I would do shake shingles on the upper shed roof windows to the base of the 1st floor, same color finish- the different texture will be enough. darker finish on the window trim. follow your contractors advice about vertical siding and a water issue IF you researched his creed? I happen to love cranberry color, it lends itself to all seasons. I would swap out the front door tho- full view glass, or something more contemporary, large black iron (or bronze) light fixture & large house numbers. nice house!!

This is a contemporary house. I would not do shakes on any part of it.

Groveraxle, do you think the whole house will look okay in one solid color of board and batten?

As I mentioned above, I'm looking at a mid tone color , not too dark or too light, called Stone. I like it because it's more of a neutral....almost a taupe color. It's in the brown family, but almost looks grayish.

I think dark windows, all same siding and all same color except front door, and do get a more contemporary front door. When you add colors you visually shrink the house.

Groveraxle, I like the pictures! Thanks!

Thanks Flo, for your advice! I originally planned on having board and batten all over the house, but then I started doubting my choice. I worried it would look like a barn! I will keep the house all one shade, and try to find a contemporary door that will still offer some privacy. When we first got the house, I didn’t have anything on the front windows, because I liked the clean, open look of the glass. However, on several different occasions we have had cars stop in front of the house late at night. I t was creeping me out, because I felt like we were being watched. Maybe I can find a contemporary door with obscure glass?

I really like the way the dark windows look in the picture Groveraxle posted above.

The windows look black in the picture. Just wondering if black windows would work? I’m looking at ProVia windows, and I can get them in bronze, which might be a better choice?

Whatever you do to the house itself you must remove the hedge blocking the entrance area. Look at Grover's images and how it is more appealing.

using a different siding on the middle section makes the house look chopped up into separate pieces--not good. As several people already said, use the vertical siding on all of the walls. I like the dark window frames. A bright-colored door would be the finishing touch. Nice house!

Emmarene, I agree Groveraxle's pictures make the house pop out and the yard looks so much better with some of the plants eliminated! The porch looks so much more opened without the hedges, plus they get messy and are a pain to keep trimmed. I won't miss them! Also, the extra plants behind the Japanese Maple make the maple look scraggly, so they need to go too. We will be doing some yard cleanup soon! We've all heard of being noise blind to smells around us everyday. I think we can become eye blind to the way things look too. I really appreciate having others eyes pointing these things out and giving me suggestions. I'm feeling a lot more confident about our project now. Thanks!

Thanks Nancy R!

I think I'm going to do a door like this in cranberry color.

Door handles and light fixture in oil rubbed bronze or black.

Would nickle be a better color choice for the door handles to add a bit of zing?

All gray board and batten with cranberry door:

I'd really like the see the center part painted a deeper value:

I do like groveraxle’s last rendering. Going to be great! As to your front door i would consider horizontal windows in the door.

Groveraxle, the last picture with the darker areas on the center part of the house does add depth and richness to the house. I think this is the one! Love the look! A picture is worth a thousand words!!! Thanks you so much!

Thanks Flo! I will look at some door with the horizontal windows.

I like that last image best, too. It works because of the vertical siding throughout and the darker color in the middle ties in with the windows.

These are the color combinations I'm looking at for the the siding.

This has a little more of an orange tint than cranberry, but I kind of like it for a door color.

Jean, in the rendering below, I matched the siding on your house to the swatches you just posted. I cannot, however, adjust for lighting, so It's critical to get samples and paint them at your site to see what they look like under your actual conditions. Good luck.

I've done the same here for the door. I expect it will look darker under that overhang than it does in the rendering below.

Groveraxle, thank you so much for these pictures. I love the two tone look! If the house looks as good as your pictures, it will be amazing! It will be January before everything is finished, but I will post pictures for everyone to see once it's done.

Thanks, Jean. We love to see the results of our virtual efforts!

Groveraxle, you are the best! Jean, it takes quite a bit of time and energy to do these Photoshop images and we all owe a "thanks"! to groveraxle for her fine work. I sure appreciate groveraxle!!! Always positive inputs!

Flo, I agree! I really appreciate the advice, and the work groveraxle did to show me these images.

Good luck on your project Jean, I am confident it will come out great!