Use a dark shade of gray for the foundation paint. This will maintain a neutral color scheme and allow you to use any color for the door. Right now yellow is in for the front door, but you can use whatever color you like once you get rid of the red accents.

A bigger issue may be your landscaping. If you trim (take out) the bush on the right and use appropriate shrubs and plantings along the front of the house, this will add depth and appeal to your home. It will also hide most of the foundation.

Thank you so much. I have been wondering whether to take out the bush on the right. I thought I'd add boxwood along the front instead.

I think gray would look very nice for the foundation painting as well. I would also remove that big bush and add a small flowering tree with some perennials around the base. Your house is so cute, it would look adorable with cottage style flowers planted all around the house.

Since your house is white, you can paint the front door your favorite color! My favorite color is yellow, and I love the unique pretty colors people have been painting their front doors. My neighbor recently painted theirs a purplish blue, and it made a huge difference. It's HER favorite color :)

My daughter just painted her front door a pale lime green and I thought yuck when I heard but it is adorable and I like the stone foundation idea> I'm guessing there is a do it yourself way to adhere the stone to the foundation to save some $. I think pansies, etc would be perfect around your home, and I would trim the windows with a gray to blend with the stone. I hope we get to see the finished product. If you have $ you could also add a bit longer step area to the right of the door to create a front porch look. And a little gingerbread above the door area. Check the Goodwill or used furniture places. It is so cute and it will be cuter. Have fun, Judy

the gray for exterior is a wonderful choice and suggestion- and the real true gray is always Sherwin Williams- that was 25 years ago the first over paint onmy brick house painted ugly army uniform green. This time I found a gray with a touch of green so the white could be off white to not show dirt and on t he Southern porch bannisters front and side. trims dark for shutters and the off white touch of that green( looks white) on the 16 pane windows.Now how to bring up a driveway that has eaten tons of pea gravel. Suggested black top for the cost issue- remember we are over 100 degrees in Summer- over 40 feet wide and 30 yards long- any suggestions? For bushes we resorted to drought plants- but what grass or something that looks like grass? we sit on an acre- 3/4 is open the back is trees and natural for animals and feeding of the birds and"critters"

I would put grills in windows and add window boxes.Replace light with a larger lantern style. Move electrical to side.I would just landscape to cover foundation.

We have actually spoken with the electrical company, and they have approved moving the meter to the opposite side of the house (left) and around the corner, so it won't show on the front (my pet peeve), and all of the power lines will run along the new driveway (far left) instead of across the yard. So I can use everyone's suggestions of cottage flower/shrub border around the house, and then grass the entire front yard. I was also thinking about adding a tree (maybe a White Oak or River Birch, any suggestions?) at the front as the power lines would no longer be in the way. Thank you to libradesigneye for the suggestion on the slate for the concrete steps, brilliant idea.

You could do a neutral color like this one. Carry the siding color down over the foundation (I have never understood why painters stop at the siding) it will finish off the look. Door color?? What is YOUR favorite color? Neutral colors, like this or grey tones, will compliment any color.

Also thought of putting in a garden path like this photo, right to the front door. Has anyone any experience in putting these over an existing concrete path (ugly). Thought I could grass over everything, then lay these stones over the existing concrete path, without having to dig up cement?

I actually LOVE the idea of Yellow for the door. Everyone keeps suggesting it, and it's growing on me in a big way. I have actually done a light yellow curtain in my kitchen, on cream walls, and reupholstered a chair in the same light yellow. Kind of experimenting with new colours, and I love it. So a yellow door with the white siding and grey foundation would be so inviting.

Any suggestions on the best way to remove all those little driveway rocks? Thinking creatively, wonder if a shop vac would suck them up, or shovel and a sifter - then someone else could use them?

You will probably need to do a Slate path more like this one, overlaid onto concrete. The grass won't do well laid on concrete, it needs soil under it. OR, I know it's a pain but, remove the concrete and place stepping stones in to the grass.

