Hi Jennifer, your home feels more like a colonial house with traditional white siding and black shutters. The 2 storey porch is really over-powering and I would recommend getting rid of it. You can have a smaller covered entry area which works better with the proportion of the building. And definitely some colors with the landscaping would add warmth to the curb appeal.

Thank you. I am considering removing the porch when we have the new roof put on. I hate it. It offers no real protection from the sun or rain. I just cant decide what to replace it with. Thanks for your picture!

What about adding this style porch? I really like it. Of course, my current porch isn't quite this wide. The total width of the center portion of my house is 30'. The porch is 16'. Do you think this would be suitable?

Try Baby Seal Black 2119-30 by Benjamin Moore for the shutters and front door. As usual, I agree with Dytecture on the scale of the front porch. It also looks to be the wrong style. Consider painting your rockers the same color as the front door and add some purple flowers to your planters. Contrast is important on a white house. Also, consider shiny brass hardware for your front door. It will pop against the black. I like your picture idea. Hope that helps and good luck with your project. Charmean Neithart
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thanks so much. Im all over the place with my ideas. I know I need to make my mind up soon as the new roof cant wait much longer. Ive also considered something like this...

My house is sitting in the middle of farmland. Would that influence the decision to go colonial? Im hesitant for this reason.

JUST THINK "SOUTH FORK" AND JR EWING! LOVE ALL THE SUGGESTIONS ABOVE. YOUR HOUSE WILL BE A WINNER.

Dytecture is right - That huge gable needs to go, and the shutters could be either Black or Dark Green

As far as the front doors - A single multi-paneled door with sidelights would be best, the door in the same color as the shutters.

What kind/color of new roof are you getting? Are you considering a black/darker roof? It might look nice with the black doors & shutters everyone is recommending.

Yes, probably a dark grey roof. Ive considered a metal roof. I know that would add to the farmhouse look if i go that direction.

You might think about removing the shutters to get a farmhouse look too. When I think of farmhouse I always imagine a patio.

Thats a beautiful home and setting.

I do not agree that you need darker shutters--there is nothing wrong with having a softer style. I love gray and maybe updating your garden in the front with more perenials and colors would give you the country home feeling you are looking for. You have plenty of room out front to make beautiful gardens! As for the porch, if it is in the budget to replace it with something smaller it would give your home a softer feel but you can always work with what you have!

The perenials are popping out of the ground just now. Last year i moved the daylillies that had lived there for several years and replaced them with my peonies, iris and shasta daisies. I cant wait to see how they look this spring and summer. I need to add more summer blooming perenials as the peonies and iris will be finished by late spring. I might bring back some of my favorite daylilly, a beautiful soft yellow with huge blooms. I just got tired of the stellas. I thought it looked like the landscaping at a strip mall. I welcome any suggestions for summer blooming perenials, too. I love pinks and yellows.

And i also have two yelloe roses and a pink appleblossom flower carpet shrub in there, too. They just dont show up in the pic because they were still dormant.

You do need to get rid of that very high porch. The pictures that others have posted are more attractive and in keeping with the house. You also need some colour on the front of the house. Darker shutters possibly the same as the roof will be. Also, a nice punch of colour on the front doors would bring it all together. I, personally would love to see a red front door. Looks like you have two small planters by the door. I would like to see low planters right across the front of that level with vibrant plants in them.

Dytecture has got it right. You have a great house, without the out of proportion column structure. If you need more square footage and can afford to remodel, increasing the height of the garage structure to the left of the house by adding a second floor with colonial dormers would improve the proportion of that structure vis-a-vis the main house. I wish I had software that could model it!

(1) Ellesmom, you're definitely right to consider new doors. I'd recommend avoiding ovals entirely. If you want glass, by all means use it, but avoid having too many grilles - I'd opt for the fake stained glass look. Get advise on the right materials - wood, steel or fiberglass. And don't leave them white - this is an opportunity for a nice pop of color.
(2) But here's where I think you can make the most impact - and it will cost nothing! Cut back the bushes that flank the front door and trim the bushes on the left side so they look like bushes, not square green things - they look lifeless otherwise. It will open things up immediately. Do it now, though, as it can stress plants if you wait until later in the season. Add some planters if you'd like for color.
(3) Also, if possible, it would be lovely to have a path that leads from the street to the front door. That would make the house more welcoming. I hope it goes without saying that the path shouldn't be a boring straight line! :-)
(4) Finally, the white house color seems far too stark to me. Take a few pictures and then try using photoshop or even paint on printouts of the photos until you're happy with the color. Whatever colors you use on house, shutters, doors, etc., they should have the same "value." The folk at the paint store can explain more about that. I would avoid using a lot of different materials on the exterior. It can look like a patchwork quilt if you're not really careful.
Good luck!
Betty D

I just saw your post and thought I had a few fun things to share. Was sitting here with my daughter on a Sunday afternoon and threw together a rough sketch for you. I do this for a living for the past 20 years and your home has so much to work with and many patterns that you can work with too (i.e. the many panes of glass that are square on the many symmetrically placed & sized windows (copied that in the proposed front door); the arches (both in your upper level arched window and the gentle arches in the bottom right of the photo I used the shallow arch that is on the right of your photo to create a centerpiece arch porch roof, centered below the arched window and around the front door. The existing landscaping around the brick steps obscure the strength of the architecture of your home. I would move the beautifully shaped shrubs in a circular arrangement just at the bottom of the steps and place the bird bath at it's center. Put pavers or gravel in this circle and a few benches and you've created a resting spot as well as a transition area between the house's front porch and the grassy area in front of the house. Just a few ideas.

Sorry, image didn't attach to the previous post, N.

Nlands, i really like your porch idea. I have gained so much from all the recommendations here. You guys are a great online community. Thanks to all for all the comments, suggestions and illustrations. Now i just have to settle my mind (quickly) and make some improvements to my house.

white really makes a house seem stark and "large"; a softer color may help also along with your new roof; attached is just an idea for you

I agree about cutting back your bushes now. Deppending on your area, perenials such as purple and yellow cone flowers, Creeping flox (spring bloomers), summer flox (which are tall in purples and pinks) would look nice. How about a nice tall trellis with some clematis growing up it. If you bring in some color that has hieght it will soften the hieght of the house. you could also do a two tiered garden to soften the slope on the side. A nice garden can bring a little of each of the styles you desire. I would also trim some of the lower branches on the trees that are in front of the deck to give them a taller tree appearance and plant some nice flowers around the. Hostas always look nice in front of the taller flowers, are cheap and easily devided to make more! Good luck and enjoy yourself!