Given that this was an inexpensive home in a lovely, sought after area, I would have a good architect come up with a modification plan. Especially since housing prices are up in your area. The house can afford it. I am not a designer, but it looks to me like it has good potential to “un-Tudor” it to something more modern and very attractive that fits better with your interior. I don’t think it will ever be a Craftsman, but I do think minimal modifications would go a long way. Do you know the history of the house? Because it looks to me like it could have started more modern and someone messed it up adding Tudor features.

In a neighborhood of expensive custom houses, it'd be a wise move to consult an architect before making major design changes. Is the architect who designed it still working? Their name should be on the plans and permits at city hall.

The design is contemporary and has wood trim, not Tudor. I suspect some of the original windows were replaced.

Its a handsome house. Only the timbers look Tudor-ish. I'm afraid if you start with the siding its going to turn Frankenstein.

I’d would white wash the brick and then choose one material for all the rest. Any more materials will make everything look choppy.

You know, it is what it is. It actually is a pretty decent looking house. Of course you can rebuild the exterior envelope but it may not be worth it. I would concentrate on the inside and take a family vacation with the money saved.

I have wannabe modern tudor too. Way uglier than yours. I've priced out some options. All sky high.

I spoke to a neighbor who knew the 1st owner (we're the 3rd). She said nothing had been done to the exterior since it was built. It is all original siding, stucco, boards, paint, and lead windows. We replaced the roof.

I can't find a designer to give me a rendering without signing a contract. The estimates we did get last Summer were upwards of 35K to replace siding and trim. My husband works for a general contractor/demolition company, so we have a crew that can intall. I just don't want to "Frankenstein" it, as suzyq53 put it.

Melissa, do the sides and the back have the brown siding or stucco?

Maybe someone on here will photoshop or sketch it for you.

Thanks for info on history. Do you have any inspiration photos of houses you love that have similar brick and roof colors? Or even some that don't?

Here is a picture of a house with Hardie siding and shakes close to what you are proposing. Of course the style is completely different. This project was a massive transformation from a quite unattractive split.

If you were going to paint, would you chose Boothbay as the color? It is so different from the brick. Are you going to get rid of the leaded windows, the arched windows?

Sides and back are siding on second floor with brick on the 1st.

I can't find any pics of homes with a similar roof line. If we replace the windows in the future, they would be white. We won't be changing anything to the structure...only replacing siding and trim. I'd consider limewashing the brick, but can't find before/after of my color brick.

I'd leave it if it were in good condition; however, that is not the case. It is deteriorating. It has to be replaced, so I'm just looking for a way to give it a little more curb appeal. We did put it on the market a couple of years ago when we tried a new city, and it did not sell with the negative feedback mostly being about the exterior style.

Here are pics I do like. I know my house will look nothing like them.

To me, it looks more French Country-esque than Tudor-esque...

What if you did the stucco gray-ish and the "timber" darker gray-ish...?

Here is a mock up of the Boothbay (the color is probably off) and cedar shakes with white trim.

houssaon...thanks! it looks great!

Here is another mock-up with Hardie's Pearl Gray and a blue that is in your roof color. I believe Hardie boards can be painted or custom colors ordered. I would do the clapboard style on the majority of the house and a shake on the bump out window and the corner window. The large color block on the right side is the tone of your brick (a dusty pink) and the blue tone in your roof. Below are the Hardie standard colors.

I disagree with this idea...You want your house to look better than what it does now and getting rid of the faux timbers will leave you with house that's been modernized and it will look too contemporary. And the windows will look wrong in their new home...

You're the only one that has to like it, however...

Melissa, I think the Hardie siding is a good direction to go. With the architectural shingles and the brick I think you might want to limit the number of materials so that it doesn't end up looking like a hodge-podge. Are the grids in the windows fixed or can they be removed. If they can I would remove the diamond grids. With your brick I might stay away from the blue and move more towards the colors that are in the brick.

If you're interested in seeing some virtual makeovers check out my web site, Creative Visual Concepts.

Window grids are not removable.

If you don't like the timbers, paint them the same color as the stucco, so you aren't drawing attention to them. I think that window along the driveway(?) Is calling for a copper roof on it.

Melissa, when you look at the roof shingle, do you see just grey or is does it read grey/blue? Have you considered the off white shade in your brick for the siding? Shakes for the two window surrounds, you could stain them your brick mortar colour. Maybe houssaon can do a mock-up for you if you are interested. I would not add contrasting vertical corner boards like your inspiration photos have, that’s too busy.

