I think the metal poles could be used. The main problems that I see are the crocked roof line on the porch and the divided paneling on the exterior wall along with the oversized shutters. This short of a home would look allot better if the siding was more uniform. You can also wrap the posts with some wood columns, but be careful that you get the design of the posts correct so the look intentional.

If you will be advertising the rental with photos, make the colors bright and cheerful. Slate gray tends to look gloomy when combined with dark roof and heavy shade. Prune the lower branches of the trees up and away from the roof and windows ("raise the canopy") for better lighting and easier maintenance.

I think the metal poles could add to the cottage feel. I would paint them black and paint the body of the house a color. I think yellow. Then I would change out the door or paint it a third color. Perhaps green.

At the very least you need to paint the darker lower vertical boards to blend in with the upper white half. The tall shrub on right side needs to be pruned to at least half it's current size, it will look funny and woody at first but should start to sprout new growth.

Wash all the windows. Vacation renters want CLEAN , so be sure everything ( every cabinet, kitchen drawer, all bedding, floors, bathroom, sinks etc are clean.

I own three rentals near a beach, trust me. Clean will bring them back, if you can get them in.

What is the budget? Will most of the people that rent have children?

The property is very close to the street. A fence with gate or start to plant a row of hedges around the property.

What does back yard look like?

What about inside?

Most important how does your house fare against the other rentals in your area, both in appeal and price.

Clean, paint, picket fence, trim the jungle.

Thank you for the comments! Still looking for that color, though! Claudiann, I like the yellow, as well, however, it is the only color which has been overused in this small community. This house will fare well with other rental properties. Great back yard, large with trees, 2 blocks from Lake Superior-kids can ride bikes all over town. The "shrub" on the side of the house is actually a lilac tree-Will cut it back. Inside is great, plank floors, all very bright, all very crooked, charming. Inside will be much easier than the outside. Still awaiting color options-any ideas? We are in the hotel business, all projects have been commercial, this is a whole different animal and I am truly stumped! lol

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how about weathered looking (in color, either light gray or light tan) cedar shingles for the body....
wrap the columns with wood and bottom detail (thicker) and add wooden railing around porch. Paint your front door a fun beachy color....maybe a blue. Add a thicker trim around windows in front, replace shutters with the correct size. Add window boxes underneath 2 front windows with pretty drought tolerant trailing flowering plants. Paint trim in clean white.
Another alternative would be to keep the top siding, then do stacked stone on the bottom half. That is a very nice look as well and very cottagey looking to me.

Because your roof is black....I feel like your color palette is somewhat limited for the beachy look. I'm trying though!! :)

I think the idea of a white picket fence in front with a gate, like others suggested is a good idea as well!!

I like a crisp combination of Sand ( not one with a pink tone) with a soft white trim or grey with soft white trim. Nothing too dark for the body of the house so the house doesn't get lost in the trees. I would do shutters ( get the right size shutters) in the trim color.

Choose a front door color that blends with an interior color, so when the door is open it blends.

Since time is short, for the first season, perhaps you can add a bed of pink and white impatients for a splash of color along the foundation.

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Love the Fair Isle Blue, mpoulsom! I was thinking a soft light blue, but your color is better!

I agree that you need to paint the whole body of the house one color. Box in the metal columns or repalce with wood . I would take down those shutters because they are not the right size for the windows anyway. Instead, add some more trim around the windows and paint them white. If you put new shutters on, I think black is a classic color. Larger house numbers too.

A couple of planters with some red geraniums would go far in adding some curb appeal. You may want to consider some shrubs that almost take care of themselves to soften the front. It looks like you might have enough shade for some beautiful forever hydrangeas on the left side of the house. A window box under the left window would look charming as well.

I realize that you are thinking these plant ideas will need watering, but as a landlord, you may want an excuse to check up on your property once in a while and this one is totally understandable without being intrusive.

Is the porch in a proper condition? Not only is it crooked, for what i can see it seems glued onto the house. I'd rebuild it completely and a bit higher (less angled shed roof, white pillars), so it flows better with the roof and has a more open look. Medium grey shingles. Fresh white paint on the horizontal siding and window frames, light greige on the bottom part (because light grey stone facings might be expensive for now) and trim. Bright turquoise/teal on the front door and a paler shade on the shutters. Ask an arborist to remove the lower branches of that tree. Trim the bush on the side. Put up an orange mailbox and a bench, some flowers. Good luck!

Such great advice-tx! Def. like the Fair Isle Blue-not sold on beiges, tans, etc. Looking for a "Wow" factor for rental property. Removing shutters, boxing in metal columns, picket fence and red geraniums are a MUST! Any other paint options? When time permits, I would def. change exterior to cedar shake - all in all, my favorite. For now, looking for a great paint color. Is red an option? white picket fence, white trim (off white?) window boxes, etc.

To me, pyschologically, red doesn't say summer. I like the blue for it's nod to water and vacationing. The Fair isle color is blue, but not wishy washy. I think it would really give you the color wow you are looking for but still be calm.

I'm a "no" on the red personally. Have you seen any light coral or salmon colored houses that you like. I just don't see red as beachy color.

Rinqreation, porch is def. crooked (everything about this house is crooked-lol) and the "glued" impression is correct, looks as if they were patching a leak, unfortunate, as the shingles are fairly new. Will eventually re-do the porch, as time and money permits. Love the orange mailbox!

