Personally, I don't think you need the shutters. The windows will stand out from the pop of white around them. Otherwise I would go with a more contrasting color on the shutters.

I would remove them. If you paint the door then paint the storm door the same color.

HI -- Just have better fitting ( a little bigger ) shutters on the small windows that are the same white as the windows ( this will make the windows look bigger )....and no shutters on the large window . Paint the front doors a pretty color . What is your favorite color or look at " Prairie Lilly " or " Mermaid " or " Hale Navy " or a pretty blue or a classic black . Benjamin Moore paints . They have paint for front doors in the right amount just to do the doors. also for the landscaping ... replace the bush clumps for mass planting of same plants like Day Lillies and maybe some carpet roses etc. Get advice from your local garden center for what works in your zone . And maybe a small tree in that corner on the right . Or a tree or two in front if you have none . Trees add so much to a house .

I noticed that the advise of most HOUZZERS who answer these questions about shutters always tell others to loose the shutters . I think they look nice on your houses ...I would make them larger , so that they actually fit over the windows and leave them white ..without it you would have a house with just black holes as Windows . Besides don't you use them when you have a storm or heavy wind /rainstorm ??? I think it dresses up your house . The front door ? Yes , paint it red !
Put some small flowering trees on either side of the front door or large pots with flowering plants ....and enjoy !

P.s. I think your house is very pretty!

Landscaping will do the most for improving the look of your home. Contact a landscape designer to, at the very least, help you decide what look you want, and a plan you can implement over time.

I love shutters, but it is important to keep them to scale with the windows. These are on the small side. You might grab some inexpensive ones from your big box store and just hang them on a nail to see if you like the look. You can always take them back if you hate them! For the front door-paint it! Pick a color that makes you happy. Most things go with gray. You can always change it if you hate it, because paint is cheap and easy. My mom paints hers a different color every few years. I think the best thing you can do to dress up the front of your house is to do a little landscaping. Something with some seasonal interest and more levels. Maybe a small to medium shrub near the porch, like a dogwood or large rose bush, or maybe an evergreen shrub like holly or yew, and then a few smaller plantings and some flowers. That way, you have something going on all year, as well as food and shelter for birds. Visit with a local garden center and see what they have that is regionally appropriate. It will also make it feel more cottage-like. It’s a cute house!

While the shutters are actually too small to cover the windows to protect them in a storm, it really is the landscaping that needs work...a lot of work. I would remove the little pillow-trimmed shrubs and start over. Go to your local nursery and select plants which do well in your zone. Then plant them and let them grow in a natural shape. Read the tags on the plants before you plant them. If the tag says the diameter of the plants at maturity will be four feet, plant them at least two feet from the house and four feet apart to give them room to grow. You may be able to plant a row of perennial flowering shrubs which can become a relaxed hedge below the windows, and add some lower-growing flowering plants in front of them for diversity in shapes and height. Edge the garden bed with bricks or large rocks or metal edging to keep the grass from growing into the bed.

Yes, remove the ex. shrubs, or, stop “shaping” them to get a more natural look. If redoing, include both evergreen & deciduous plant materials as well as perennials. Looks like you’ve got a bit of an overhang on your roof......when planting, be sure that the plants far enough away from the house so that they will be able to get rainfall.

Cranberry red, dark navy, golden mustard are all good high contrast accent colors for a gray house.

You should start by deciding what style you are going for - cottage, modern, traditional, etc., then post pictures of the entire front of the house with garage door and roof color showing. The grey siding is a very nice starting point. Adding black accents usually looks good unless you have a brown roof.

Cottage style.

Inside has been recently remodeled....transitional style. When spring arrives, hope to make decision on shutters and repaint front door. Roof is darker grey.

Modern

These two photos illustrate the reasons for keeping the shutters, or taking them down. There are better modern photos on house, just couldn't find them in a hurry.

Traditional details https://www.houzz.com/photos/richmond-ave-traditional-exterior-phvw-vp~70700917

Traditional details

I would remove all the shutters, paint the windows themselves black, upgrade the light fixtures to large black ones in a less traditional style, paint the door black (or replace it with a classier style one) and devote the remainder of your budget to a major landscape renovation with the help of a professional in your area who knows what thrives best there.

Black shutters or no shutters and beef up the trim around the window. A red door would really give your house a pop and would look beautiful!