I agree - I referred to the body of the house as clapboard but maybe siding is a better word. Leave the stone as is. One of the wonderful benefits of a metal roof is that they should never have to be replaced if installed correctly. Get online and look at the many choices and meet with your contractor for some guidance. Looks like there are different shades of gray (not 50 I hope ! ha ha )in the stone - pull a gray that works with all of the variations. Benjamin Moore have amazing colors. I would also paint the porch columns the same gray. It will be stunning !

better detail of the stone and brick

A lady with a paint advice website suggested these colors:

Check out PPG color Dover Gray

We had a new roof put on 2 years ago and chose black architectural style shingles (composition). I love it. The dark color is very rich looking. We live in Arizona and years ago it was thought that light colors reflected the heat better, but with todays new materials our roofer said that doesn't make a difference anymore. I'd choose a dark color if I were you. FYI our house is painted white with black shutters and the front door is a deep coral. You may want to chose a light gray or beige tone, which ever blends well with your stone, I would paint out the brick and leave the stone natural. I don't get the stone and brick together side by side.

Are you sure the clapboard siding is wooden? If it is aluminum like mine, painting will be a pain and need to be re-done often. Our aluminum siding is cream and has been untouched (other than being washed) since 1979 and looks great. It is meant to NOT be painted ever.

Judy, we chose the roof color today and went with black. That is the color that seemed to look best in all houses we looked around at.

Tabitha, thanks for mentioning aluminum siding. I checked the home inspection and it does say it is metal siding. I found this advice for getting good results when painting aluminum: http://www.contractortalk.com/f8/best-paint-advice-aluminum-siding-119673/ I think that will help and I wouldn't have thought to take it into consideration if you hadn't mentioned it.

Kristi, You'll love the black roof.

Here is some paint suggestions

Brandi, I really like the paint colors of the bottom left house! Pretty. Thanks for posting some options!

Just replaced our brown tone roof with a black toned roof last summer. Out of all of our renovations it has been my favorite and most impactful. I don't think painting the brick is a bad idea. I feel like the brick conflicts with the stone and honestly the stone stands out more on your porch because it's lighter. I also agree with the comment on replacing the door.

When you say replace the door, do you mean the entire frame, or just the actual door. what type of door is a good one to have? just a basic door that would be on a mid range new construction house? or something cooler?

Front doors in my opinion are the most underrated item regarding curb appeal. They should help define your home in whatever style you're going for. What your house has going for it is those clean lines on the windows. That conflicts with the oval window door. You could either go with a clean lined windowed door or no windows on it. Check out some Houzz on front doors that speaks to you :) (or Pinterest)
Beefing up the trim on those windows would be an inexpensive way to define the facade as well. Notice the statement doors on these pics that say "enter this beautiful home here." (One of these pics is painted brick too.)

I know this is harsh, but nothing will make the stone and brick look good together. I suggest a medium gray roof with aggregate designed to reflect heat (the color is often called weathered wood or similar), a warm gray pulled from the stone color for siding and brick (unless you can remove the brick), and a new door. The door and frame should be a darker or contrasting color, the white is too garish. A larger, rectangular glass area to match the sidelights would be nice. You can use leaded glass with black cames (see below.) What is to the left of the house? A covered stairway? It needs to blend in better, as well. Faux hardware on the garage door will help give it a more human scale. Using a coordinating color of gray will keep it from popping out and drawing your attention away from the front door and stone. A new decorative light will also help. Use black iron and add some more iron accents elsewhere to help tie the house together. The light next to the door is too high and too close to the door. Two lights would be much nicer, as the stone is on both sides. Can you paint the window sashes black or are they pre-finished metal? Improve your landscaping by adding color and playing up the entrance. Add layers to your landscaping. Don't prune your bushes into balls, however. The columns for the porch need to be bolder. You can double them and add trim or add blocking then cover them with decay resistant trim and moldings. They need to contrast with the background stone, as well. The colors you liked by @Brandi Hicks are a good option! Lighter color for trim and porch posts; one of the mediums for the body and garage door; don't keep the dark trim at the garage door; dark for the front door; iron accents throughout. You don't have to do everything all at once, try a project each spring and fall until it all comes together, if that's easier for you. Good luck!

Just put a metal roof on our house...won't have to replace it in our lifetime!

We just repainted ours in green and cream trim.

That's a fun color! Looks great.

DST: I really like those door example pics. They both added porch coverings above the front door too. This is a very very rough representation of what I would like to eventually do with my house:

Carol: I am definitely going to paint over the brick. It is too prominent in front for how little it matches the stonework.

Fun to dream, isn't it? :-)
Carol's point about the columns is HUGE. Make those puppies actually look like their supporting something. I don't know why builders these days make it look like twigs are supporting roof structures. Like on this photo I posted earlier. This wouldn't look nearly as good if those columns on their porch weren't substantial. That's also relatively inexpensive but will make a huge, huge impact. Since you already have a porch, you don't necessarily need a new entry portico. You can do different things to highlight the porch you already have (e.g. Columns, colored door, lighting, landscaping, etc) and you won't need to change the rooflines.

have fun! Ask the house what it wants to be :)

I had mentioned the columns to my husband and he told me knows how to bulk up columns. So that will happen!

