My first thought is white to match the trim around the windows. If not white, I'd go with something light/bright to pull the door out of the shadows. I think the white would also look nice with your brick and the gray siding you mentioned. I'd also paint the wood posts in front of the door to match it and the trim. Maybe post a closeup of your brick...?

Is your door wood or metal? If it's wood, I'd sand it down and stain it a lighter color. If metal, a deep burgundy (not purple, just dark red) would look nice with the brick and tan siding. Blue would also look good. By the way, see those frames around your windows? Paint the white, along with your trim next to the eaves. It will help define the windows and architecture so it doesn't look like a sea of tan. http://everlastsidingnewengland.com/blog-0/?BBPage=7

mick50 wrote...

"Paint the white, along with your trim next to the eaves."

Definitely!

I left off the m...paint them white (meaning the siding window frames)! I really think having those white, along with the trim at the eaves, will be a huge improvement.

mick, it's amazing what a difference that trim along the eaves can make when painted white...at least in this case. Our previous home was painted similar to one of your photos...taupe-ish siding, slate blue shutters/doors, and all white trim. I still remember our painter doing some major grumbling when I told him I wanted the eaves and trim along them to be white. He thought it should all be taupe...NO!

Perhaps a turquoise or soft grey/blue.

I think that you should add some shutters and paint the door the color of the shutters. Two colors that would look good are Farrow &Ball paint in Vert de terre #234 or Lichen #19.

Here's a better idea of the house. We are going to paint the trim white. Siding we are going to paint as well, either a dark blue/gray or just a gray... We can't agree at the moment so were holding off until we've lived here a year and truly love what we chose. Shutters, I've been torn on which windows to put them on and so forth so I'm holding off on that. I am putting a planter box under the three small windows to break up that big space.

Sounds like good plans! Just FYI...You only have room for shutters on the big window over the three square ones. Shutters need to be wide enough to cover half the window. The dormers don't have enough room. The only other window with enough space is the big square one by the door and those shutters would have to be giant, so they would dominate the house. But shutters on the one upper window would help break up the big spance of siding.

House doesn't need shutters, it needs landscaping such as a wide curves walkway, a couple of trees, maybe some grasses. Paint the door whatever you want, it's a quart of paint and it can always be changed. Since you have not been in your lovely home a year, live with it through a complete change of seasons. I can't see if you have lighting beside your door or not but would change to big carriage lanterns, your house can handle it. I suggest living there a year, then call in a landscape designer for help; they can give you a plan which you can tweak if you desire. You can do the plantings yourself or they can do it and you can do it in stages too. Enjoy your home and keep us posted. Best of luck.

jeanarr, I really like your planter box idea. Regarding the shutters, mick50 is right...just the one window would be appropriate. That should make the shutter decision easier! You could always put wider trim around the other windows. I think you're wise to hold off and see what you think. We're doing the same thing with our new home. Time goes quickly!

Landscaping is definitely a must! We've been working slowly on it but I'm so indecisive with plants that I only did the one flower bed so far. We are doing a paver footpath and are going to add some bushes along that path! My problem is it's such an open area, live in the country, I just haven't figured out where to start or end. But I plan on painting the door and doing our pathway in the next couple weeks so I will definitely update! Thanks for the feedback though, all great ideas!

I would say 'white' for the door would work well here.

I would wait until you have painted the house grey to get a better feel for front door color- I am seeing red door with a grey house, and extend the white on the trim as mentioned above!