Eliminate the high waisted stone on the bottom. It's not a natural look. Instead, do one of the gable fronts entirely in stone, wrapping it around to the side to look like it was naturally built that way. Use the cedar shakes on the other bump out. And the stucco on the main house. And that's the max. Eliminate the brackets at the eaves. It's not appropriate. Unfortunately, it's not just a cladding issue affecting the off look of the house. Can you do anything about the window positions, or is that already set? It looks like you are missing a window to the right on the entry bumpout. Or, it might look good to just have a larger version of the triple window that is shown on the left bumpout, centered. The windows on the central portion don't look related or balanced. I'd eliminate the double on the left and make the one on the right larger to be more in proportion. You'd really benefit from engaging a design professional to go over the plans before you get any further along. With the issues that the facade has, I'd wonder about the issues that they layout has, as well as the more technical construction related "invisible" problems.

you are too kind to help as much as you have already! thank you the table and chairs will go. yippee! the valance will go. the wallpaper was started coming down last night. YEAH!! the cabinets certainly need hardware. just haven't picked it out yet. I will have to give some serious thought to staining the cabinets. they match all the trim and the baseboards, that i never thought to go darker with them. but it sounds so much better than having soooooooooo much of the same color oak. i am so oaked out!! but the husband loves it - go figure. my basement was finished about a year ago and i did it all in warm colors... a yummy dark yellow with a red accent wall in one of the areas. it does have oak but looks so cozy and warm. but i really want the main level to be cool colors...blues and grays especially. i have looked at so many swatches, my head is spinning! yes, my counters are laminate. i had no idea about the paint...i will look into that because i ablsoutely hate hate hate the counters. i have tried finding something I love to base my choices on but everything i see for inspiration is with modern homes... white trim, beautiful windows, new style of construction... and of course when I had a home like that 12 years ago i wanted country and found it in my current home. ugh. so frustrating! i guess what i need is just a few color combinations that look good together and then i can sample them in the actual rooms. i find one color that i love but then anything i pull to go with it just doesn't work. I find BMs colors beautiful but overwhelming. SW has great suggestions of combinations but i just prefer the colors of BM. so if you are talented in some great combinations of BM paint, I would be so greatful for suggestions!! i am so excited to finally be able to redecorate that I am finding it so hard to do now. i am afraid to buy the paint, have the painter come and do all the work, and then pissibly not like the results. it freaks me out - i guess because it is so many rooms and our main living area. thanks again for everything.

The columns are personal preference. I like interior architecture, and defining spaces without using walls. It is fairly common when you have a single structural column to pare it with a non structural one for balance, unless the single one is located where it seems natural. Yours looks like it is not at a corner of anything. I don't understand why you need it in that specific location. If it were moved about 4' towards the powder room it would be at the corner of the great room and start of the vault.

Glidden used to have a color called High Tea - a soft sage green, that leaned a bit gray - that I used on my house, with Bleached Wheat (Laura Ashley) trim - which reminds me of your shake color - dark green shutters, and the roof was CertainTeed (IIRC) Weathered Wood (other brands have shingles with the same name, but the colors vary from more brown to more gray). I got many many compliments from the neighbors after changing to this combo. I think that combo, or something close, would look good on your house.