I know you said you don't like browns, but they are "beachy" and have a classy look. I think I would want to attract renters with good taste! lol!
I know this house is dark, but in a lighter shade of this tanish brown, you could either use the blue above for accents or a salmon colored accent....look at the chair cushions in front of this house for reference. But I would use the creamy off white trims with these colors.
I'll shut up now.. :)

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Ok, tx. There are many shades of red up used up here- (Northern Michigan-Canadian border) just wanted to pass it by you. The towns are completely surrounded by National forests, with beautiful shoreline beach areas. I am recently transplanted back after 20 yrs. in South Florida, so I am def. struggling here! Miami I can do-UP North....hmmmf! LOVE the idea of a Coral or Salmon- very much! Sorry to ask.....any specific colors you've seen that might work? How about a color called Sea Moss Green- have you seen it? it is more on the darker granny apple side - not a dark moss or olive. Perhaps add a red door? Thinking this might be good with new columns, white picket, red geraniums, etc. What are your thoughts?

I like the dark granny apple idea, but I do love green, lol. With white trim, it could look great!

mpoulsom, Please don't "shut up" haha~~ Love your ideas! We have several other projects going, as well......this color combo is a def. must, somewhere down the line. Most of our clientele is a wealthy Chicago Northshore/city guest. We also have a very "hippie" eclectic population-quite the combo! Should have mentioned this is one of the oldest homes in Grand Marais, referred to as Mimi's house (she owned the first auto in town!) Just hoping to do something "wow" with her little old house!!

Thanks handymam, I think that's going to be my new direction, unless I see something in the meantime. I did love the salmon color, however, can't think of anything to plant in the window boxes to "pop" against that color- I think I am coordinating a house color around a geranium! haha

Sounds like a great project. I will attempt to post a link I found to exterior color schemes on the Sherman Williams paint site. It is for exteriror color schemes and even has one title Nothern shores. When you click on the different pictures of houses, it has a larger pic and the different colors of paint that were used for each house.
This should give you a lot of different ideas. Sometimes when I clicked some of the houses did not come up as they should but I bet they might have a pamphlet at the store if you inquire.

Hope this helps. http://www.sherwin-williams.com/homeowners/color/find-and-explore-colors/paint-colors-by-collection/exterior-color-schemes/

Kris...if you use any salmon colors...they DO have geraniums in salmon! lol..but you can always do white impatients or other white flowers against these colors...and with a white or off-white trim, it will lighten up any darker/brighter colors you choose to use. I love the story about mimi...that's super cool.

one more thing....you could always plan on doing the bermuda/bahama type shutters on the windows when more money is available to invest. You could have them open in the summer and when the rental season is done, close those suckers for the cold season. Just an idea.

check out this color combo.....very pretty!! Notice that they used black accents lightly on house.....since your roof is black and you can't change that. I wouldnt use a lot of black, but maybe touches would be okay. :)

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I think Mimi would approve of the bermuda shutters! lol

apple green or apple green with a little gray in it would work with the salmon color as well Kris...

Look here for 'Coastal Cool' color inspiration: http://www.sherwin-williams.com/homeowners/hgtv-home-by-sherwin-williams/color-palettes/coastal-cool/

From this palette, I've used both SW Sea Salt and SW Comfort Gray on exteriors. I'm a huge fan of Sea Salt for both interiors and exteriors.

Use a combination of pink, salmon and white flowers in window boxes and foundation plantings, mixed with perennials having chartreuse-colored foliage.

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I think a blueish gray with white trim and black accents would be beautiful! You could add a bright colored front door and some new shutters. Those bahama shutters would be amazing! I really like the Sherwin Williams Sea Salt or Comfort Gray. We were considering these for our rental, but my husband won and we're going with Rare Gray instead.

The attached picture is of Comfort Gray- it's just the right shade of light bluish gray for a cottagy look.

I would also consider a full-glass storm door. These are great for letting in light and showing off a pretty front door. Add some hardy perennials around the base of the house such as Stella d'Oro daylillies. These bloom most of the summer and are low maintenance. You can easily mix in perennials and annuals together.

I would also add a small bench to the front porch for sitting and decoration.

Wonderful, thank you! We also have 3 lakefront hotels, will check it out!

I like the persimmon and grass...then do a cream trim to keep it soft. For the flower boxes get a succulent so you do not have to water them as often- the green in the plant will complement your paint and they come in yellows, reds and corals

I love the comfort gray it is a soothing soft blue. You could do a lavender door for a different look, grey, or minty green. Or you could go for a nautical themw and use white navy and red.

Kelly, i'm leaning toward the grass or sea moss on the exterior, initially was liking a barn red, however, I prefer the persimmon, which def. needs a cream trim-my concern now is how will the white picket fence look with cream trim on the house? Won't one of them look dirty or off? I can't see them together-think fence would need to be black or change door back to red, use white trim and white fence. What are your thoughts

fence should be same color as trim...

Cream fence would work. Plant some lime light hydrangeas around the house. Blooms turn from white to chartreuse to Rosen fall will contrast nicely with your colors.

I'm a designer in northern Michigan. What town are you in? I would love to help!!

Some properties in Munising, this one in Grand Marais. I'm back to the fence! haha cream fence won't work for me...........better change my door/trim. Thinking I should move on to the inside-you all are fabulous at this!!! As of last Sunday they still had 6 ft snowbanks, so I wasn't able to get any great photos. Purchased house in Feb, realtor gave me the one we are using for this "dilemma!"

Natural wood picket fence

Great photos Kelly. Gives wonderful options.

Kris t are you using a wood fence? Or is it plastic? I was asking because I wanted to know if the material is paintable or stainable.

Great pics Kelly, thank you! LOVE the Guadalupe!! I am probably using a wood fence after purchasing a plastic pvc one last year-quite costly and this yard is twice the size.

Good I like natural material better anyway.