Congratulations on your new home, just beautiful I don't have any specific ideas but we just came from Florida and noticed quite a few houses done in pastels.

If you want an island look are you thinking color, as Bertram mentioned, pastels? I painted my house in Florida what was called Miami Blue, a shade of aquamarine. Some people love it, only one neighbor says she hates it because houses "should be white." Oh, well, her house is white. :^)

There is a wide range of shades to choose from, very pale to quite vivid. With the strong sunlight, I would recommend staying away from vivid, and choosing a muted trim color with a bright accent color. I was in love with straw as trim color, lots of people use shades of white to cream, but I eventually chose a pale gray.

Here is a picture where we were just getting started. The new roof is platinum which is why we chose pale gray trim. We set in some tiles around the windows, then painted where the shutters were the same as the house color.When we bought it it had peeling flaking white with faded brown trim, and we wanted a big change to add value and interest to the neighborhood.

In our neighborhood, we have other pastel houses, shades of yellow, pink, tan.

the one thing I failed to mention is that it's located in a deed restricted community so we couldn't go crazy with something too bright- it wouldn't be allowed. I do want a somewhat elegant meets tropical/island look- just don't know exactly how to execute that look.

What colors are allowed in your community? In our area, there is a beautiful community with restrictions, and they seem to stick with the adobe colors, from light to medium tones if they are not doing white.

they allow earth tones (from light to dark) and even pastel shades (light to medium) for body colors

If garage door is metal, you can leave it white.

In my time spent in Miami/Coral Gables over the years, I often noticed the houses that had medium, neutral khaki/beige colors on the body, white trim, and a frosted pastel door.

Like driftwood and robin egg.
http://www.benjaminmoore.com/en-us/paint-color/porcini == body
http://www.benjaminmoore.com/en-us/paint-color/waterfall == door

or white and robin egg (might be too boring with your gray roof)



I also like houses that have fresh greens on the body with white trim and either a natural wood or white door.

Like fresh, slightly muted celery
http://www.benjaminmoore.com/en-us/paint-color/cornstalk
or
http://www.benjaminmoore.com/en-us/paint-color/cornstalk

What shades are you leaning toward? The aqua tones come in much lighter shades if you like that color. The celery above is pretty, too. This is SW6477 Tidewater By Sherwin-Williams.

HI - Congrats on your beautiful new home. When I first looked at your house , I saw it in white with dark trim only on the roof edge ( facia) and then a pretty florida color on the front door.

Whatever colors you settle on, select one that draws attention to the front entry. Surround the area with plants/vines/pottery, a little bench; all those things say "welcome."

Thank you everyone for the ideas.
AMN, I really like your suggestions. I think I'm now leaning towards either the greens or maybe even a pale yellow for the color of the body...I think white would just look too drab with the gray singles, I would definitely do white if I had tile roofing but I don't. I guess depending which way we go with the body, then we can decide on a coordinating trim & shutter colors.

I've been driving by the area everyday now and have noticed both sides neighbors and the house in front are in the beiges/tans. One has beige with strong blue accents & blue door, the other is muted tan with black accents & black iron & glass door, the other is a pinkish tan with a mahogany wood door. I would like to somehow stand out from the neighbors but not in a shocking way.

Are pale peach colors overdone in Florida? I think Benjamin Moore's Asbury Sand 2156-50 ( http://www.benjaminmoore.com/en-us/paint-color/asburysand) along with their coordinating colors, Hillsborough Beige 1033 ( http://www.benjaminmoore.com/en-us/paint-color/hillsboroughbeige) and Light Breeze 51 ( http://www.benjaminmoore.com/en-us/paint-color/lightbreeze) would be pretty, especially with the contrast of the nice green landscaping.

It sounds like a beautiful neighborhood! Love the peach ideas and the celery ones.

If you add shutters, make sure they're hung. Decorative shutters are naff.
Copying the neighbours is good; it's a complement to them and improves the street value.

That's a tough call on the house paint. Is there a way to see it painted different colors? Something on the web? or at a paint store? chefmags had some great ideas.
Will we see it after it's painted?

I meant to add this: I'm not sure I'd leave the garage door white.

In our new home communities we use James Hardi colors they have a fun "find my shade" process on their site... http://www.jameshardie.com/homeowner/find-my-shade.shtml

Been looking online at so many houses for color ideas. I really like this color combo...not sure what shades and brand paint was used but the more I look at it, the more I think it would look lovely with all the palms and tropical plants we're going to add! Anyone have an idea of what they could be?
Would this look okay with the gray roof?
I was thinking maybe having black bermuda shutters, large black decorative iron light fixtures, transforming the existing double doors to iron & glass doors (to allow for light in entry hall) and adding two large Meditterenean blue clay planters at the entrance (similar to the photo I enclosed). How does this sound?
OR should I go for color with the shutters and doors?

We went with the blue tones to cool things down, as our house gets the full Florida sun. You have one neighbor with tan and black, one with beige and blue, one with pinkish beige and natural mahogany. They all sound really good. If you want to be different but not too different, the yellow certainly would work, and the cream tones with it are also different from the blue and the black of your neighbors. If you go with the Bermuda shutters, I would paint them the same as the trim. If you choose the yellow and cream, the garage door could also be the trim color. Then you can go wild with the front door. Violet is directly opposite on the color wheel.