I'd duplicate the existing siding, the diagonal accents looks great.

Looks like a wooded area, just bring everything up to date, weather resistant siding & trim and choose some great exterior light fixtures.

I would go with a composite decking and cable railing system.

The gazebo should be updated, the lattice doesn't compliment the house.

What colors do you see? I am torn between going with a brown again, black, or something lighter. Black windows, bronze, white.
The gazebo is going. I love the cable railings idea!!

Monochromatic certainly... I love sherwin williams black fox...

So many colors you could do! Great looking house.

Love this tan:

And this off-white/cream:

Blue/gray:

Dramatic black:

My preference for these houses is to go with something more organic, more natural and in keeping with the surroundings. I like my first four best, or what you have now. Just wanted to show a variety.

I’d just search around for inspiration pictures, maybe something will really appeal. Good luck and congratulations. :)

ETA … neat article:

https://architecturalobserver.com/looking-back-at-the-shed-style/

Great house! I'd make the siding wood, stained to a color similar to the tree trunks in the surrounding woods. Windows can be bronze casements.

Are you rebuilding the deck, or just cleaning/staining?

Replace the original and keep it contemporary (like no cutesey or traditional). What a fabulous house!

The deck has to be completely redone.

I love your house! New windows and front door are going to really update it. It would look amazing in black.

Something like this could be really cool too if you have to replace the siding anyway.

Question about how shady does it feel - and how cold/ dark in the winter - has anyone said, ok you just bought it.... exterior lighting done professionally makes a big difference.

You could look at a cable rail deck

And consider replacing the arched windows with squares. And the raised panel door with slab or full glass.

Everyone has such great ideas. You are all making me love the house even more. It was very over grown, damp and shady when we started. We are taking the forest, and getting some air around the house. Definitely will be more sun when we are done. We want to do a composite siding. Hopefully they have a natural looking one. New windows(no arched ones). New sliding doors on the back. Maybe just windows, no sliders and a different type of door.

Our house has 4 sets of sliders, and we've only ever used one of them. If I had to replace them I'd have preferred large windows.

I do like a reno - hope you don't mind window/ door ideas, that might or not be useful. If you want to have a balcony of some kind, raised up where your entry is - this made me think of it. I have had wild animals like raccoons, etc. come to ground level, so I think of balconies as a safer place to sit outside! Is there a view you like higher up...

even spiral stairs can be placed, for those who like.

Port Melbourne House - MBA Award 2016 Best Custom Home $1M - $2M · More Info

My husband thinks there should be a balcony off the master somehow. We are looking at all ideas. Thx!

Use this color palette

Use this color palette

I agree about too many sliders. I don’t think I need 2. I was thinking of keeping the wood accent and painting it. With stone on the bottom. Do a lot of these houses have accents like this?

The entry in center could have an accenting material, with or without a showy color - copper that patinas?

or "porch overhangs of Douglas Fir timbers with a polycarbonate sheeting on top."

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Missoula Residence · More Info

Watching Fortune I meant, and posting:

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Coal Creek Brick [from Mutual Materials], generic “Ironspot,” available at most local brickyards

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Bellevue Mid-Modern · More Info

Steel catwalk / sliding glass door at the den.

If building something above, include design for something below.

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mixed wood with metal siding along with hardie panel we painted gentleman's gray/ privacy wood screen.

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Exterior Facelift · More Info

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Charcoal and cedar with a dash of red or black at windows.

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Hope you replace the half moon uppers with rectangles, which I think is a much more contemporary look.

Careful of peel and stick stone- it usually gets used in a way that looks fake (you mention adding it to the house) Use it in places where stone would naturally be used- covering the foundation or the chimney for example. DON'T use it as a 'skirt' up to windowsill height around the first floor, or worse just one façade...

M.bed. access? -- 2nd story deck over grass by garage/driveway - does that corner look out where he'd like? and maybe with 'catwalk/ balcony' over another window on that side?

M bed is on the other side over the outside stairs. Bath is on the back side. I think we are going add a first floor master in the future. Good idea though!

Off topic, but if you need to remove gazebo roof, maybe it could still be pretty at night with solar string lights * * * * *

It’s gone. It was so rotten. Everything was rotten. The whole deck and everything. It actually opens up the backyard so much, and we have to take some of the trees back so the house gets more air. I will post a pic when I go back.

I like the contrasting direction of the siding below the windows….contrasting texture. Keep the windows simple and modern, double-pane glass for temperature control. The exterior torch lights on the first level are too small, and I don’t see any lighting along the walkway or at the front door.

If you don't want to go 100% monochromatic but close, you could do just the sash in a dark color that was close in saturation to the siding color. Like a very dark green sash with a dark brown house or very dark red with grey, something like that. Just a thin margin of color around the glass.

Two things to consider:

Frst, dark walls absorb heat- if you live in a warm area, consider the cooling bills. Where would solar panels go?

Second, what do you want to see when you drive up? a dark dramatic house or a light dramatic house? Imagine you are driving up - what seems most welcoming to you? It's a matter of personal preference.

Just chiming in to say that it's a great house!

Deck's gone, good thing. ;)

houzz.com: This breezeway happens on the second floor, connecting two halves of the house and providing outdoor seating. The room below doubles as a breezeway when all the doors are open.... his wish for airy balcony...

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Yes, I love that! I am using the cable railings. I just can’t decide on a house color, or how to break it up. I have had great ideas. Just deciding between light and dark. This is my house and my top three choices. Also panel or board and batten.

Here is a great blog post from ChrisLovesJulia about brands of siding, different widths, and rough vs smooth. Who knew there were so many decisions?!

Thank you! Thank you!!

Congratulations! You bought a beautiful house!

To give you an idea, here I show the house in James Hardie Grey Slate siding and shingles (to replace the diagonal planks). Windows, doors and trim all in black. I tricked the perspective from the picture slightly so that you can see the windows.

Thank you so much!! That looks great.