It has awesome lines and proportions - would leave a lot alone. The windows are a miss. Agree with your "iffy" assessment - is that a bow window? Open panes, classic "picture winda" as my Mom would say, would work much better.

I'd probably start with buttercream yellow siding samples and dark brown, earth toned roof options (not orange). Trim would be a neutral cream, tan, beige - whatever harmonizes.

Could also march down the green hue family path. Driftwood-like roof options, avocado/olive/warm sage siding and the same deal with trim, something easy to harmonize.

Potential for a lot of fun with front door color.

Thank you so much for your reply.
It was nice to read your siding suggestion as buttercream yellow siding was on the top of their list. They prefer a lighter siding with a dark roof.

No the window isn't a bow. Looking at the house photo again after your suggestion for a "picture winda" :)...I couldn't agree more! Thank you so much for that!

What would you do with the shutters? Keep them (what color) or leave them off?

Would you keep the iron roof support at the front entry or change it out to something else? Also...what color would you do that front door??

It is so nice to have other ideas and opinions. Thanks so much!

With the garage door so prominent, would it be possible to choose another style to make it friendlier? Right now it's kinda monolithic.

With the garage door so prominent, would it be possible to choose another style to make it friendlier? Right now it's kinda monolithic.

I think I would like the windows to be (each) one unit with the center pane being stationary and almost the width of the three center panes and a crank-out casement at either end. The same for the smaller window. I think it would fit the house, be more functional and more attractive than a picture window.

The buttercream would be a great color. You might consider the architectural style shingle in a tone that looks like real wood, maybe called "Weathered Wood".

I think the style of the window is fine. Do the windows open now? My picture window doesn't, and it is awful awful awful not having windows that open. There are many nice days when it would be lovely to open the windows and let in some air. Skip the picture window.

My house is a ranch and I love it. Your kids will, too, I bet. So completely convenient and practical. Sigh, if only I didn't have a picture window......or if I did have several thousand dollars to replace it.

I think a new roof, a new siding color and a new square, wooden support column would go a long way to improve the curb appeal.

I think it's a cute house with lots of potential. I live in a 1950s ranch.

Choose the roof to go with the brick. Next choose the siding to go with the roof and the brick. Then decide on trim, shutter and front door color - those should be based upon the roof and siding choices.

I love ranches! Your DD's new home is exploding with potential :-)

I would urge her to look at pictures of homes with a single roof mass to see what effect dark colors can have. A dark roof and much lighter, brighter siding can be an oppressive element weighing down the house, emphasizing the horizontal, and generally looking like a helmet. The stark contrast between colors does not, imo, serve a house of this style very well.

If she can tone down the yellow into a tan that is either taken from the bricks or looks good with them, uses a driftwood or light brown /gray roof, and a tone somewhere in the middle for the trim, the effect will be of a larger, cohesive whole. If at some point they can redo the driveway in either pavers (if the area will support the value) or just pour new concrete that will get rid of some of the deferred maintenance look.

Not a fan pf picture windows, which are "old" ranch rather than "new" ranch. The existing window arrangement is better IMO than a single large pane by itself or with two smaller ones on either side. And I would def ditch the shutters. On those windows they make no sense whatsoever.

Yow. Sorry for the double post of the huge garage photos. I've fallen down the rabbithole...

I agree about the garage door...one with some windows would be softer.

I like it best when the siding color comes directly from the brick...if there is a light color in the brick or the mortar, then I'd paint the body that color. Something beige-y or taupe-y, not too yellow-y. I'd then do an off white for the trim, dump the shutters as they don't belong. I like the brick color on the roof, or go with black or something dark.

Then I'd find a large decorative medallion to put under the peak over the garage just to draw attention away from the door.

Paint the front post light like the trim so it helps to emphasize the front door.

Owens corning, certainteed and some of the paint manufacturers have websites where you can "paint" your house and change roof colors and such to see how it would look ahead of time.

The garage door would recede considerably if it weren't white, but matched or blended with siding color.

I uploaded a cleaned up photo of the house (I am an amateur!), now you can go to Sherwin Williams Color Visualizer and play with the colors all you want. This is how I chose the colors for my new siding, etc. Our neighbor has the same colors of brick, and they pulled out the darker red/mauve for siding, and painted garage door and trim light brown. It really looks nice, and he has the exact same garage door. I'll try to snap a photo once the sun hits the house this afternoon. I imagined casement windows in this house with a solid center window. I'd also get rid of any of the taller bushes, and possibly the tree?

Here is a link that might be useful: SW Color Visualizer

You can also cover your front porch post and paint it, that's what we chose to do. Took some planning, but not that hard to do. We used pvc base so wood wouldn't touch the concrete, then caulked around it to keep bugs/wasps out. We're preparing for new siding ourselves. See all the installation pics at the link.

Here is a link that might be useful:

Oops, left wrong link, try again.

