HI - WOW what a house ,it's soooo grand ! Yes, a charcoal/black would be great for the door or an emerald green or dark navy would look rich too. If you are going to do any landscaping I think the house needs a very grand walkway to the front door with stairs and patio/landings and urns and planters etc. Find a good landscape designer for that. Also some whispy flowey trees like weeping birches or whatever is used in your area. You do need some formal molding trims and pediments around the windows and front door and around the garage doors. Maybe hang some large exterior glass and black lanterns from long chains - three of them so they show between the pillers.Have the lantern so they are hanging at that bare spots above the first floor windows and the door. The house is so large and tall in the center that you need big decor items and trees to frame it.

I like the black door for this absolutely gorgeous grand house. I agree with lefty47 about the hanging lights. If you don't want to do 3, I would certainly go for something outstanding in the center in black. If you do, make sure you get a metal that doesn't fade. Such a beautiful home!

Black for certain. And consider installing larger lanterns at the sides of the garage. Scale is everything with a house this size. Lefty is right about pediments and more trim elements. WIth your contemporary style windows I would not go for traditional style pediments and trim but a contemporary more sleek take on those traditional elements. A good architect could design just the right ones to say "this house is classily contemporary" even though it is quite colonial at first glance.

Black is nice or dark navy blue or dark burgundy, all in shining finish. Great house by the way !

Here is a stately version of the Greek Revival: It has a mahogany brown door with the side ligths in white (or cream). A soft light Teal would be attractive: Or a sunny yellow:

Thanks to all of you for your help and ideas.
@ lefty47 we considered trees in the front but ended up deciding against them since our front rooms all overlook the Ottawa River and we wouldn't want to obstruct that view, which is why we also would not hang anything substantial between the columns. We are a B&B and the view is part of what people pay for. It sadly enough limits my design options but I have to work around it.
We started planting more shrubs and flowers in front of the stairs and we placed big urns (Greek Revival !) on the front stairs as well as a big art piece (face). But that is basically it, everything has to stay below window-view-level.
@ creeser I would have loved to install some massive hanging objects. Being an artist I usually say the more art or objects the merrier but as mentioned above the view is more valuable.
@ decoenthusiaste yes we had all 4 outdoor front lights ( left & right of the front door as well as garage) replaced with more modern stainless steel outdoor lights. I agree with the more sleek and modern design aspects. Out interior design also is a combination of European contemporary style with modern North American aspects.
@ Studio NOO Design, we actually were torn between a dark burgundy red and a black finish for the doors but throughout the last year we were leaning more towards black.
@ houssaon thanks for the photos, it is funny we had 2 of those pics you posted already on our ideabooks, even the yellow one but I think I am not too keen of sunflower yellow for our door. Although it looks very high energy what I actually like very much.

Well, there are still some thoughts spinning in my head about all of this.
For example the side door on the left side of the garage door and the garage door itself. It seems too much to paint those also black. Although I am always for visual balance in this case I think it would just look like a giant black hole if we would paint the garage door also black.
Maybe some modern stainless steel lawn-sculpture art as a visual attraction and as alternative for trees?

A light grey or tan color would look nice on the house.

Black lacquer!!! Fabulous!

I'd go maybe for a very dark rich warm colour.

Beverly, this is a 4 year old post. the other one you commented was also a few years old. look at the posting date before you comment, otherwise these old posts get moved up to current dilemmas. ok?

Well, Beth H. , we still haven't made changes yet because nothing so far did convince us to be the right colour. So we are still thankful for ideas to trickle in. Or is it not allowed to get answers on an older question anymore?

well so sorry. I would have thought after four years and no further comments from you, you would have decided on a door color by now! after that length of time, the majority of posters have made a decision.

The reason commenting on these gets to be a pain is it because it moves the post up to the current dilemmas. then others see it and they start adding to it. now if the person has already completed their task years ago, you can see where re-opening an old thread could be a waste of time for some of us.

but since you haven't made a decision, yet, then why don't you restart this thread, or even start a new post to get new ideas going? hmmm? maybe add what you don't like, what you don't want to do so that new people commenting aren't throwing the same ideas your way? maybe be a bit more specific on what it is you are looking for. Although, 7 different people stated they thought black or a very dark color would look ideal. and I agree. Not quite sure what else you're looking for. just paint it a color. if you don't like it, repaint it! you're an artist so should understand all about colors. I think black is perfect. or Aubergine.

I like both black or even aubergine, but at the end not really 100% what I was looking for. I got hung up on a copper door with greenish patina or a rusty steel door and that was what stopped me, because I could not find a proper way on how to achieve that look. So yup maybe I should start a new thread.

have you looked at modern masters metallic paints? I've actually done the copper w/the green and blue patina on a few different items (wood and metal). this paint is used in large commercial applications, so it's not some crafters DIY thing.

this isn't mine, someone else used it for an interior door.

this is it on metal

you could also use the copper paint and general finishes Patina Green milk paint.

I just saw the picture above. Did not see them before.

Tis is exactly what I was looking for but I am searching the internet for this paint now for more then half an hour and can not find it anywhere here in Canada.

Where are you located ? We are in Canada , so any suggestions on where I can purchase them would be much appreciated.

WOW look at the price amazon.ca wants to charge that.

I'm in Calif. Modern Masters has a website that you can see and learn about their products. Also lots of demos on youtube as well as their own site.

I'm sure they distribute up north.

http://www.modernmasters.com/pages/how-to-tutorials

what? no. the paint is only 30 bucks or so.

https://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss_2?url=search-alias%3Daps&field-keywords=modern+masters+metal+effects

Thanks will check it out.

I like the blues - we have used them before and they look awesome - also what wood is on the door?

R-U-S Doors, Inc. I like the gold-ish one if it would have some rusty patina