The windows on your house are too wide for shutters. I suggest removing them. Shutters should look as though they could actually cover the windows, if need be. Clearly, yours could not.

The shutters need to go. Away. Your windows are too wide for shutters. Triple windows never get shutters.

1. Very glad to know that you're changing out colors here, because brown + yellow is a sickly combo.

2. What color is your roof? it's dominate enough that all new colors need to consider it as part of the scheme.

3. Your facade is fairly busy, including the windows so that adding board and batten may be too much pattern. Consider highlighting the window trim and eliminating shutters. You have other areas on the facade with trim so that you have depth.

4. I don't see a diamond patterned window and carriage doors as being a cohesive look. If the windows were plain, carriage doors would be fine.

Putting aside what different people think about shutters and appropriateness, your shutters are narrow. They have a skimpy, not appealing look. Which is usually true with wide windows and shutters. If you look at some inspiration pics and compare shutters on houses where the shutter width is in better proportion to the window width, you would begin to see your shutters as lacking good design.

^ Don't you think it looks better without the shutters?

Thank you all for your comments! I think I've just gotten used to the shutters, but I see how they look weird and that picture does look really cool without them!

puremichigan-- I laughed out loud to your comment on the colors! Yes, the brown/yellow combo is gross and the only plus is that the paint is actually in great shape. We bought this house 3 years ago and after spending a lot of time and money on the inside we are now tackling the exterior. Any suggestions on the garage door? Currently it's basically a solid brown. It definitely needs to be replaced (it's from 1958)-- should I just find something as neutral/plain as possible? I will add a photo of the roof. It's a mix of brown and gray. We also have brick along the front bottom of the house- I'll add a pic of that, too.

groveraxle-- WOW! DUDE!!! Holy cow!!!! That picture is amazing!! Are you a pro or is there some program I can use to try out colors like that? Thank you SO much for taking the time to do that. Really cool to see. I do like it without the shutters. Much cleaner looking.

Does anyone have thoughts on the colors (on the house, front door, and garage)? I do love the idea of an orange door, like I said, but I also want it to look right. If not orange, is there another color I can do that's different from the rest of the house? I also understand about the busy-ness of the facade-- perhaps it'd be better to just paint the door a color we're already using (like it is now). I liked the idea of the orange helping it pop, especially since the door sits back.

lfblair, I love the orange door, especially if you go with an orange-toned wood garage door. You could go more rust to tie in with your brick. I think the color palette you've chosen looks really sharp on this house.

Here I aimed at the color of your brick:

Thanks, grover. You don't think the garage color is too much a contrast? And you like the carriage house door? There's a house nearby with a dark green and orange door. Gonna go by later to take a look. Thank you for your advice!

Mary-- Yes, I'm in Los Angeles. There are many homes in my area with diamond windows and small shutters, and scalloped fascia board. The house two doors down has board and batten shutters each with a heart shape cut out in the middle..... A lot of people have gotten rid of the scalloped fascia board, shutters, and diamond windows. The diamonds have grown on me a lot and I really like them now- though they are terribly inefficient. Removing them would completely take away the character of the home. I have thought about getting rid of the scalloped fascia board before, actually, but I'm scared the character will start to wane and wonder if the diamonds would then look weird.

PureMichigan- I was wondering if a green would look better on the garage, I'll have to think about it. What do you mean about a straight fascia board along the garage roof? Do you mean both roofs that have the scalloped?

I would get rid of the diamonds. I think that you will like the unobstructed view.

I would stay away from the golden tones and lean more towards a dark taupe or warm gray. It would balance the warmth of the red brick. The colors you have chosen are nice but I would go darker. I would definitely keep the garage door your upper gable trim color.

I really appreciate everyone's feedback! Thank you! You've all given me lots to think about.

jbtanyderi- I've wondered about doing a single color as well and do a different color for some of the accents. I was thinking a bright/bold color on the front door would help brighten or bring attention to the entry. There is a porch light at night, but during the day the sun never hits the entryway.

halsteadkaren- Thanks. While planters might be cute, I have no desire to take care of flowers, so, I'd rather not do that. Painting the stucco and wood the same color could look very nice.

jjnman12- Taupe had crossed my mind, and I tend to agree on going darker.

lfblair, I hear you on the planter boxes. Anything in my yard that's not on the drip system is on its own.

