"But is white exterior hard to maintain?" Probably no more so than any other color unless you actually DO live on a farm where there's a lot of dust in the air from tending crops, etc. "Also white will not “fit in” with other houses in the neighborhood. Should we be mindful of that?" Well, please don't take this as snark, but since you've broken ground on a house whose "modern farmhouse" style is best realized by a white exterior, I'd say it's a little too late to worry about the house fitting in with the neighborhood. That should have been considered before the plan was chosen and ground was broken. That being said, I don't get too bent out of shape like some at what is described as a "farmhouse" and what is not. This particular exterior lends itself very easily to several different architectural styles simply by changing a few elements. Right now, however, it's a mishmash, especially with the knee braces and the stained wood posts, etc. as cpartist mentioned. I'd ditch those. I have no beef with black windows so if that's the thing you love, do it. As long as the exterior looks cohesive and you're in a warm/hot market and desirable neighborhood, your house will sell. Buyers aren't going to sit at the curb and pass up the house because the windows are black instead of white nor are they going to analyze your house to death trying to determine if the architectural style is truly an authentic farmhouse or not. They just aren't. That seems to be something only highly analyzed on here ;-) Here's some inspo pics: Your house plan in white. I don't like the natural wooden steps on this and feel like the skirting under the siding should've been a natural brick color and the roof darker. A more dramatic approach to "modern farmhouse" I think this is lovely. I also really like this and it has black windows.

I like your current colors just the way they are now. The only potential change for me would be the color of the front door...maybe. If it's wood, I would probably leave it and remove the storm door. You have a very nice home!

I'm in the never paint brick camp because it's just a maintenance hassle. Working with what you have, sage green would be pretty for the door; it coordinates with the peachy brick. (Runner up: Smokey Blue-Grey to coordinate back to the roofing.) When you do eventually change the roof, pick a color that coordinates with the brick so they look like they are more brothers than distant cousins. As the landscaping matures, you'll be on the right track.

Projection is your biggest problem here, for example, the one you like sticks out 8''..... now the weight of the fixture is going up so that is a plus, but being able to sit under it and not bop your head on the bottom of it is another problem. I would move the wire up another 2 feet and fill in the current hole this way you can get the proper type of light there and it wont be in the way.