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Paint Design Dilemma Exterior

Colonial Exterior Update

3 years ago

Looking to update the exterior of our house. Deciding whether we will paint just the siding or the brick as well. Also want to change the shutters. Looking for ideas to give the exterior a more updated and modern look and would appreciate any recommendations!

Featured Answer

Design Girl

3 years ago

Agree with Deco - The white bay window dominates so I would paint the siding white and add appropriately sized black shutters. It will look great with the brick as is, or you can paint out the brick later if you want a different look.

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Comments (6)

decoenthusiaste
3 years ago
Show us more of it; like the entry and the garage doors. I'm thinking it would look better if the siding matched the white trim and you upgraded to larger, black shutters. The landscaping is a bit dowdy looking, so that would be where you can add some personality and improve the look.
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You will get a whole lot of ideas, so just sort through them and keep the ideas that appeal to you. I actually like your wider type shutters. I like a similar color to what you have now, only maybe a bit more blue in it. I dont like downspouts painted, then it becomes a regular maintenance type job. They already have a nice finish on them, that will hold up for years. Why turn them into a yearly maintenance thing. I dont like the scallop on the porch, and I do think the posts need to be beefier. I would keep the fence, or some type of railing. My porch has no front railing, and I really would love to have one. You could use a bit of landscaping. My main problem with the hedges in front of the porch is that they are all in a row like marching soldiers. A more random landscaping would improve the front considerably. You have a very attractive house. Please try to keep as many original features as you can, and just improve on some that arent as good as they should be.
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You do NOT remove shutters on one side of a window! That makes no sense. None of the items you mention are needed to improve the house, and some will detract from it. It's just change for the sake of change. If you remove the railing over the porch, how will you explain the French doors? No one would ever have French doors leading on to an unsafe balcony with no railing. Yes, I know, the doors may be fake, they may never be used, the roof may not be able to be walked on. But it has to LOOK as though it could in order for the French doors to pass as real. If you remove the railing, the house looks stupid and dangerous. So...tread lightly. You're new to the house; live with it a while. Cat_ky is right. Spend some time nd money on landscaping. The house looks barren and baked sitting like that. I'd like to pull the driveway away from the front of the house to give some room for a couple of ornamental trees; that may not be possible. But certainly rethink those tiny ball shrubs.
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Really nice house. Would not paint the brick -- not ever. You might consider removing the two trees leaning toward the house before a storm --wind storm and/or ice storm or even lightening -- puts them on your roof. While you already have room to create a portico, if you remove the two trees, you'll have plenty of room for a larger front porch -- either one will look good with forward facing gable with its ridge point the same height as the gable on the left side and it would be a good idea to make a decision on that before replacing the roof. If you've been considering enlarging the house to extend the upstairs over the single story section on the left end of the ground floor and/or adding a porch or room elsewhere, Decide that before redoing the roofing. If a new roof is needed, make that your priority. medium/dark gray shingles are as close to neutral as shingles get. Newer metal roofs now have an extended warranty. Talk with your homeowner insurance company and see if they can give you any information about how metal roofs age in your geographic location that might help you make your decision. Probably would not choose metal myself with that style house -- they tend to look better with steep roofs. Siding color you have is neutral and works well with the brick so if it doesn't need changing, wouldn't make that a priority.
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Comments (1)
Following...
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houssaon
3 years ago
Jessica F
Original Author
3 years ago
Thank you so much!
Here are a few more photos of the exterior:
decoenthusiaste
3 years ago
So, which side of your home actually faces the street? I thought the first pic you posted might be it, until I saw the house numbers above the garage door. Where do guests park to access the front door? The brick pony wall extending from the house toward the walk is providing a visual barrier to your entrance and actually saying, "Stop here, go no further!" The boulders and stubby shrubs circling that area repeat the cry, "Don't approach the front door." I know it is winter, but the beds look like they could use a reno. Is that large tree safe?
amuzyczka
3 years ago
Park the adorable pooch in front of the house and no one will notice the house :) Kidding (kinda). I'd definitely put a bench under the windows against the wall next to the front door to draw more attention to it's location. Get rid of the small half wall blocking the front door area and cut down all of the shrubs surrounding the tall tree and blocking the front door area. I think if it were mine, I'd change out all of the yellow beige siding to white (like houssaon has) and paint out the gutters to blend in with whatever they are in front of. I'd definitely get rid of the two straight hedges blocking the house and replace with something less linear.

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