I also found another project I did, where they used wood for the decking, and top railing cap with feeney cable rail as well. White timber tech post sleeves. I made a pergola to go over the deck and they bought one of these really cool colored sunsail awning to go onto. Like someone else mentioned the side stairs could be better with divided landings, and wider. As far as the siding I know its very expensive but hardy plank would last the longest with minimal maintenance. I also think that if something was done with bottom of deck, either columns, enclosed porch with deck underneath would change the whole appearance of the house, along with different rails.

What a great opportunity! It might be worthwhile to take a look at the context of your home and try to incorporate that into your design. The creative process is open ended and it's hard to provide advice without knowing you and your needs. I'd recommend speaking to a designer and getting some 3D renderings done. These allow you to see changes without having to actually build the thing. I don't mean to expressly advertise myself; this is a forum where people seek genuine advice and I try to be helpful above else, but here is an example of something similar I did for a client. My background is in historic revivals, so if that's something you're interested in, I can answer any questions you might have. Whatever you choose to do, you seem to have a wonderful home and an opportunity to really express yourself with it!

You've got shakes and brick on the front and, what appears to be, vinyl along the side. Was the house built like this in the 1980's? If so, then just paint it all one color. Or remove the front brick and shingle and re-side. Or just re-side the whole thing in fiberboard if your budget allows. If you want to play with the roofline, then that's going to require some input from a professional (like an architect). I think painting it all one color is the answer. However, I am reading a book on Bungalows and Craftsman homes and they painted the upper and lower floors different colors specifically to make the homes appear lower and wider. So maybe that's an option--but you don't have a visual divider between the 2 floors on the sides so, again, I would just go with all one color. You don't need to make it look less like a dutch colonial, you just need it to look like the prettiest Dutch Colonial. You need nice landscaping.

Hi everyone! We recently purchased an 80s contemporary home that is in desperate need of some love and care. Looking for ideas and suggestions around color and design choices for the exterior siding, windows and deck, all of which will be replaced in the spring. The roof is new so will need to work with the current gray color. I’m having a hard time finding a way to incorporate (and love) the current, drab exterior stone on the fireplace and front facade. Perhaps a simple over grout method with a light color would brighten the current look - any other suggestions?