Here is a link that might be useful: Porch Support Covers

And with shutters matching the garage door.

That is a great color brick to work with - earthy and neutral. For shingled roof, pick up the darkest color in the brick (it isn't TOO dark). I was in agreement with Funcolors about the buttery yellow until seeing the brick - don't go too yellowy - perhaps a very neutral tan for the siding and step up a shade for the trim. I don't do door colors :).....can't pick one for my own house.

The thing about busy windows on a ranch is they bring a lot of visual lines to a facade this doesn't have a lot of "white space" to spare. Which is probably part of the logic behind why they were originally designed with windows with fewer panes - it looks better and from a design perspective it works better.

The same consideration would apply to the garage door. Overall, you need to consider what's the right ratio of window to house. What's the breaking point before it starts to look like the house is a mash-up of vertical and horizontal lines - the windows, the siding, the brick. Held together with window trim and glass. It's right there on the edge right now, IMO. It's that proportion thing and the current windows are totally messing with what is otherwise great curb appeal proportions.

Less is more, restrained should be the mantra. It's cool because it is a 70's ranch and it's not going to be anything else without a major overhaul. Which I'm gathering isn't going to happen anytime soon. So, don't try to make it something that it's not.

The house can handle some color - especially to balance the brick. That is not wimpy brick, color/pattern. Reaching for overly neutral "safe" colored siding would be a mistake because it won't reign in the brick, it will do the exact opposite. Too light, too neutral will make the curb story focus on the brick, not the whole house.

This is one of their inspiration photos. Doesn't show up real well but I hope it is enough to get the idea. What do you think about this color combination for the siding and trim on the ranch? Is there enough contrast?? Should the roof be gray or brown?? Thanks again for any input!

The brick is the only permanent element on the house. It is from that element that you base all other color choices.

That means it should be dark brown, earth toned roof options (not orange) or very warm undertone driftwood, weathered wood colorways. No gray. No black. No charcaols, pewters, etc.

funcolors... guess the inspirtaion photo isn't a good choice then? Not enough color? Choosing the right combination is so important. Shingles and siding aren't changed as easily as a living room wall. They will have to live with their choice for a very long time. With the help of this forum I know they will get it right. Thanks again!! All ideas are so appreciated.

The windows also won't be so imposing, busy/choppy looking, if the trim around them blends with the house, rather than being white and the shutters are removed. (assuming they replace with a stationary window in middle and casement on each end, not the current ones.)

Well, the inspiration style is very different from the style they have to work with. It is very neutral all around with regard to color and a big part of that facade is the pewter/silver gray roof. They can't choose a pewter/silver gray roof. They can choose a warmer driftwood, weathered wood gray with sprinklings of warmer tan/brown tones.

Everything else truly is an option, matter of taste and choice. i.e. lighter value roof or darker, siding with a hint of hue or basic off white or beige, etc.

I would be pushing for a color scheme to match the personality of the house and IMO that means a snidge more color than in the inspiration photo. Meaning not *yellow* siding but a soft, pale, creamy buttercream -- those kinds of options.

Truth of the matter is people put shutters that don't function on houses. They do it because they think it looks and feels better. Maybe it does. And maybe that's a plenty good enough reason to put shutters on your house.

I get the 'if it doesn't function' slant on shutters but I wonder if it's an ideal that is -perhaps- better suited for a more historical sitch than a 70's ranch trying to find its groove and curb appeal.

Seeing the brick up close makes we wonder about why they ever went with blue? I think doing as suggested, picking colors from the brick will really make it cohesive looking. We have a 70's ranch with old chicago brick. We have colors very similar to pianolady007's neighbors. We went with lighter roof sandy with the rust specks, we do not have shutters. DH is from Iowa farm land and a redish house is a must. As I look at the front door I wonder if there is a way to extend the over hang and make a front porch/patio area? The steps to the door may counter indicate it but it was my first thought. When we replaced our garage doors we went with white and I agree it makes them really pop out in a way I don't care for. When I look around it seems to be the way most do it however, so I am getting used to it. Maybe it is a regional thing. The decorative doors are nice, but they are not what safety minded people would suggest. Windows equal easy access and enables someone to scope you out and see what they may want to take, just something to consider. I would have to change out the rot-iron on the "pillars" and the storm door. The driveway can be veneered with a resin and pebble look, a cheaper option then a complete re-do.

Here's the house I was talking about. Their brick is a little different, more contrast.

How about something like this?

Oh...pianolady007 thank you so much! I tried my skills at "painting" from the website you linked but I'm afraid they don't compare to yours!I was looking at the brick picture I posted and noticed there was a single casement window behind that tree you removed. (by the way...I'm pretty sure the tree will go. Thank you for showing us that!) Do you think another window with shutters will make the front of the house too busy? I hope others will comment with opinions. funcolors...what do you think?? Thank you again so very very much.

