Are they structural

Not sure - was thinking of painting them black or replacing them with wood columns

If possible remove them if not wood would help

You might be able to do a cross beam to be supported on the ends and that would open up the front entry area

Any thoughts on painting the exterior? grey to go with the black cross beam structural support?

Would like to see more of the home how close to the home are those bushes on left and right they seem to be covering windows trim those or get rid of them gray would be a great color as would be a gray blue with white trim the black beam would compliment the gray siding as an accent

The A frame itself was the a focal point in its day. Not sure why they hid it behind these odd columns. I'd hire an architect / engineer to determine how to remove them and maintain the roof integrity. Personally I like vintage architecture- A LOT. If I bought a home of this era it would be to work the vintage vibe! But, ya really need to get out in that yard and stop doing what your doing with those giant shrubs on either side of the porch. It's a LOT of work getting stumps out - if your back and budget won't allow right now start taking them down to size gradually. Take 1/3 off this spring, 1/3 off in the fall, so you dont shock them to death. Being on stilts isn't helping them look good either ;) New color would be nice on paint, it is dated but not in a good way. Hiding the windows hurts the bones as well. The metal door and the window frames need to be same color. As it is, its kind of like wearing two different socks. It really distracts from having any harmony in design. If you can afford a new security door - skip the florida style- I think the angular style of arts and crafts, though differing era, would have the same kind of lines the home has and harmonize more than what you have there. After you recycle those rock columns into a walkway - get a larger lantern hanging there. It is a large space - it needs a much larger lantern. Watch your metals - window frames/door / lamps - if they don't match - they must work together. :)

At the risk of sounding too "Northwesty", your house needs to go organic! You could: pick up a color or two from the stone columns for paint of the house and trim, spend some coin on a terrific (and larger) hanging fixture, lose the shrub trees and the white iron storm door. This could be fantastic! Add to the entry landing size--that is, take it out past the columns, put a couple of sizeable pots with tall plants and some landscape lighting...new house!

I would keep entryway (recessed area) blue,paint rest of exterior neutral color picked up from colors in stone,&add same stacked stone on either side where you have large siding areas,but only go halfway up walls add small ledge w/ similar stone... it"s such a pretty place,lots of potenial ...pathway in similar stone and clad mailbox in it too

I love blue but that's too much. If you find a nice earthy color in the stonework to paint the house, you might want to keep the stone. You might could replace the center two with some very heavy cross timbers truss. If you keep the metal door spray bronze or black on it so it doesn't look like lace. Reuse the stone in the landscape if you takes your. I also think the shrubs should not cover the windows. Stone planter there would be a good use for the removed columns. Fill them with low growing shrubs.

I don't see how those columns are structural. I think they just need to be removed.

If they take a look at how the beams run through the A frame on the interior, it would give the owners a clue. It could be.

Dear Mafa, I think you have great potential to make this house look great. Although, I am not sure of what type of style you prefer or your budget, I think with some changes can make a huge difference:
1. The first recommendation is change the color of the exterior to a white or a light grey color with a dark trim for windows, gutters and doors. To have a lighter background can help disguise the columns and integrate those to the design.
2. Remove the white screen door. It just does not seem to go with the architecture of your home. There are many different alternatives of screen doors that can actually look quite lovely.
3. Remove the two large bushes at the entrance
4. Remove the current sconce and add a focal point with a pendant fixture
5. Consider using a different type of stone www.realstonesystems.com carries a great modern selection of stones that can actually create a positive focal point on those columns.

I am sure you will find lots of recommendations!

Collar ties, at the moment, they are structural without collar ties.

Assuming the stone pillars stay, you want to add a cross beam timber in front and behind at the top of the shorter columns all the way across. The pillars themselves can bear the weight of these elements.

An 8 x 16 glulam or fake lightweight box beam stained driftwood / light gray like the mortar in your stone columns would be ideal. Since your windows are black aluminum, and the style / stone / everything is modern - this house should not have white or blue on it with the creamy camel stone. Everything should be in buff to camel, gray to black tones. You have an earthtoned roof, so you can't go all gray, but you can accent with it.

So, with a big crosspiece to bring the stone pillars to scale, then your fascia and eaves should be charcoal gray - http://www.sherwin-williams.com/homeowners/color/find-and-explore-colors/paint-colors-by-family/SW7068-grizzle-gray/ is a good shade to test - a true gray. The house siding / body itself needs a camel picked from the stone - test sw camelback http://www.sherwin-williams.com/homeowners/color/find-and-explore-colors/paint-colors-by-family/SW6122-camelback/
that will give contrast to the black windows, but help the stone pillars lose a lot of prominence. Lose the iron screen or have a new one made with a modern pattern - jeldwen sells a modern front door with integrated iron in a modern metal pattern.

Buy new light fixture in a modern throwback style in black. Make sure it has a large scale to visually fill the area - you can figure out a way to make something like this if it doesn't fit the budget - http://www.lightingdirect.com/justice-design-group-cer-1140w-two-light-25-extra-large-triangle-exterior-up-lighting-wall-sconce-rated-for-wet-locations/p1728320

A lot of good ideas here, thanks for the help. I need to speak to an architect to see if I can get those columns to go! Shrubs will go and thinking of light grey/black motif for color

HI -- If you consult with an architect , think about a nice post and beam structure for the A-frame .I think it would help make that part of the house look better than the odd looking pillars there now. I don't think the baby blue color was the right choice for this style house , it might have been brown at first , do you think ? A good color now could be a dark tan or "Ranchwood " by Benjamin Moore paints. The storm door should be replaced with something more modern . The door now is kind of French provincial and too busy looking . Maybe consider a big showy exterior light fixture .

Don't paint it gray! That's for a dungeon or garage interior! The blue is fine, but if you keep it, do white trim or a soft buttery yellow with sage green shutters would look great in that setting.
Remove the stone! Put a horizontal beam across the A and fill it in to the top with horizontal clapboard siding. Add a window in the center of it with mullions, shutters & a flower box below it.
Remove the 2 large bushes & use them someplace else. New landscaping will help tremendously. Install a curved red brick or limestone pathway to the front door. If possible, re-use the stone from the posts you tear sown. I'm a huge fan of re-using building materials. I despise landfills, so if there is a way to reuse something, do it. I would also add shutters to the existing windows. The home needs character. Moldings, mullions, flower boxes & definitely a new front door! Good luck.

When you walk in the front door does the ceiling fallow the A frame or is there a room up there?

For sure change the color..
A barn red or this Falun Red would be ideal and the greenery would pop


See if you can just remove the middle two rock towers
That upper area of the arch would look great with a window or a balcony if their is a room up there.

Start by removing those two middle stone columns. The are pretentious and block up the front of the house. I can imagine that they are structural given the pitch of the roof but if you need to add a cross brace like suggested above. I would get that done first and then see how the house feels before going forward. But when you do go forward by all means lose the blue.

I can't explain what I'm seeing for your space but please Google Image "Timber Frame Homes Exterior". Then you'll understand my thoughts. Please don't paint the stone

Remove the 2 largest stone columns. Change front door to wood with glass lites. Change hanging pendant light to much larger one. Paint house an earth tone (soft green or taupe) to complement smaller stone columns. Add low stone border wall to front path to tie in with columns. Remove large square bushes add a variety of shrubs/foliage in different shades.

If on a budget paint house to blend in with the stones a grey dark like mink at lowes

Paint the iron screen dark