Meh.

I think gray painted vs. stained columns would better complement the house.

I actually like the stained columns the best! And I also like the rails.

I like the grey columns with railing for that modern look. I think stained columns without rails would look a bit country farmhouse.

What disturbs my eye is the rather random placement of the columns. I think that if you establish a regular placement of the columns, the porch will look less lopsided. (But then, perhaps, this is just something that bothers me??) Is anyone else confused by the placement of the columns here? How else might they be arranged for more symmetry?

A low porch doesn't really need a railing. The square columns will be perfect. Look at pix of low country (southern) houses and choose a color from those pix. The back is a party! Really attractive. I think it's just the reddish brownish color that is getting you down. The back of the house would be beautiful in any color. Solve the front color problem and take that color out back.

I agree with Ptreckel about the columns. Why so many on the right side of the house? I think the porch is better without the railing.

Like the painted square pillars. Don't care for the cable railings on your house. The back of your house is reminiscent of Frank Lloyd Wright architecture. Have you considered a 3 to 4 ft stone base to your pillars? Or does that not appeal to you. It would be interesting to see if that look works with your house.

Maybe some pots of flowers and porch furniture would make it more inviting as well as some green landscaping.

The cable railing is just wrong. That's all I know for sure right now. That, and the front and the back don't match, don't even look like the same house. This might be worth enlisting an architect for.

The house was designed by an architect in 2005 - the previous owner did the addition/interior remodel. The inside of my house is extremely modern so i'd definitely like to keep the exterior modern. We do not like the placement of the columns either but unfortunately every one of them has a footer and 4x4 interior post - they are all load bearing so I can't really get rid of them. If you look at the picture you'll notice the placement of the columns reflect the placement of the front windows. I thought about doing a column with a stone base but i don't have stone anywhere else in the front of my house. I could do a brick base but the last thing i want to do is add more brick. I'm thinking of just switching the columns out and adding some furniture and steel planter boxes in between the columns.

P.S - The railing was a solution for my dogs that run off the porch every time another dog walks by. I'd like to be able to sit on my front porch and have them off the leash.

I don't think the front and back match all the time in contemporary design. Not that it's optimal, but in today's world, it just is that way.

What a cool house! I agree. I wouldn't install a railing but I would change the columns as planned. What if you paint the columns on either side of the door the same color as the windows (off-white?) or stain them to match your fence and then paint the rest of the columns grey to match the framing around the windows in the middle section on the back of the house.

This house belongs to the Prime Minister of Australia. Although the commenters didn't know it until the end of the dilemma, the back is very different to the front ;)

https://www.houzz.com.au/discussions/ideas-for-curb-appeal-dsvw-vd~3400788?n=67

houzzers cannot resist a curb appeal dilemma!!

The front is classic low country. Let good landscaping enhance it. The back is sheer pretentiousness.

I would still consider a stone base to the columns, you do have the stone in back.

OK, I returned your posts before the porch fell down.

It simply does not make sense that the right porch roof should weigh any more than the left side. It does not need more posts. Talk to a structural engineer. Grover's placement is much better, and that is an understatement.

I agree you need a bunch of landscaping going on there. I think the posts need to be a color , the stained ones kind of blend into the house. High low plantings would breakup the linear look of the house.

Yes to the square columns, no to the railing.

It's a lovely house that, to my untrained eye, doesn't need any more definition...

emmarene - pretty sure the extra columns were meant to enhance the entry, not provide structural support.

Thanks everyone! I love all the amazing ideas! Our favorite is the four square columns. We're going to contact the architect to see if we can remove three of the columns, as suggested by groveraxle. We're also looking into the landscaping. You may not be able to tell from the photo but I have a TON of landscaping - it's just not in the picture.

Have you considered painting the brick. Painted brick has such a great texture. It would also give a more modern feel. You could do the house in light grey & the columns in the dark grey. I agree 4 columns look better.

If columns can not be replaced, this home shows what I was thinking. combine the close sets onto single stone pedestal.

Don't paint the brick, unless you use special brick paint, or limewash.

I think that a really colorful and stylish set of outdoor furniture would make a world of difference if placed under the small window. Then add three complementary pots under the three matching windows and plant colorful annuals there. Those items would serve to distract the eye from the columns.

It looks like the back of the house has grey trim. Why don't you bring that color out front on the brick? Continuity between front and back and much more modern. I would consult someone knowledgeable at the paint store, but I don't
believe you need to use a special brick paint as long as you're using
exterior, good quality, paint and have primed properly. In climates with
significant seasonal temperature differences or extreme cold/heat it
might be an issue. Your local paint expert would know. In any event, square white pillars would really pop against that grey.

Like the landscaping here, the trees etc, maybe in a smaller scale for the front of your place. Furniture on the porch

You should not use normal paint on brick, because it doesn't breathe. Bricks and mortar both need to breathe. Any damp that gets trapped inside can cause structural issues.

Very good point there Tribbletrouble44152k7 Trek! You should talk to a paint store to get actually what is designed and needed to paint brick! I come from a family of painters and have painted residential to commercial since middle school.

Ken

Hi thehamanns. We think the sleek, rectangular columns
are a great place to start, but have you considered adding door glass to
modernize your entryway as well? If you’re leaning towards lots of natural
light to match your patio, we suggest you check out our Spotlights™
Doorglass line to help enhance the overall design of
your home. You can easily mix and match shapes and textures to transform your
porch to match your gorgeous patio!

Cheap solution to the dogs running off , and a lot easier than building a railing and gate: buy a long cable tether. Attach it to a large screw eye on the back of one of the columns. Attach the other end to the dogs' collars. Sit down with them and enjoy your front porch.

There is no real focal point to draw the eye closer to the entry. The small table and chairs on the left draws my eye across the long empty porch too much. I would do a long backless bench under the three windows with a square planter on each side. I would use dark charcoal or ebony to make a stronger statement with the bench and planters, it would go well with the square charcoal posts. I would not do railings all the way across. Built in planter boxes, at railing height and the full length between the posts on the left might work too.

Update. We reviewed the plans with an architect and if we want to remove some of the posts we would need to change out the support beams and move one of the posts over a bit so they were all evenly spaced. It was too much information for me to retain so I can't share all the fun details. I don't think it'll be a big deal to replace the support beams but it's definitely more than we bargained for. As for painting the brick - that's definitely not an option. We actually love the brick on our house - it's a very light colored brick with a flaky texture. I also don't want to have to maintain the painted brick. :) I'll look into some furniture that won't disappoint and possibly a new door with glass. :)

Hi! If you don’t like round columns then go for double-triple columns, they are the best when it comes to providing architectural beauty. I really liked an image of it on Houzz, check it out!

[https://www.houzz.com/products/aluminum-columns-prvw-vr~53652238[(https://www.houzz.com/products/aluminum-columns-prvw-vr~53652238)

thehamanns, such a lovely house! Considering a great match for the brick, please take a look at our marble Flex Stone! Good luck with your project!

Michelle I agree with no railings. it brings the roofline even lower looking and is totally wrong for the architecture of this house. Squaring the columns would look nice but I also think another color of paint would be better. Perhaps use two shades of one color. lighter for columns & doors and darker for trim around windows & doors and fascia boards