Here's a new master pic with the window put back in. Keep playing with the paint program, it gets easier the more you use it. Setting up the surfaces is the hard part, take your time and be patient. Be sure to set up an account so you save your photo.

I just posted about garage carriage doors. There are many options for adding details to your garage. Inexpensive add -ons.

The link shows photos of doors and most will take you to a myriad of house styles/colors to work with. Perhaps a start to think about your changes.

Here is a link that might be useful: Carriage doors/house colors/styles

Until the garage door can be replaced with something nicer it should be painted the same color as the body of the house so it "disappears" rather than stand out.

The inspiration photo works perfectly for their house. There is a light color and a tan-y beige in the brick that would combine into the cream siding of the inspiration photo. The trim is lighter, and the roof is a grey/ light taupe driftwood..... PERFECT. Also almost exactly what I suggested above, lol! I think you can safely leave them to it, Rosewas, they have a vision and have already done wonders cleaning the place up.

Do you think another window with shutters will make the front of the house too busy? I hope others will comment with opinions. funcolors...what do you think??

Unless they want/need a window in that spot for interior lighting, like really badly, then I wouldn't bother. Once it's freshened up with new paint and new colors, and landscaping it's going to be fabulous. Again, I'm usually/always in the less is more camp. Don't do the work, spend the money unless there's significant ROI in dollars, function, happiness.

And I'm with arcy, the current blue makes quite a statement. :) But with that said, I also love pianolady's neighbor's house. They met a strongly patterned and colored brick with equally strong paint/siding color and the result is balance. If they would have used a light subtle color, all we'd be talking about would be that brick. They also did an excellent job coordinating the roof to the brick - it's a whole package. No one thing stands out and grabs your eyeballs from the curb.

The brick in both cases is very bossy. If they want a neutral and not a color, we know from pianolady's example that it shouldn't be too light.

funcolors: I think the window is already there and was removed by pianolady when photoshopping.

Oh, didn't see that. TY, lizbeth-gardener. Have to take the shutters off any way, right? See what it looks like from the curb. Don't put them back on if it looks better. My guess is you're going to like it without the shutters and with the fabulous new siding the three windows will be enough. Edited, simpler, modern-ish.

Seeing the closeup of the brick, I would go with dark brown roof and the walls to pick up on that white/light shade in the brick and then do the trim in an accent color...perhaps a medium gray or a deep green. Definitely paint the garage door the same as the wall color.

If you look at the BM color gallery, look for copper kettle which is like your brick...they recommend colors to go with that that include the dark brown (roof) and the white, ivory and gray.

Fun colors, are you referring to the house posted above with red/raspberry siding and similarly colored brick with the brown roof? I'm not sure i have seen a less appealing color scheme on a house. If that was my only option to "match" brick I would save my pennies and paint the entire thing, brick and all....or move! I guess this is where the 'different strokes' music is cued :-)

Well I bet almost anything will look better than that teal green! I concur with the advice to pick the lightest color from the brick for the siding and the darkest for the roof. That will give them a brick brown roof (variegated shingles with some lighter brown might be nice) and a light sand colored siding. I would do the trim same color as the roof, and remove the shutters.

The first thing that stood out to be (besides the poor choice of siding color) was the asymmetrical entryway - I think the metal support on the left should be made to look more substantial. Boxing it in with wood and then painting it seems like a good idea - it should be expensive and if it turns out bad you can remove the "box"!

Yes, kswl, that's the house.

Based on how my monitor is rendering the colors, I understand why pianolady saw the color scheme as appealing and relevant to the conversation. Enough for her to go to the trouble of taking a picture and posting it just so she could share it with us.

Perhaps it's not so much a matter of different strokes as much as it maybe different monitors and color resolution.

I base what I post, my opinions, on what people say about the colors in pictures as much - sometimes even more - than what I see. Because even tho my monitor is professionally calibrated, I know better. More than a few embarrassing lessons under my belt taught by posting when I should have been reading/listening with more care and attention to what people said and less focus on the online color which can be like a moving target.

Did you say your daughter had children? If so, she needs to make the carpet the priority, not the exterior. I wouldn't let kids sit on old, dirty carpet. Who knows what germs, bugs, etc. it is harboring!

Thank you all again for sharing your ideas and opinions. Thanks to pianolady my DD and I spent time on the phone "trying on colors" for siding last night. Unfortunatly we came up empty. As funcolors said...we were each looking at our own monitors so that may have been part of the problem. finz2left normally I would agree with you but although nothing was ever updated the house was very well taken care of otherwise. The appliances are original but they don't look like they were ever used. The bathtub/shower in the main bathroom has never been used as a shower. The tiles look like they did the day they were installed. This house is like taking a step back in time but everything inside looks perfect. The exterior needs to be taken care of first. It is in really bad shape. Thanks again and I hope you keep the ideas coming.