It is a poor rendering but a teal would brighten it without looking cliche

How about a burgundy?

I think a medium walnut wood shutter wood look excellent.

inspiration

Here are a couple of options from bold to neutral to a mix for you to consider:

A cheery coral on shutters and door. Could go a shade darker or lighter on door.

A neutral light green khaki color with door one shade lighter.

Pop of bright teal green on the shutters w/dark reddish brown door

Since they are non-functioning stick-on shutters try removing them and beefing up the window trim.

Remove the shutters and do some taller plants in between smaller windows and low plants beneath large window

I'm with decoenthusiaste. Use cream instead of white and add terra cotta door trim with cream door, or vice versa and some bright green landscape plants.

I agree with er612, get rid of the shutters, I think the house looks much better without them.

I would remove the shutters and concentrate on interesting landscaping.

No shutters. Hire a landscape architect for an hour and follow the plans as finances allow.

I'm swimming upstream again but not sure when or why non-functioning shutters became a design outcast. I prefer the shutters and think with your dark gray you have a wide array of color choices--just depends on which you like. Paint one set a color you like and live with it a week or so. If you don't like it, try another color. If you have any house paint left, paint a poster board with it and take it to your paint shop colorist. Some of them have a pretty good eye (not the guy at Walmart).

I'll explain a little about why the shutters aren't working on this house. Shutters, as the name implies, were intended to shut over the windows. Look at the size of the shutters compared to the windows, obviously can't be shut over the large window, but they don't match with the window opening over the small windows either, so they are incongruous. As a design element the only purpose they serve is to accent the window and there are much more attractive ways to do this.

I'm with the no-shutters folks. The shutters are too skimpy and don't work with your modern ranch style.

Instead paint your front door bright yellow or pale teal, lime, or coral. Then, when the budget allows, go to a local nursery and have them help you plan landscaping--a large curved bed with a mix of conifers to look at in winter (particularly in front of the large space between windows,) perennial grasses, shrubs, flowering plants for your zone, and mulch along with hardscaped walkway. This will give you a much more rewarding view year 'round from inside and outside than shutters.

Here's a nice shutterless ranch, painted dark gray with a red door and with sleek planters instead, plus wonderful hardscape and landscaping.

This old house had an interesting before and after of a flat ranch that might give you some ideas on how to improve the curb appeal. Though I do like the color of our house.

http://www.thisoldhouse.com/toh/photos/0,,20574135,00.html

msteffel any updates?