Thanks for the suggestion! We are considering shutters but are unsure on color until we see the rest completed.

I wanted to add, I love that you kept the brick on the porch natural. With most people polarized one way or another with regard to painted brick, it seems like we don't see enough mixes of the two. Painting some brick, but not all, can make the remaining brick look fantastic, and pays homage to some of the original detail of the home!

I agree so much with that First low ball offer, in our case, came from a lady from China. She was planning to move here. She was in China, and her realtor was looking at properies on her behalf. She wanted to buy sight unseen and with cash. We counter offered..very politely:) Then she flew from China to look at the house, and couple others. She loved it; was very interested; but she had all sorts of cultural considerations about the specific location..and all kinds of expectations, not very realistic as she didn't know the market. She also felt her offer being cash, should be considered very favorable, even if low(no it wasn't 80K under asking..was much better than that yet still) then her realtor took her to tour other communities..they called again, and asked our realtor"whether we're more reasonable". because she saw other properties in her price range, and understood she won't see better community than ours. or else she'll need to wait for spring/other house coming on sale within our community, that she'll have less doubts about how it's oriented etc, and pay much more, cash or not well we weren't "more reasonable" lol. I kinda felt we're being reasonable enough, and if she's not sure, for whatever reasons, it will make for a sale that'd have more chances to drive me crazy.. so we waited for another offer-the buyers lived here, knew the market, thought a lot about our house specifically, were sure enough they love it. So we worked out all the details with them to mutual satisfaction, and it was a very easy sail of a sale.

Hi, some thoughts out loud as I iterate a bit more. The current house aside from the front is D5 high-quality vinyl siding and 5" trim which we are not replacing at this time. And plenty of fixed and casement around the bottom. We've enjoyed the Dryvit on the front but it's in need of repair. We're not rebuilding the existing roof, except to add in the porch roof and addition connection. So the white trim and belt with crown are used elsewhere. And the bow window will be deep under the porch but we think a porch is what we've been waiting for for 20 years. Good southern exposure anyway. But good points by everyone so far, so thanks very much! So, Kristin S, regarding the mixed siding materials... Here in NW Ohio anyway, I have 25+ photos of well-built homes that break all these rules with mashup of straight, stone, shake, vertical, some with all four. (Not to mention an insane number and complexity of gables, varying levels of stone heights.) Plus white trim, siding-colored trim, black exterior window frames, and everyone is nuts for standing seam porch (but only the porch). And one house with a crazy wide eyebrow roof VENT. So, I recognized as well what many on Houzz say, which is using so many materials don't make any "vernacular" or I guess I mean "functional" sense. But they give a little variety here and there. And people can do what they want, so I see how it happens. It seems to me that what pros such as yourselves are saying when it comes to mixing materials is that stone as a foundation makes sense. And maybe that one material per floor makes sense (like layers on top of each other). But of course our home is some interpretation of Craftsman, Prairie, Coastal, and look at a bit of each, but still wanting to stay on the simpler side. But we're also trying to push it a little on this addition, give it a little more flair. I'm cringing now at the first ideas, and pleased with everyone's comments helping us iterate again. So lyfia, I guess as we kept looking at this and many other photos, and trying many shapes, we just want something nice to happen, while including the belt. But maybe the proportion needs work. cpartist, our returns are actually flush, thanks for noticing because they shouldn't be "pork chop". But since I'm not changing everything all around, PPF, while I like the closed angled eave, I guess that seems out. (My flat soffits are beadboard look). PPF, going to look at the columns. Will try double in the center again. Trying to not block the door, or the bow, and the bow wall span is 15'ish, while the door span is 13'ish. In any case, will probably make them robust and with a little trim accents. RES 3d Sketches, shake is so beautiful, I'm planning to use fiber cement shake, which can be weaved, but I have white trim so much elsewhere. I do love the flaring though, going to look at that some more. I'm surprised no one mentioned the stone planter boxes in front of the porch! (Just trying it on for an idea). Actually, maybe there shouldn't be stone in front of the porch deck, since a porch doesn't sit on a foundation? Will post again soon.