Remove them ,

Hello, this website popped up in the conversation over a similar question recently, check it out.

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Mehdia

Your shutters look like they are appropriate for your home's style and windows. They even are very close to being the right size. I would keep them and just add hardware, hinges and shutterdogs, to the shutters to make them look functional. Take a look at these shutters below with hardware. You may have to rehang the shutters to get the look.

You have a welcoming, beautiful home. Just another point or two for your very lovely home: add much larger address numbers so they can be seen from the road and a nice garden walkway to your front door would open up your exterior IMO. The walkway would come out from the front door to the road that I assume runs in front of your home. Something along these lines (JMO)

Do you like the shutters? Do you hate the shutters? Is it the color? Your question of keep or remove them actually generates more questions.

Based on the style of your house it is entirely appropriate to have shutters, and yours are sized properly. In fact I think if you removed them from the shed dormer on the second floor you would probably realize that they add interest to that area.

If you're thinking of removing anything I would remove the awnings over the front and side doors. They don't look to be in great shape and style wise detract from the look of the house.

If you are wanting to change the look of the house and your budget allows you could add a small front porch with some square white columns and change out the wrought iron to white railings.

I would leave the shutters but do something with the awnings. Remove & replace with something else ...

Keep the shutters but the color is wrong for the home. Consider black shutters The aluminum awnings should be replaced with either canvas or metal awnings in a more simple style.

I like the shutters and agree adding some hardware would be nice. Black shutters would look great with your siding and roof colors.

Thanks for the helpful responses, everyone. I like the idea of making the shutters black and the ideas for updated awnings.

Denita, the added hardware to the shutters looks interesting, and I like your hardscape ideas.

Creative Visual Concepts, maybe it is the color of the shutters that has me wondering whether to keep them, or not. I love the idea of a front porch!

Thanks, BeverlyFLADeziner, for your straightforward assessment and suggestions that I always appreciate.

Well, djahim, Beverly has given the exact advice I would have. And Denita's suggestion for a walkway is spot on.

Yup! ^^^^^

The shutters are down. So, do we leave them off or paint them black and put back up as shown in Grover’s rendering. In either case, we plan to replace the awnings with black ones. Right now, just looking for opinions on the shutters.

^Grovers mock up^Without shutters.

I like the mockup Grover shows...so yes to newly painted, black shutters with hardware.

I would replace with black shutters - they make your house appear interesting!

I love shutters and the black looks great!. I asked a similar question on a post (not mine). It was suggested I remove my shutters, mostly because I have one oversized window and the shutters for that window are not (and cannot be) the right size. I didn't really like houses without shutters until it was pointed out that older homes without shutters often had more robust window trim. I like these:

Thanks, Denita, for putting the pics side by side to see the comparison of the two looks. I think I’m leaning toward painting the shutters black.

Shwshw, we’ll be going with black shutters. I agree that without shutters, window trim needs to be “robust,” as you say. I think the black shutters add some presence to our house. Thanks!

I had another thought. Get your awnings painted black too. You may not feel the need to replace them right away or ever.

Regarding awnings:

IMO, the problem with the original awnings is that they're a bit overbearing. Painting them black would make them more so. In fact, leaving them as is with black shutters doesn't look bad; the black shutters seem to command more attention than the red shutters did and so take the focus off the awnings.

Paint the shutters first, then decide if you want to do anything with the awnings.

Good point grover

Your home is beautiful, I would keep shutters but as many suggest def another color and black would look great! I recently added black shutters to our home and it made a huge difference.

- This is random but @groveraxle , which app/website do you use for home remodels? :D

Just paint them black ! And perhaps get some plants that climb on both sides of the awnings and smother the awning with lush climbing blooms !

Also consider beefing up front steps and railings - wider steps, chunkier railings.

Spot on, as usual, Grover. It’s funny how when you see a picture of your house you see things that you don’t notice when you look at it everyday. I kind of cringe when I look back at my DR before updating it.

i agree, the awnings are overbearing, and I love the rendered ones. But, I appreciate your practical advice, Grover. Shutters first, and then a second look at the awnings. Thanks!

qam999, all very good ideas; something we’ll need to work on in stages.

@annievibes, I use Photoshop Elements.

While the shutters are off, deal with the porches/awnings and see how it looks once they're upgraded. Then the shutter question will be easier to answer. The scale of the house is not grand and the amount of shutters "everywhere" tends to make it look busy, IMO.

Another angle to think about, decoenthusiaste. Thank you for your suggestion.

I like the shutters!! I think it adds character, I just recently redid my home with new shutters but I agree black would be great on yours I did naval blue

Leave the shutters but paind them a blue/gray that is almost black and update the door in a slightly lighter blue/gray shade. Update the porch railings and awnings with something more attractive that matches the shutters or door.

Another option, with black shutters. I used groveraxle's drawing.

That’s so pretty GenStone Products; I love the look.

Thanks! I think groveraxel really nailed it with the shutters and walkway. I used our Kenai Stacked Stone for the wainscoting.

We sustained hail damage and a tree demolished our backyard deck, so we’ll be residing, reroofing and building a new deck. I’m looking for suggestions for siding material and color. We’ll likely be choosing a similar color for the roof.

I‘m going to start looking at design ideas for decks, but any suggestions are very welcome.

Trying to attach photos but it’s a no-go right now; I’ll try later. There are pics of the house above to look at, but trying to make it so people don’t have to scroll for them.

Backyard:

What do I need to do to get the pics to orient correctly. I never had this problem in the past.

I'm so terribly sorry to hear that djahlm. I hope everyone is safe! The sideways pics seem to be an issue lately.

Man, that tree flipped your whole house and yard over. I'm sorry this happened to you.

I know, Grover! It’s been a dizzying couple of days.;))

Here’s the front, sideways again. Thanks for flipping the backyard, Grover. If I knew how to, I would do it myself.

Everyone safe, shwshw, thanks. My husband and I were actually standing at the deck door when the tree came down. It landed inches from our new patio door, so we were lucky. I thought we got hit by lightening.

shutters are good. awning is bad

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hi everybody please comment on my similar thread

Check out this discussion on Houzz - https://www.houzz.com/discussions/5835425/need-opinion-on-exterior-windows-trim-and-shutters