What an interesting thread! My friends who live in San Francisco Bay Area Eichlers definitely do NOT have their interiors matched but I suspect that's because we're all in the same place in terms of young children, and those Eichlers are crap for storage, etc. I'm so glad boxerpups posted, inc. a picture, because now I know that our house is Transitional Traditional, oops, I mean Traditional Transitional. Whatever, it's a 1997 large suburban house. I think our house makes sense, like I think when you drive up and then come inside you don't go "whoa nellie!" Is it what I would have designed if we'd done custom? Nope. But it's home!

I think when the MLS listing shows "contempory" or "traditional" or "ranch" it's just lumping various styles into one of those general catagories. They aren't architectural styles themselves. And of course the interior style may differ from the exterior since someone might have a traditional house and have some mediterranean fetish and put textured walls or for insteance instead of an ornate wood fireplace mantle surrounded with brick they may just do marble there or something that is viewed as more contemporary. As for me, I think my house is a colonial type, plain box with steep roof slope, four stories including basement and an attic you can walk around in for a ways. It's almost awkwardly too tall but sort of impressive how the top of the roof is up about 50' from the ground level in the back. They don't really call houses here "Colonials" though. One of the more recent architectural styles I see poping up in new subdivisions is the craftsman style. Of course they really aren't craftsman style just with some finishing touches that make them a little different. And around here they call any one story home a "ranch." And there appears to be some stigma that goes with that unfortunatly.

"Mitered corners have nothing to do with style. It has to do with good craftsmanship." That's one of the oddest statements I've seen on this site. Mitered corners will look very odd and out of place in an Arts and Crafts style house, the Shakers never, to my knowledge, mitered corners in their casework or trim. Miters are no easier or harder to make than any other sort of joint, in wide trim they will open and close with the seasons because of wood movement. Mitered corners are more typical of a MCM style, so probably appropriate here, but better craftsmanship? I don't think so. It has everything to do with style.

I'd do a dramatic color, but I'd lose the horizontal siding and do a board and batten. Like this one. vertical is much better looking. This is white, but you could do it in black, forest green, navy, whatever mix in some natural wood around the front door (painted a bold color) and you'd get this look this one mixes the veritcal w/some horizontal. look at the landscape design. it's stunning. add in the hardscape w/the stone path, rocks, wood fence/posts, modern address/lights. wow. Surrounded by the greenery of the PNW, I think this combo is stunning. The wood tones are a must if you're going this dark. Vertical siding, dark wood garage door (or composite wood) This is a similar layout home. look at the landscaping. this would look nice in your yard another vertical siding, black windows (or window trim) cedar posts, glass front door, and lots of hardscape How about this vibrant blue/gray? (hate the garage door, but the rest is fine) I'll post some other colors in my next comment