A front porch like that would be very nice!

Any ideas on paint scheme? Do you think I should keep it all one color or highlight specific areas?

Wow how exciting, this house has great potential in such a beautiful location! Your inspiration picture is helpful too. As much as you're going to do with the facade and roof, I would definitely set aside some of the budget to work on the landscaping. Even by adding a few structural shrubs, this will give your front yard some structure. Make sure to incorporate some evergreens for that winter interest during those cold months! Adding perennials are a great way to incorporate color as well. And the best way to guarantee color throughout the entire season is to plant some annuals. I would buy a pot or two (or leave space in your garden bed) to plant some annuals for that extra color! Good luck, would love to see progress photos!

Why don't you have the porch replaced with a peaked roof porch - as you are going to replace the roof it wouldn't cause too many problems (except expense!).That would break the long lines and give a little more interest and open up the front door area which is really cramped. If you had the money you could carry on a little to the right which would draw the eye better. What about a color something like this:

[houzz=https://www.houzz.com/photos/pine-grove-point-rustic-exterior-phvw-vp~713177-Grove-Point-rustic-exterior-other-metro]

or this

[houzz=https://www.houzz.com/photos/custom-homes-rustic-exterior-seattle-phvw-vp~3443646-Homes-rustic-exterior-seattle]

or

[houzz=https://www.houzz.com/photos/camp-callaway-rustic-exterior-atlanta-phvw-vp~5895364-Callaway-rustic-exterior-atlanta]

Fingers crossed the links work!

Guess I haven't mastered photo inserts yet - sorry.

Thanks everyone for the comments. Part of what we are struggling with is to whether go with a shed roof porch which I think would keep it more MCM or to go with a peaked roof over the porch which might help it fit the "Northwoods" look. Thanks for the links gbtoo. I did take a look at them.

We have some issues to overcome with the landscaping. This side of the house is north facing. Heavy snow slides off the roof, many winters piling up 3-5 feet of as it comes off the roof. I am afraid of putting bushes to close to the house. The soil is mostly sand. Then it often gets very cold. Such as this weekend which will be -15. Any suggestions would be very helpful.

Reviving this post because I really need to get the roof replaced soon. I haven't decided on a porch style or paint scheme. Would love all of your input?

Joey - one quick solution is to pick a metal roof with color. A red or green or copper tone in a metal standing seam roof would wake up the house, has its own charm. Copper is most neutral of those I also think a gable over the front door is wise and this can be done in a mid century modern way but then the shutters need to go and all the windows need to change and I think a lodge cottage look is easier for you to achieve with your house. Here's a smaller example of what I would suggest - wall hung curved wood brackets to support an overhang - get the snow diverted to either side .

Cottage portico · More Info

Thank you for your suggestions. That has been exactly my struggle. Which style would be more successful- MCM or somehow create the rustic lodge look.

I really think that you need to lift the roof line above the front door. You can hardly see the door, and definitely can't see the top of it. It isn't as inviting as it could be, and also makes the front so dark. If you open the area up it draws the eye to the door, creates a larger areas for more people to wait for entry (rather than huddle together - or worse make some stand out in weather). I would do a peaked overhang and if at all possible I would take it back to the ridge line which will give the house more of an interesting line and break up the horizontal.

I tend to want to say don't worry about the style so much but if you are leaning one way and it ends up looking like another you won't be happy. In my thinking MCM and cabin have 2 different feels - one is far more rustic than the other. Maybe thinking about the feel you want the house to have will help you decide which way to go. A lodge usually has a lot of wood and is darker while the MCM is usually more spare and open. Of course you can have it as a mix.

As for color the color right now doesn't make the house pop and tends to have it fade into the trees. I am not sure how daring you want to go but I think getting the door a different color would be a start. However, I did find some interesting ideas that might help.

Hope this helps a little - and don't forget to keep us updated with some photos!

Google has some good pictures - and many of the front doors are red or orange which is something to think about https://www.google.com/search?q=mid+century+modern+house+exterior&client=safari&rls=en&biw=1438&bih=754&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ei=05l1VfO2KcOvggS9oKO4Bw&ved=0CAcQ_AUoAQ

Houzz - http://www.houzz.com/photos/midcentury/exterior/query/house-exterior

http://www.houzz.com/photos/size--compact/query/lake-house-exterior

Intersting color for exterior - bold yet welcoming https://www.houzz.com/photos/m2-prefab-rustic-exterior-seattle-phvw-vp~4495640

If you want more of an mcm look - instead of curved brackets, do straight ones with a lower angle, and make the gable off center - longer on the left to encompass the picture window (do take off the shutters if you are going modern) and shorter on the right . . that will completely change the feel of the front .. obviously this is more involved but I wanted to show you an asymmetric gable

https://www.houzz.com/photos/lowcountry-river-house-farmhouse-exterior-atlanta-phvw-vp~33239

Mineral Lodge · More Info

you can have a modern lodge . .

the lakefront site is just wonderful and I'm sure you all have many happy memories there . . there might be many things you hope to update so for now, you might concentrate on selecting a roof that heads in mod lodge direction. Here's a standing seam metal roof on a low pitch and higher pitched roof - unless you have regular hail storms, these are great for snow . . and they last and last

lowcountry river house · More Info

I like the copper tones, though red is charming, because you can do so many things with them . . you can also treat the site in a contemporary way . . echo the asymmetry in back just for a covered portico area . . this one has skylights!

'Zelda' Cooks Hill · More Info

Think MOD LODGE: The changes you have to do now can advance that look. Set a color scheme of classic neutrals . . copper metal roof, perhaps some angular brackets in cedar - see these - http://www.prowoodmarket.com/wood-bracket-113t45/

A gable over the front that is asymmetric can carry two new higher pitches - either cantilever out over the front over brackets or add porch posts / even use brackets on posts to create additional depth.

Thanks for the great links! Wouldn't have thought to do a search for the wood brackets.