Love the idea from creative of a side entrance to the house with a planted rockery Move the plant on the right cos it s too near maybe U can put it somewhere else but it is maybe too big to survive I paint a black foundation it would be pretty with a white picket fence. I always advise ppl to landscape first as it takes plant many searons to grow but paint can be applied in days I made that mistake myself and it took a long time for my garden to mature Good luck

You have a great house!, I would keep the exterior casing and storm door the same white as the house & paint the door a color. The door will work well in some form of blue, yellow, green, or red, it should be a color you like. Keep the sheen on the paint slightly higher than the house so that it is set apart from the siding and storm door. The idea is that the painted door behind the white storm draws you into the house. I would leave the foundation in a way that is correct for the time era of the house and does not draw your eye to it, aged conc. block would be perfect.

i was just warned yesterday at sherwin-williams against choosing yellow for a door, as it apparently fades very quickly. me, i'd ignore them and just repaint as necessary, as it's a small area to paint.

My front door is newly painted using Behr Paint color: Lemon Pound Cake....Love it!

Love the house, would do the periwinkle blue on the door as suggested above. Also consider somewhere down the line, some type of different shingle for that cute dormer, just as an accent. The landscaping, what could be done, so many cute things. Take your time on this, I would start fresh, get that shrub out, or at least trim it and see how you like it. Is that a parking space out front? Do you have another option for that ? Might be nice to make that a part of the yard to tie in the other side.

What if you painted the trim around the windows the same color as you choose for the door? And/or flower boxes on the lower front windows painted to match the door/trim. How darling this house could be!!

Flower box below the large window on left

What is going on with the roof? It appears to be several different colors, on the left side. Perhaps it is just my computer. Please clarify. Thanks!

Perhaps a porch light shining down would make the porch lamp fixture more level with the top of the door. Also different window coverings would make the windows have more style. I don't see any need for window grills. Any color that you like would look good on the door.

Lovely little house. Why does the fence that runs across the front cut the front are in half by suddenly turning and running to the right of the front door?

Parking to the right, maybe?

What an adorable house! I am concerned about the roof too. Is it just a bit grimy or does it need to be repaired or pehaps replaced? When I bought my house two years ago that was the first thing I had to do- or else the insurance company would have cancelled my policy! They gave me a few months to get it done and then did a "drive-by" inspection to confirm there was a new roof installed.

the fence is obtrusive. this house pleads for white picket!

I would paint your house a very light creamy yellow, bright red door (a warm red, on the terracotta side) and black accents, trim out the windows with 1 x 4 wood and painted black as well. Also do the upper window as well. If you re-do the roof do it in black as well as the gutters and eves troughs. :-) Also, I agree with taking out the shrub on the right however, I don't recommend planting anything too near the foundation as being an older home the moisture from watering your plants will compromise the foundations strength. I would opt for a river rock bed with a curved edge and a few nice specimen plants here & there-away from the foundation.. Boxwoods are great for a more formal look, how about a large high quality planter on either side of the door with a Boxwood in each? A herring bone patterned brick walkway will provide a nod to the traditional era of this home, or stamped concrete in a similar traditional pattern. Hope that helps! (p.s. I am partial to red front doors and when I look at houses I tend to think most would look better with a red front door! lol

I agree this cute little house would certainly suit a soft yellow. This great colour would suit a red front door or a blue front door..Your choice on which is your favourite..Grey would be the colour of choice for the foundation..If you feel up for it and it is in the reno budget I would add a nice porch on the front..Couple of rocking chairs, beautiful hanging plants..what a cozy welcoming entrance!

Sorry forgot the image I wanted to share..Good luck!

Had you thought about an arbor on the right and window box under the large window. The front of your house looks flat and adding these touches would add depth without adding alot of cost.Personally, I would choose a historic color for the front door and window trim to tie it all in. Classic color is best. I don't know where you live (which part of the country) so the paint color you choose should fit in to where you live. Also, do some willowy cottage plants. Boxwoods would be fine somewhere else, but research plants that soften the house-a combination of perennials and evergreen. I a

Not a fan of trendy colors-they don't stand the test of time and you always think of resale in whatever you do for the first impression of the front of the house.

I really loved these door colors bellow

I need clarification from the owner, please! Is the siding aluminum or it is clapboard (wood) that requires painting? Everyone keeps talking about painting the siding. I see no reference to the color of the siding in your original question. Please clarify! Thanks so much.

Also need to know about what appears to be an attic window over the front door. Is it finished in aluminum siding or in wood? Thanks!