Consider picking your favorite color from the stone and using three shades of that color for the house -- lightest for the roof, middle shade for the house and dark shade for the trim..

Of all the wonderful comments and help you have been given their is still one part of your home from the picture that I can't get my arms around. The opposite side of your home from the garage is what?
It appears to have a yellow ceiling and a white picket fence,minus the points on the slats of 2by4.
I just don't get it. I do see a beautiful home with a black roof. And painted medium dark gray, with warm stone around
a high gloss warm red door.
On either side of the door large black sconces. Good Luck

Paula, that part is a covered stairwell for the outside entrance to the basement apartment. It's weird, but maybe the basement was getting too hot from the beating sun. We will paint it to match the rest of the house.

Kris did you like the other suggestions.
I was trying to distill them down to a. List
Black Roof

Medium Dark Gray Home

Every thing Painted but stone

Door why don't you paint the door you have until you find the color you like
Maybe it is a rich burgundy color that would look so lovely with gray and black

One of these clever folks mentioned enlarge the column on your front porch. I love that idea

Also to hide the metal around the window
You can have shutters made to look exactly how you would like. They should be black


Last for your first round which can take as many years you desire
Don't forget the two lights on either side of the door
You got great ideas from many people
What a great source Again Best Luck Paula

Hi Paula. Thanks for your comment. The roof is in the process of being replaced with black shingles. (I'm hoping architectural, but that's a surprise since the seller is paying). We are going to paint the brick. I am not sure if we will do gray or taupe foe the house color since I need to make sure there is enough gray in the stone to make it work. It has a lot of tan and cream in it. And of course a new front door and lamps and other hardware as we can afford it. I think the paint and trim will make a huge difference right off the bat and keep us inspired to continue updating!

while keeping siding a light neutral to match stone, pick a med to dark door color. classic glossy black to match roof or a bright red or blue.

Neutral fresh colors that brighten the exterior of the home

Posts on front porch HAVE TO BE BIGGER. They need to be 6-8" square. With eased edges.

Builders always 'skimp' on the posts. Leave the 4" posts you have, and clad them with 1 X 6.

I used clear cedar- cut the boards 3/4" above your walking surface/ deck. wrap bottom of column with azek base trim that you can make with planks. The trim box sits on the floor- but water won't wick up the cladding boards! (I live in N East with hard winters!) The posts are 6" square on the front porch.

The back deck:

The posts below were done to support a pergola & Wisteria. They are 10" square! Wisteria is a very strong vine & will pull everything down in time! (so we overbuilt the supports) After we had the whole porch in shade, we discovered wisteria is toxic to dogs, so we had to remove the Wisteria! (have 2 Labs). I can't tell you how many people come to our door asking who did the porches, just because they make the house look substantial.

Install Metal roof looks good with bricks

gebhamilton, thanks for sharing your pictures! The posts look awesome.

We just moved into the new place over the weekend, and it is great having so much more room. That being said, it is also overwhelming to be in a house built in the 70s, that needs a lot of updating! It was very well maintained and does have new carpeting and a fresh coat of interior paint, but the kitchen and bathrooms are very very outdated. We have a lot of work to do, inside and outside of the house.

Here's the house with the new roof. The brick goes pretty high in the back of the house, so now i am feeling worried about maintaining that much painted over brick. I'll post a pic of that in a little while.

If I understand correctly your only issue with the brick is the lack of cohesiveness in the front. Is it possible to match the stone on the front porch and cover/replace the front brick so that it is all the same? That would solve one problem of the front not looking cohesive and you wouldn't have to paint the brick then at all alleviating your concern with the back of the house.

I read an article before I put on a new roof two years ago which stated it's best to put on a light colored roof: it's ecologically friendly, reflecting heat up and not towards the house. This is especially good for homes in areas where summer temps are hot.

Whatever you do, check that roofer out carefully. Be sure he's licensed with your state, is bonded, doesn't have pending lawsuits, has been in business for 10 years or more, hires only experienced roofing crew, etc. Go see at least 5 of his roofs recently done, ask owners their experience--was it a good and are they satisfied with the end product and price. Always get at least 3 bids from different roofers, never tell them what the other bid. Don't decide on one only because of the price--the cheapest could be the worst.

What beautiful stone you have on the front of the house. Your house is a traditional house so perhaps enhance that with a medium to dark gray roof to help melt the snow if you have colder winters or a lighter grey if you live in a hot climate. You could paint the red brick and allow the stone to assume a place of prominence in the design. If you select the two most contrasting colors in the stone for your paint and trim colors it would be a very pleasing effect. Perhaps also a cream color for the posts and larger trim pieces. Your decorating style should help you determine which way to go. Do you want a modern look? or perhaps a more traditional look? If you're not sure, search the exterior photos of two story homes here and elsewhere on the net. You can save any you like to a pinterest.com board and when you review what you like your own style will stand out and your decisions will be easier! Best wishes for a lot of fun and happiness with all your choices!

