you that it should be replaced, but the corp of engineers thought the dock was more important.... $12,000 for that. I just don't understand why no one follows codes around here. (220 on the dock???? Seriously?) Weedyacres, I agree with the wall of windows! We love the views, but we need to be able to open windows. I don't want to lose the view which is why I don't know what to do. Shorter windows with clear view, french doors, or tilt and turn doors. I think keeping the view with large doors would be best. I am trying to find Tilt and Turn doors locally so I don't spend $1000.00 on shipping from Canada. They would open for a breeze and still show the view, don't you think? Annz, I am still learning how to put pics on and all that other stuff. I tried the help section but couldn't figure out how to link. I have only lived with sliding windows once...in the 1970s...hated them. I always had to lift them up to slide them open or closed. I assume they are much better now though. Do yours slide really easily? Do they have better ways to keep people from just popping the door out? Do you remember what brand you bought? Do French doors only open so far, then stop? I just assumed they would open all the way to the wall. SouthernCanuck, There are no structural engineers here. We tried to get architects and structural engineers to come out a year ago, but no one would. We are in the middle of nowhere! Our contractor who put in the beams and tore the stairs out and replaced them (to code) said there was a beam going across the outside wall and there are 6" square posts in 3 places under the beams. (It was an outside porch.) That is where the picture windows are. So we have to keep the windows separate. All of you have given me a lot to think about...and sliders were not even on my radar. We just do not have good quality products here where I live. I will drive a couple of hours next weekend to look at sliders and see how they perform. Thank you to everyone! Peke

My main thought is to paint the garage door a dark, complementary color. Right now it sticks out like a sore thumb and dominates the facade.

I like your new door. You have a range of colors you could paint it. Is your house all siding or brick? Are the window frames wood that could be painted? I would take down the shutters. Some of the windows are just wrong plus the shutters are so pale you can hardly see them.

So we’d probably raise the roof to be higher or match the top of the front door threshold. The rendering isn’t 100% accurate. But the front porch itself wouldn’t be exactly flat. It would have a slight angle that would then drop down into a hidden gutter where the front porch meets the slope of the actual house. The drawings were more or less inspiration, a way to show where we were thinking of heading. Just wasn’t sure what opinions would be on the look and what colours people would suggest.