You may be overthinking this. I really like the green and gray you chose originally, and I like the wood garage door with the orange front door; they will echo each other if you keep them in the same tones. They add a lot of punch to the facade.

I thought about getting rid of the scalloped fascia, but I liked it after I'd painted it the same gray as the stucco.

I would suggest your next step should be to get tester pots of the Rosemary Sprig, Gray Mirage, and Buttered Yam and see how they look in person.

Here is more of a taupe:

grover-- Haha, yep. Notice the flowers and plants are no longer in the flower beds? Well, there are sprinklers there, but we cut back watering after we moved in and everything died. A lot of it was probably bought in order to sell the house anyway, but I quickly learned I hate tending to flowers.

I thought you had painted the fascia a different color than the stucco-- looks different on my computer. But I do like the contrast between the fascia and the facade over the middle part of the house. We won't be able to paint for at least a month still, but I will get testers closer to the date.

Thanks again for your help! The renderings are incredibly helpful!

mary-- Glad to hear your thoughts on the taupe.

I know what you mean about the single versus double pane glass. Our bedroom (above the garage) gets SO hot in the summer in part thanks to the windows. We also need a better AC system but that's for another time. We did a kitchen renovation last year and so got new windows in the kitchen and dining room and they really do make a big difference. We're getting the rest of the house (except the diamonds) replaced later this summer. I am looking into installing interior storm windows on the diamond windows- particularly the center stationary windows.

I love the colors you chose. I agree that the shutters need to go. Perhaps had some more substantial trim around the windows. I would also get rid of the scalloped fascia. Since we are updating the look to appeal to contemporary taste, I would change out the windows. The diamonds are so dated. Your split level is not a classic architectural style so you are free to determine its character. Get the carriage house garage doors if your budget allows. For the garage door color, I would stain it in a spice color, not to orange or it will clash with your red brick. For the front door, if you are doing a wood door, I would stain it the same color as the garage door. If you are going with a steel door, I would consider a dark grey of dark green. For plants, you should look into drought tolerant plants that require little care.

Emmie, it's Photoshop, but it's not real user friendly. Sherwin-Williams website has a tool where you can upload your photo and paint your house. Benjamin Moore may have one also.

Well, it's been nine months since my post and we still haven't painted! Budget didn't allow for it last summer. But, we have the painting scheduled for June. And we got the carriage house garage door (the one in the previous photos) last fall. It's a faux wood grain, but we like it and it looks great. We are still keeping the old fashioned windows and scalloped fascia, as well as the shutters. We have decided to paint the stucco and the wood the same color (green) for a more cohesive look. The windows, fascia, trim, and the large wood beams that come out at the front, will all be an off-white. The front door will be orange-- though Cindy's suggestion of staining it to match the garage is cool. Something to consider.

The houses we've seen in our neighborhood that did update (remove diamond windows, fascia, etc) all look kind of weird and uninteresting to us. Currently the beds along the front of the house are empty. After painting we'd like to add some cool plants. Cindy-- I REALLY want drought tolerant stuff (our grass is drought tolerant UC Verde buffalo, not what is pictured). Unfortunately the front of our house gets only a couple hours of sun, even in the summer. So, we'll see what we end up with.

Groveraxle-- I didn't realize you'd done the renderings in Photoshop. Did you use quick selection and refine edge on a mask? I'm not super great at PS, but I took a class a few years ago. Perhaps I'll review my notes. :)

Hey folks! In case anyone was curious, we finally did have the house painted this summer and we love it. I'm really happy with how everything came out. Thank you to everyone for all your comments and suggestions. Zoom in close and you'll see my little sidekick peaking out the middle window. :)

Colors used were Benjamin Moore Rosemary Sprig, Dune White, and Behr Japanese Koi.

Very nice.