I might also suggest shutters for the windows or wide trim to make them stand out!

diyer59- thank you for those tips! the roof actually just got replaced as part of our purchase of the home. so, that is now water under the bridge. we chose black after looking around at houses that we thought looked good, and at the advice of our real estate agent.

cbezak: I like your idea. I also have thought about just painting the front brick and improving the cohesiveness that way. Then I worried about what the edges of where the front and side met would look like. I suppose it would still be an improvement from the clashing stone and brick that people first notice when they see our house.

kathleen MK and jlorie:

Thanks for the advice on a light neutral. I think I will get some swatches, pick a few I like and then paint some patches to see what looks best before I paint it all. That's what they do on Curb Appeal :) I will have to wait a bit while we finish moving everything over and get settled in a little. So much to get done!

nancyburridge: that is a great idea. they definitely need some trim or shutters. that will add some more interest to the house.

Here's the back. The brick covers the first floor and then siding covers the second floor.

Ouch. You would have lots of brick to paint and maintain... That's too bad. What about replacing the stone instead? Perhaps a vertical ship-lap? Then play up the central part of the porch with extra columns and no hand rails and an articulated area of roof down the road. I wish I could like the stone and brick together. It's just too many colors and materials on the facade.

Kristi, here is an example of a house that has both brick and stone with shutters. Black roof, red brick and stone. I didn't realize you had brick on the whole lower level and so suggest in fact that you don't paint it. It is always better when you don't paint brick or stone because it is a job that must be repeated to maintain! I think you can make it work leaving both! The house looks too neutral as it is so you must bring out some of the details and make it the handsome house it is meant to be!

You can see the stone to the right of the front door. The black shutters really make this popular combination work for a traditional house. The front door might be improved with a different color, black to tie it all together. Improved landscaping would also make a big difference. Good luck to you!

After living with a medium gray roof and looking at lots of houses, we are extremely pleased that we chose black for our new roof color. We will also be painting our brick, which is an ugly color. We have researched this and talked with several people, which you may also want to do. As we understand it, when the proper paint and techniques are used, paint on brick has a good track record for longevity. Does anyone else have experience with painted brick?

Nice home. The colors you have work well together.

Since you're putting on a new roof anyway, and if it's within your budget, consider adding a gable to the front of the house over a front porch at least as wide as the stone in the front wall.

Also, if you want different colors for the exterior, at least consider opting for one of the modern aluminum roofs -- they come in a myriad of colors and the warranty is about the same as for a shingle roof.

I agree with a dark gray roof, with the lighter gray on siding, keep the rock, replace the front door with a solid panel in black, but I would venture out and paint the brick a dark gray as well, this will eliminate the conflict the stones have with one another and simplify the look...making it feel more modern.

Try some of the modern color choices that Houzz has had presented recently....I think the Orange and Gray combinations they showed would bring your house into modern times...you get the idea, even though these are shingles ( sorry for the spelling errors, I just had surgery and pain meds were doing the typing).

Please show us a picture of your house when it's painted :)

The black roof works well; it is an improvement. Good choice. Black will go with any future decisions you make and be warmer in the winter. It can be hotter in the summer but some roof vents and insulation can help you take care of that.

There are those that don't like brick and stone together, however, your brick is on BOTH sides of the stone and that gives the front a balanced look.

One future project you might consider is to wrap your front porch roof around that left side with a hip roof corner and connect it to the roof /overhang - whatever that is on the left side unless it is a solar panel and needs to be free standing. Considering the slope of the panel and the narrow width of it and the rail fence, I wondered if it might be an overhang over steps to a basement? Also, you might paint over the light yellowish colors under that overhang (or whatever is) on the left since the contrast in color there makes it stick out a bit too much and it draws attention from the front door and really nice stone work around it. Maybe opt for some shade of gray or even black or white rather than shades of yellow -- something which was likely chosen specifically to coordinate with a brown roof you no longer have.

The idea of wrapping the front posts, as someone else suggested, to make them a bit larger is still a good idea -- just not too large since the front overhang/roof is not that large.

I noticed you posted a pic of the back. If the stark contrast between the brick and the siding is disturbing to you, you might consider an arbor all along the back at a point just atop the brick.

If you have room in your back yard, a porch or sunroom, especially if it would have a view of the mountains behind your home, would be a great idea, especially if the roof had a skylight. Working such things around a heat pump or AC can be irritating. It helps if there is a room along the back wall with patio doors, too.

Whatever you decide, you've already improved the look with the new roof.

how about build a room above Garage ? Back Shingles observe heat in summer time , think about your house utility bills as well....