I would paint the door yellow and the trim around the windows to match for a POP! Keep the house white, as it's a narrow home and dark colors will make it appear smaller. Yellow is happy and inviting color. (Sorry pro-grey people...) I agree with getting rid of the shrub and replacing it with some color to frames the bottom of the house, to rest just under the windows or lower. Maybe place a hanging plant in front of the electric meter, (the reader guy would still have access).

With regard to a tree: how about a dogwood? It would be light and airy; would not overpower the view of the house.

Cute house. Any color would work for the door, just pick your favorite. I would try snd hide the foundation with some low evergreen shrubbery and create some cottagey beds around the house and alongside your new front path. Climbing roses planted on you picket fence will give it more of the cottage feel.

That's great news, that the elec co is going to move your service. I'm sure you're excited about that.

Re the shrub on the right corner - I would highly recommend cutting it back as opposed to removing it. It takes time for plants to reach mature size, and cutting it back (not more than one-third of it per year) will provide you with some visual softness while your new plantings get established. It has a nice texture and color, and pruning it will take care of it's size.

I noticed, as one other commenter did, that your light fixture is probably the wrong shape for that gabled entry wall. You need a fixture that is wider and on which the light is centered more on the mounting plate so that it doesn't stick up so high. Perhaps a rectangular planter with relatively tall evergreens under the house numbers would help balance the door on that wall when the fence is removed.

As to colors - I like the idea of gray for the foundation. Contrary to one commenter, if you're keeping the screen or storm door, I'd paint it the same color as the door.

I don't think anyone has commented on the dormer. It looks like it's been painted a light blue-gray, which means somebody tried to make it match your trim but missed. You can approach this a couple of different ways. The dormer doesn't look like it's original to the house. If it was, it'd likely be gabled, not shed style. $ constraints may prevent changing the style. I had the exact same issue with a 1903 raised cottage-style home, and I matched the roof color EXACTLY for the dormer siding only, and the dormer practically disappeared. It was no longer a detraction from the attractive parts of the house. If you stand across the street and hold up warm gray paint chips in different light settings until you find the one that disappears into the roof color, you've found your answer. Suddenly that adorable entry will really come to life! (It might also be the gray for your foundation. Or you could use the same gray but darker.)

A couple of answers to some questions: The fence goes through the front door because the previous owner put it in like that - it will be replaced by a picket fence (it does scream for it) once the pines have been removed and the car park shifted to the opposite side. The siding is vinyl and will not be painted. I am seriously considering a pale yellow for the screen door, but will leave the actual wood door behind it in the walnut it currently is (easy to change the colour if I ever want to). The dormer needs to be the same style as the one over the front door and that will happen when the roof is replaced. I can make it another year before the shingles need replacing, but scalloped shingles are tough to find. Certainteed makes the closest (I detest rectangular ones as they don't have that English Cottage feel). I believe the top dormer has wood siding and is a different colour (blue) than the white siding. I love all the comments! Thank you!

Thanks for answerIng all of our questions, Amnette. Like most of your ideas/plans for your home. Not sure about using yellow for the screen door, with all the white siding. If possible, I would have the dormer window done in white siding to match the rest of the house when the shingles are replaced. Less maintenance, too. I would like to see the side drive on the right, which is being relocated to the left, paved. Neater and cleaner looking. Less cluttered.
A white picket fence would look awesome, for the same reasons. When the meter is relocated, shutters might be possible, adding to the English Cottage ambiance You are seeking. I also like the suggestion that someone else made earlier, to use rectangular window boxes underneath the front windows, with.enty of blooms, for added color. Good Luck with your project!

I agree with painting the foundation grey to make it recede. I happen to love a red door on a white house, but the burgundy is kind of blah. A really bright red door will make a statement. Martha Stewart's "Lady Bug" is a bright, true red that is stunning. Since I used it to repaint my front door two years ago, I have had neighbors and strangers knock on my door to ask what color I used. I love the idea of a white picket fence. If there were a way to add shutters to the windows, a dark green would be adorable, and your house would look fabulous at Christmas, with a pretty wreath on the door and a couple of spotlights in the front yard. Have fun with your project!

Cute house. One of my favorite color schemes to see, especially on older house from the 10's and 20's and so, is white siding wiht black trim around doors and windows. I am liking the foundation comments regarding grey. the front door doesn't take much paint so just go for it. Of course stripping it and staining it could work as well...just thinking