I definitely would go lighter and warmer, warmer even than White Dove. Paint the trim, including the garage doors that lighter color and put a light between the them. I also think you should make sure there's plenty of light in that alcove, not just a single porch light with a 60-watt bulb. Go with a bit bigger, more distinctive plantings (knee height), but not too big that they hide the entry.

Hi Hu,

What a nice clean slate you have to work with!

Have you checked out "Dig Doug's" page?

He is brilliant and would know exactly what to do.

https://www.houzz.com/pro/doug-lockwood/dig-doug-s-designs

Not a color suggestion, but I see this type of light fixture. I think they also come as a frosted glass tube instead of aluminum, which would provide even more light. I'll look for one.https://www.houzz.com/products/kichler-lighting-x-ab4429-2-light-indoor-outdoor-wall-prvw-vr~49184687

I like the Bowman Group's suggestion of a red, or orange tone. I know the entry area is a little tight, but if you could add a taller planter and perhaps a small colorful outdoor bench it would help to break-up the brown. Good luck!

Global Views Wise Egg, Large · More Info

Here's another--you get the idea. https://www.houzz.com/products/shelter-one-light-outdoor-wall-mount-black-clear-seedy-glass-prvw-vr~16660658?lid=67941384

Thank you all for the suggestions. I agree that changing the color of the garage doors, window trim and porch to match would do wonders - LOVE that idea. I wanted to do the trim before we moved in, but there were uglier things inside that took priority on fixing. I don't think I can go as bold as orange or red, I'm not that daring and the hubs even less so - he may have a heart attack at just the suggestion lol. But I can see how that would make an impact and a statement and I would probably love it if I saw it in a picture. I also want to tile or reface the concrete pad so it's not so blah. The area is actually a decent size (6x6) so I think we could easily get a plant and a bench in there. I also love the light suggestions - and you can't see it, but there is an overhead light already in so there is wiring to do a nicer fixture than what is currently there and add a nicer/better fixture to the wall. I could maybe even remove that, but then it opens the can of worms of replacing or patching the wood and I'm trying to stay away from that if I can.

Thank you all again for the great suggestions, I appreciate it!

How about a deep teal? That isn't too crazy, and always looks good with brown.

One thing you could do is paint the entire inside of the porch (walls, ceiling and concrete floor) one color. If it's a light or bright one, it will look like a lit-up cube. I'll try to find a photo. If you're not feeling super-adventurous, you could make the wall/ceiling/floor color a light vanilla, and just do the door in a bright accent color like red or teal. Love the bench/plant idea. Kinda neutral on the big overhead fixture, don't know if you need it.

Think pumpkin, not dayglo orange:

Mid-Century Modern Washougal Home · More Info

This is gray, not brown, but yours could look as amazing as this:

Lucerne Place · More Info

Can you post a pic from the street so that we can see the whole facade?

This is from the listing, but pretty close to what it is now - minus the big tree/bushes

Beautiful house. Blue front door could look lovely--again, this is gray but it's a deep saturated color like yours.

Walk Around the Hood · More Info

Possible cedar garage doors and front door, though the current brown makes the garage doors less prominent.

Lake Washington Residence · More Info

Thanks for the house picture--now I'm really liking the idea of painting the whole porch interior cream, and jazzing it up with accent colors in door, lighting and bench. I guess I'd make that, and some window boxes on the front windows, along with lighting beside and between the garage doors, and call it good!

I don't know that I'd paint the garage doors yet, see if you can create enough interest with the porch.

Those houses are indeed stunning. I do love the contrast and would love to make that work here, but I showed the pics to my husband and (as expected) it was a hard no on the orange. I love the idea of a deep teal (one of my favorite colors too!) and I can sell him on that. I am going to get samples of everything and swatch them and see what works and start with the porch area and go from there. The garage doors are coming due for a new coat of paint but I think I will take the advice to stop at the porch for now and live with it for a bit before jumping right into painting those too. The weather in the northeast turned quickly so by the time I figure out the right color there might not even be enough time to get it done before winter really kicks in. With all the help and wonderful suggestions I am getting excited to fix up this space.

blaxk trim or gray could worK. The cedar wood is good also. It is what you will like but I would not go beyond those color themes. Front door can be a rich red or go wirh trim color.

Looking at your house and knowing you live in the NE, I think whatever wall color you decide on for the porch (bright, grey, or cream) it needs to be a light color so that it won't look like the porch is even darker than the rest of the house. Vanilla, light grey, turquoise, lime green, etc.

Just wanted to make sure you aren't going to paint the inside of the porch a deep, blackish teal...I think it would look too dark and foreboding.

While you're thinking about it, see if you can pressure wash or scrub the porch floor or maybe even tile it with a freeze proof ceramic tile. It would help if every surface was bright and clean!

BTW, is Sophie on vacay? I haven't seen her lately.

Yes! Power washing/scrubbing that floor and finding a good outdoor rated tile is at the top of the list of "musts"!

As I am very cheap, I'd try painting or staining the concrete before shelling out for tile...;^)

I thought about that, but I was told that since it's outside and there is no vapor barrier the stain is prone to salt deposits and bleed through of moisture which makes it look dirty. So it would end up looking ugly anyway and then to move to tile the stain would have to be ground off in order to apply an adhesive to do tile - so it would end up being more time/money and effort than just going with tile in the first place.

Paint the porch walls off white, then paint trim on one of the windows the same color. See how you like it. Add a few real orange pumpkins for Halloween.

If you are feeling more ambitious, figure out where to install solar panels for lighting so they will charge in daylight this winter. Add the solar powered lighting on the porch ceiling to make it much brighter when you drive up.

Thoughts on these colors? Gentle cream on top, Navajo white on bottom. Also picked up some tile samples, but I may have to go back for more.

Good old Navajo White! So here's my take--I personally don't like the variegated tiles on the right, I think they're overused. (I seem to see them on walls a lot in awkward foreclosure remodels. They're better on floors, but still....)

For paint, what about going with something slightly browner than the Nav White, but not as dark/yellow as your sample above? Then you can still paint the outline of your door a bright white for contrast. (Remember to paint the front bottom part of the doorframe too, so it doesn't look like the door is floating in space.)

Back to tile, I like the bottom middle one, or the small square on the left above it. The samples on the far left are too gray to coordinate well with your brown/cream.

Completely agree on the variegated tile! I said that to the tile guy and he said “just take it and see what you think” so I just went with it thinking maybe he had a point. I should know at this point that if I don’t like it in the store chances are pretty dang good I won’t like it in person either and should stop doing things just to be nice. But I digress.... Yes, the bottom middle one was my top choice of these as well.

Hahaha yes, good ole Navajo White. I thought if nothing else it was a safe place to start. I like the idea of something a little more brown/tan - I need to go back for some more samples. I was all sampled out and drove myself to indecision with all the different choices, I needed to step away.