Hi Tara -- lots of great advice upthread about how to transform the feel of the rooms while doing very little to change the architecture (also on team remove shutters here...and preferably put nothing up...I've only ever seen accent windows like that left bare but...). April's nailed it re the before/after shots (perhaps a wide-angle lens, too?). You aren't that far away from your own after in that space, though it may not feel that way. Whether you end up with paler or deeper wall shades the key is complementing the wood, so Google This Old House tips for cleaning it so you're working from the best starting point. As someone who's lived in vintage fixers and been involved with fixers I also just wanted to offer encouragement. There's a real mental health toll to living in disarray with no end date, spending spare time fixing, not having enough budget to fix or decorate immediately, perhaps navigating different priorities for what gets fixed when, etc. If any of those apply it's draining...not sure of your story, but if they all apply it can cause even more issues. If you have space to call one room or closet or whatever the crap room, do it and clear as much as possible out of these rooms. If you can DIY the scrubbing and painting do that asap...i think you'll feel a real lift when you walk through the door. If you need to furnish on a tight budget, post separately for ideas you may not have thought of. While I love love love older homes they can carry so many styles of design -- see examples others' posted plus homes of Europeans, who laugh at our idea of "old." I Rx zero heavier dark wood pieces since you're already struggling...hopefully your husband will be on board!

Personally, I'd ditch the shutters entirely, and replace the door with a more contemporary one as a start.

Exterior home pics

If you can get a oil based stain that might be your best bet. But my house is cedar shake and I believe it has always been painted. The paint holds up well. I really like the green windows. I think you can highlight some of the trim with two shades of a brown gray like this house. The siding is a Cabot Stain, Bark color and the trim is a SW paint, semi-gloss, color not known. I really don't like the color of the front door. I think it would look better in the trim color on the sidelights and green on the door. I would do the foundation and the garage door the trim color as well.