Are these the original windows? If so it would be time and beneficial to replace with money allocated. The change would be striking and with fresh paint to the house your issues with house diminished.

I think penny design has nailed it. This is a French country house. Work with the elements you have -diamond Windows, arches, timbers. Change the colors to embrace the French country theme, bump up the landscaping and add horse trough window boxes and your house will look charming.

The roof shingle is grey with a bit of blue. The windows are original and will be replaced in the next year.

I agree, I think it is more French Country architecture. I'm looking for new inspiration photos! Now, I'm super confused about what I want and what the house needs. :-)

If I embrace the French Country, do I get rid of the timber and paint the stucco with siding on the sides to match?

What do you think about this color scheme?

Getting rid of the timbers and redoing the stucco was what I priced out on our house. Ours is a large house with lots of timbers. The stucco is on the second floor. All the bids were over $50k. And we priced replacements windows, but only for some areas, that came in around $35k.

Something like this?

Haha...not great, but you get the picture. Are the colors too light for the brick?

The French green-gray color on the trim is what I thought would really give this house some style. The keystone color (perhaps even a slightly warmer color) is what I would suggest for the body of the house. Maybe a Robin's egg blue or a Rust color for the door, making sure the color holds its own against the brick. Should you decide to go with shutters, make sure they fit the size of the window (a curve where the window curves). Shutters need to look like they can function, even if they don't.

This is a very nice house. Don't mess with it. Would hate for you to regret it 10 years down the road. Styles come and go. Maybe add some nice large house numbers to the right of the door and add a trellis with some sort of climbing flowering plant/vine on the brick wall area between the corner window and large windows on the the left side of house.

Here are some more colors to consider. San Carlos Tan from Benjamin Moore looks like a good color for the base - very close to your brick color and stardust really compliments it. So I put it as a base and pulled the blue from your roof.

I think if you get rid of all the timber detail and replace it with wide clapboard or stucco and have some cedar details (natural stain) you'll be on the right track. i don't think you need shutters. When and if you replace your windows, think about keeping the leaded ones or try to sell them, But I hope you keep them. Don't get white windows, get black.

inSince you have a pewte r grey roof, I would suggest paiting the timbers light or medium grey. I also like the interpretation of your house as country French, one of my favorite styles.

Your house as is looks better to me than any of the mock ups. The biggest offender for me is the big upstairs window and trim that cuts the roof. For a quick fix, you could paint the stucco and siding sage green and do the timbers and trim in charcoal.

I like the timbers so I left them...your landscape needs to be adjusted near the house...

I just adjusted from the browns to grays. Not much of a difference, but that's what I would do if your house was mine.

ETA for clarification because it made sense in my head...the colors used are Quest Gray for the body and Attitude Gray on the timbers and trim. The pics won't enlarge, I don't know why.

One of these gray colors should work for your trim color. Find one that complements your brick.

I like the picture /phassink posted. Notice it has the timbers painted gray. Those beams are part of the French Country aesthetic.

I think you have a large expanse of brick at the front entry. Would it be possible to add lanterns on either side of the brick entryway to add some interest there?

I'd vote for French Country. The first thing that put me off was the variation in height between entry arch and the window arch to its right. Next; the different styles of windows throughout, and then the heavy look all the brown trim is adding, drawing the eye to the second floor and not the entrance. I would be tempted to investigate the possibility of moving your front door closer to the exterior of that cave-like entrance. That would or extend a foyer to the interior. Paint the body of the stucco part in a color from the brick below and take the trim a shade or two darker but not so it stands out too much. See phassink's FC home above for color and for the door change. If you can't afford to move the door forward, at least paint the interior of the tunnel in the lighter color that you use on the second story. A brighter door will bring it forward visually too.

I found this lantern with seeded glass. This or something like it would look great on your house.

I agree...Or a lovely real copper that would patina?

great ideas! love the lanterns!

Certainly looks like the 80s Tudors in my area...I live in one, in fact. It is much smaller, though, and a single story. I think painting the timbers and the stucco the same color will go a long way in leaving Henry VIII behind. However, there are those diamond-leaded windows and door....argh! I hope yours don't leak like mind do. :( I have four tall, narrow leaded windows with eyebrow-arched tops, and the quote I got a couple of years ago for replacing just those four was 16K. I really like the idea of adding lanterns on each side of the entry, but I would go dark with them to provide contrast with your brick. You are so smart to stay in a neighborhood you love!

any updates?