My daughter and I are enjoying a glass of wine. We love your house and the setting. What if you painted the stone/garage door the brown? Looking at the picture, the distance between the windows and the bottom of the board and batten is o k. But the same color to the driveway just makes those windows look to high.

Can you install window box planters with long trailing plants?

It looks like the two large windows have the framed white panels with longer shutters. They look fine. For the small windows above the garage, I agree with the suggestion of window boxes only. Not white panels and longer shutters.

If you are going to paint the house gray, paint the garage door to match. I think I would keep the shutters and window boxes brown.

I will try to find a photo of a Swiss house with window boxes for an example. Give me an hour or so...

Hi csquare. I went to This Old House and found instructions.
www.thisoldhouse.com/toh/photos/0,,1207664_1092304,00.html

Here are some photos. I can attach only four at a time. I am sorry the images do to enlarge on the post.
The first photo shows boxes a little bit on the small side in relation to the width of the window. Impatiens is a popular flower for window boxes.
The second photo shows the window box on the exterior windowsill.
The third photo shows a Swiss house with window boxes and many container plants around the foundation of the house.
The fourth photo shows what happens when one plants "tall" plants instead of trailing ones. The window gets covered up!

More photos...
The first photo might work well for your house. The white window box provides the white "panel" you were thinking about!
I could not resist the second photo. Look how fancy the shutters are!
The third photo shows a tilt-out design. I think it is made so the plants are outside during the day and inside at night.

I would be interested to know your thoughts and see photos of your progress as you work on this project.

I was going to say that, Three separate planter boxes with thick corbels holding them up. Also consider adding something like this over the garage, it may help detract from the windows and add more balance. a http://www.ask.com/web?l=dis&o=100000031&qsrc=2869&gct=kwd&q=window%20pergola
You can grow vines or climbing roses on them too. http://www.bhg.com/home-improvement/outdoor/pergola-arbor-trellis/attached-pergola-design-ideas/#page=5 or better this one http://www.bhg.com/home-improvement/outdoor/pergola-arbor-trellis/attached-pergola-design-ideas/#page=6

Higher plants at the right side of the house, which get the high where the windows start. Imagine making a green wall made of trees like the first picture or a wall made of stairs of plants well cut. This famous designer on paisajism is italian and I got them form a magazine.