Here is a better look of the porch from the spring without all the plants full grown and before we put the new shutters up

Really attractive and classic as it is. If you really want to go with a taupe, go with a very pale tone of taupe.

Thank you for the compliments on our house. This is the color it was when we bought it and it needs to be painted so I figured if we were going to paint it I should change it up a bit. My husband is stuck on a black door because we were going to order a craftsman door that was black with the dentil shelf and the sidelights to match with dentil but we decided to hold off on that and just paint the door for now. We have had so many compliments on this red / orange door though. It just needs to be painted. This landscape we did a few years back has overgrown this space so in a few weeks all of these hydrangea will be transplanted to the back and there will still be white hydrangeas across the porch just a little smaller and thinking about some kind of red behind the boxwoods. Maybe red double knockout roses. I wanted to be able to see the porch more and these Annabelle hydrangea grow huge by July and cover the house so I wanted them moved.

Your taupe-ish and black house.

I rather like the hydrangeas.....they add so much texture and movement to your landscape ( like dancing balls!) Do you cut them back in early spring to control height? Love your hedge, and, yes, do add some red- flowering perennials to pick up the door's beautiful color. Knock-out roses may be too pink, perhaps they have a variety which would better match your door?

I also like the way it looks now. If taupe, go a lighter tone. Keep the red door.

I love the hydrangea up until July. We are going to be putting BoBo Hydrangea in place of the Annabelle only because they have a heavier stem and hopefully will not fall over. I would like to have a new bench on the porch that you can see. We cut the hydrangea back in the fall down to the ground and they still grow like crazy in the summer and eventually fall. It looks so pretty until mid summer. It looks great from the street but kind of a mess when you walk up our walk. That one picture is from the spring when they start growing and this picture is now.

Yes I seen what you mean.

I like sage green with most brick shades. Like everyone else I don't think you need a color change but I would pick a more neutral shade of white this time.

I also think it would help if you opened up the hedge in the middle to make the entrance more grand.

The lanterns are a good idea.

I tried to make a picture. It is not good but conveys the general idea.

Look at Houzz photos "green exteriors with brick" for some ideas.

As others have said your house looks good as it is now. We don't think you should paint the door black, leave it red. If you do paint the house the taupe color, go light.