Addition info. We have lots of room to expand. We are surrounded by farm fields with a mountain view.

Hi Barbara. I would say your best bet would be to have an architect or design/build firm come in to give you an idea of what can be done. I wouldn't think a cape roof with dormers would fit in well with your current roof line. You really need to be able to see a rendering to determine what will look right. At any rate, I would definitely remove your shutters-they're too small for the windows. Good luck with your project!

Dormers would be nice in what you are doing the addition or second floor. A more substantial column at the front deck or something that had a little more mass (add new Front door) at the entry would give the house greater elegance. Shutters are fine just would choose a more dynamic color combination. I would invest a bit in the landscaping add some color. Adding a garage and 2nd story allows you an opportunity to get more creative with the structure.

Katin paradise....we r going to work with an architect,just trying to get some ideas. And I agree I feel like the shutters r too small

Design Intervention .... Good idea with bigger columns. What do u think about taking down the railing?

Landscaping would create greater depth to your eye. That would really give the house some "wow" factor.

When u say bigger columns. Squared or as they r but bigger. I am so glad u agree with the railing to come down. I've been wanting to take them out. Landscaping is in our budget. Probably happen next spring. We just have to decide on should we just turn the right side back into a garage and master onto or just add an addition for garage. It think the outside is do blah

I would box the columns to be bigger. Moulding could be added for detail. (Crown or recessed). Sounds like you previously lost a garage so maybe that is a priority????

Love it, I am going to do this. Anyone have any suggestions on colors. We r putting on new siding.

This may be off the wall and I was not sure if the front would take a porch continued to either side. Yes - definitely columns.

Assuming that your roof is staying the same color I would paint the siding and columns with Benjamin Moore Polar Frost. I would do door and windows with Benjamin Moore Cypress Green.

If green is not your thing, I would go with BM Muslin on siding and columns and BM Caponata on shutters and doors.

I LOVE the Polar Frost, We were just going to replace siding, but if we could paint I could put more of our money into my kitchen redo. And jaycreatesart I think continuing the porch on both side would be great. I have often said that. Our building and architect are coming in the next few weeks to look at our house, so I wanted to have a plan before they came. Just trying to decide where the money would be best put. We 100% need a 3 car garage, that is a must. And I am doing my kitchen over and expanding the upstairs bathroom. I just have to decide should we leave the master bedroom where it is now (on picture it is to the right of the house) and add a garage. We can go either way with the garage. To the left you would enter the house to our living room (which is not ideal) to the right would be more of an issue because of the bedroom, if we left it. We are also adding a big screen porch in the back of the house.

What a great plan. I think it's much better to walk into a living room from the front entry (for both privacy and flow). The living room is a public space so that should be ok. Please post photos when you are done. It looks like a really exciting project!

So you can see on the left is my family room. That is where the garage would be.