First ... absolutely FIRST! Make sure you have a sound roof, no leaks. Same around windows and doors Sound footings and walls ... all the foundations and beams and cross ties and stuff Water control ... all the seepage, drainage, etc. See this post for why you need to do this first: http://ths.gardenweb.com/forums/load/realestate/msg0700333329476.html?14 ====== Check structural things before removing anything ... sometimes old chimneys are serving as floor joist supports. Then do your "remove this stuff" for everything you don't need ... old plumbing, dead wiring circuits, etc. ======= Make a plan of what has to happen in each area, and double-check the sequence for "sanity". Make a detailed floor plan with call outs and scribbled-on pictures of walls. Sometimes what you think is low priority may have to get done before a high-priority thing can happen ... Wherever you plan to "add a light" later, make sure you have a wire and an outlet while the electrician is there. =========== Things people (including me) forget ... Vents FIRST, Insulation LATER

I wrote nice detailed post and lost it via this random keystroke thing that wipes out my posts usually right at the end after Ive spent an hour. WTH is that???? Anyway short version - keep all stucco (body of house AND the short wall around porch landing) same color . I thought you said you are keeping it gray? So why are we seeing all the blue and black and white houses? Is that original unpainted stucco, or has it been painted? Deemphasize dormer by changing siding to darker color, get rid of red and turqouise. Stick to 3-4 colors - 1 for stucco (body of house and porch wall), one for roof color (looks to be more of a green-blue-gray?), one for trim (is it paintable?) and possibly nice accent color for door + the cute little diamond patterns . No veneer - keep it simple, beauty is in the original design and proportions. Can the white trim be painted? I could see all that being a dark gray that relates to the roof color with the cement gray left as is. Recommend D/2 biological cleaner for your masonry - I was amazed at amount of algae and crud coming out of my 100 yr old cement house. So much brighter/lighter, I decided to just put on clear matte finish and not paint. If you do paint then mineral paint aka potassium silicate is best product for vintage masonry - some US sources are limeworks.us, Romabio, beeck.com

Unfortunately the windows were replaced with inexpensive vinyl. What is missing is muntins. Are there any holes around the frame which would let you add some for this effect? Choosing one color, for trim and any siding, will mask the vinyl look, work with the stone and bring back to life some Craftsman feel. So, I'm with you on a camel paint color...and do it all in one color. This is B.M. Camel Hair. It is a CSP color 285. You could give it a try.

I love the dark stucco idea. Please don't paint the craftsman gray. dark charcoal, ok, but a silver gray? nope. check out BM Nightfall too this is a so cal spanish style bungalow, but you can see how beautiful this looks, and on this one w/the stained wood doors and porch. check out some of these BM dark colors and how they look. https://www.brickandbatten.com/benjamin-moore-exterior-paint-colors-2023/ This one would be similar to Cheating Heart or Raccoon Fur. Dragons Breath and Iron Ore have more brown to them. this one has the river rock, but this deep blue/green is nice w/the appropriate landscaping. succulents and golds/yellows would look great w/this color. (BM Gentlemans Gray) you could do your arbor in a diff paint color (like in these pics) or have it changed out to wood. (or strip the paint off and stain it?) a lot of these are siding, but it can easily be done on the stucco w/the same colors. don't forget to paint the trim on the windows inside and out. usually it's a 3rd color for the trim on the window. see above and below I really like a dark stucco color w/natural wood tones. change out the arbor to cedar if you do this Or, you could keep the white trim. but paint your porch and steps in the same dark color. These next two would be similar to Kendall Charcoal. pair it w/a nice white. landscape will keep this from looking too dreary. Slate Blue colors could be pretty. White stucco w/any dark trim/accent color. just to give you an idea on stucco, I did mine in Behr Swiss coffee w/BM Wrought Iron on the trim. paint the underside of the eaves in the dark trim color what do you think of these two white stuccos w/charcoal trim? (consider tiling your front porch, or do a stencil) for the inside: https://www.thespruce.com/craftsman-interior-features-5079939 this is a nice duo. for the small window trim muntins, I might go w/a 3rd accent color