We have lived in our 1960s ranch house for 23 years now, and little by little, we have come to appreciate its design integrity. So, first I would recommend that you look at the house more closely. Is it really lacking character, or is it just not your personal style? Are the rooms small? Are the windows ugly? Or is the house just simple in its form and appointments? Houses from the 60s often have long and lean lines which can provide a spacious canvas. In any event, I wouldn't abandon your love of shabby chic, but I would think of it as an accent to a more minimalist approach. For example, on a simply lined couch, you could use throw pillows made from a shabby chic fabric you adore. You could then pick up some of the colors in those pillows in some vases that are more authentic to the house's era. I think if you don't overdo it, you can definitely incorporate some of the design that makes you feel good but still have it reflect the house's era. You don't really indicate how much you will be doing to the house. Are you renovating, replacing windows, adding on, etc. or just decorating?

Of all the renditions, I like jterrilynn's last one best. It doesn't fight the original 70s contemporary style -- and perhaps is the least expensive option too. One could quibble over the choice of colors, but I think the bicolor scheme with the top color carried over to the pergola & support columns, and pergola top being at the same level, size, & color as with the center trim band are terrific. It's balanced, it's clean lined, it's attractive. The wider trim around the squarish windows and on the sides works really well. I love jterrilynn's placement of the address numbers -- so simple and so effective. Great job, jterrilynn.

White! And color. But especially white. Like those pix Nosoccermom posted. We have a 60-year-old (!) MH in Florida with the original medium-dark, wood-veneer-but-nevertheless-cheap paneling that we have so far declined to paint, though I have polished it a bit. The walls look fine as long as all the pin holes and irregularities are allowed to disappear into the wood grain pattern and the darkness is shady-cool in the heat, and cozy and pleasant at night. People who automatically assume it should have been painted white or a pastel (almost everyone) usually seem surprised at how really nice it feels. Including us. Since we own it, we were free to install a large picture window looking out toward the water, so that now we have windows on 4 walls, with plenty of ambient light despite patio covers, awnings, etc. But beyond that my main decorating techniques were (1) choosing most unspecial furniture pieces to blend into the walls without contrast (easy with wood), (2) adding liveliness with spots of bright color and a few reflective surfaces, (3) lightening the whole thing up with white and off-whites--in specifically chosen pieces since they will be features. I'm still waiting for the right white/off-white/mostly white lighthearted sofa to show up in some resale shop. :)

Unless a person knows they will be in a house for a short time, I think it's better to plan for the long term, knowing that there may be a period of awkwardness until the final concept rings through loud and clear. In this case (if you're going to be in the house for a while) I would not let the stone and roof colors limit where I go with future house colors. Personally, I don't find the stone attractive enough to call it a "keeper." If budget allows, I'd consider replacing it. If budget doesn't allow, I'd paint it and that will be an improvement and open up color choices for other things. Roofs eventually wear out an need replacement. At that time, you could select a better roof color that goes with your improved house color. Eventually, you could transition to a whole new, improved color scheme. The new pictures help. To be perfectly frank, I don't think the stone columns and fencing help in the least to make the entrance more inviting and appealing. If a courtyard effect was still desired, I think it would be done completely differently than what is there now. So getting rid of those things would be an immediate improvement. The walk needs help, too. Ideally, it would be redone. But if that is not in the budget, then strategically adding to it would be a big help. It especially needs an area of expanded paving near the entrance door. The small "trees" inside and outside of the courtyard are not the right plants for those spots. Is the budget or DIY interest level sufficient to make some sizable changes to the entrance area?