There used to be a feature on Houzz where you could have people vote on their favorite. That would be a quick way to solicit opinions, but I can’t find a link to get you started. I love your blue siding. I like the stark contrast of white trim, and would select black or dark charcoal for shutters. But that’s me, not you. If you like cream and brown, go for it. It’s a pretty house, no matter what the colors are.

I think it does look better with white trim, not cream. But I like your existing shutters more than the new ones you’re planning.

No brown shutters with the blue but honestly you should have a look at the blue in real life and I happen to like your house as is better than the blue and I agree white trim with the blue if you go that route but I am finding it hard to understand why you want blue if you like earth tones.

I know this is not what you asked, but I like your current color combo so much better than the blue and brown. The dormer windows and closeness of the other windows look very choppy and chunky with the blue siding color and your grey roof. My eye stops and starts and stops and starts. With the current scheme your roof, siding, and shutters have a continuity that makes your home look bigger and more pleasing to the eye. It is an utterly charming home as is. Plus, in your current scheme you have a grey trim on the dormers and the upper part of your porch. In your mock ups you have made them the same color as the column and window trim. Again, another abrupt color change that makes too many things stick out in a small space.

If you are dead set on the blue, I would not do brown shutters and I would find a shade of blue that is more copasetic with your roof.

I think the combination of cream and blue looks great. From the manufacturer‘s website:

White!!

I'm casting my vote for an off-white or cream trim package. The stark white has the appearance of overly aggressive tooth whitening and is a little cold. Not a fan of the brown shutters either, perhaps shifting to something in a darker orange to compliment the blue. Also think about shutter authenticity. They should have the appearance that they could actually cover and protect the windows. Many times the shutters are undersized.

Blue, white trim, black shutters.

I love the look of the creme trim! I don't think blue is "too trendy" but rather looks classic, especially with the creme trim, which does feel more earthy.

I agree 100% with Mark Benner.

The brown shutters seem off to me.

Wow, thanks everyone - a lot to think about. Sammy - that is the exact picture that made me want blue and cream. Its the same regatta blue too. Based on comments, I am definitely going to stick with the style of shutters I already have. The houses around us are green, a dark brown, and a clay color- so that is why we wanted blue..something different. I also read darker colors can make a small house look bigger. As for the color of the shutters, I saw some natural brown against blue I like.. would something like this work if the right shade and louvred? I guess it would be taking too much of a risk. I am concerned about the choppiness you mention Kendrah and would like to maintain that continuitiy.

...definitely not going with brown shutters lol. Thanks for that everyone. This is so tough! Mark Brenner - when you say dark orange, you mean dark orange stained like composite wood?

Is your roof brownish? If so, and you want more earthy look, try a pale yellow with white trim and some hunter green detailing. This house could also be all white. Make sure you keep the style of this very cute home in mind.

It looks like a gray roof to me, Flo.

An orange like this would look great with Regatta and cream. And I think I would skip the shutters altogether—for the time being, at least. You’re lucky in that the existing window trim is quite chunky and the windows can stand on their own because of it. And no shutters are 1,000 times better than the wrong shutters!

BTW, we’re neighbors (sort of)!

What color is your roof? Does it need to be replaced? Keep that in mind. It would be better if you are replacing roof, to do that first. Then siding. Just works better.

Thanks - we are not replacing the roof. Its grey toned. Sammy where do you live?

OK, with gray toned roof, you can do white or blues, creams might not look as good. You could do a blue with a off white trim, such as SW Alabaster. Alabaster is in the Yellow Hue Family so it will be warm and nice contrast with the blues, if that is the direction you like best.

SW Alabaster was exactly the color I was thinking for the trim. Now, keeping style of shutters louvered - but is there any wood color that wood work? Or color other then super orange? I know the contractor is offering composite.

No, No, No to all of it! A house in my area did what you want to do with blue and brown/cedar shutters and ruined it, IMO. With the nice wide trim on your windows, I would eliminate shutters completely so the eye remains focused on your grand entry. Paint siding a darker shade of gray. When you 'outline' the house by painting the trim on each end white, you box it in and it looks smaller and more square than it is. Paint that trim gray too and match the downspout to it. Now, focus on the tired, old overgrown, clumpy landscaping. That's where you'll get the most bang for your buck! Enlist a professional whose landscape work you've seen and loved to work up a plan for your home that does it justice. If, after all that, you still want a touch of wood, you might try lining the barrel roof of your porch with some wood. A hanging lantern light would be a plus, with or without the wood lining the barrel.

Ha!! We have been trying to get a good landscaper for ages. They don't even call back! So, leave the portico white/door entrance white, and window trim still white or an off white - and the downspouts on the side grey...

I would advise against those shutters. What about a darker blue? The style of those wood shutters is very Joanna Gaines-farmhouse vibe which is not the style of your home.

Yes.....good point. Wood shutters officially gone. Grey was suggested as an alternative I am interested in by decoenthusiaste. And no shutters. Thoughts? The trim on my windows in original pic above is wider then shown here.

Ooh, grey and cream is such a nice combo! Not sold on the shutters tho.

Would you do no shutters, or....?

Here's blue with no shutters...

I gotta say, I like it with shutters. Maybe a darker grey shutter with the grey and cream color scheme.

**edit: I also saw you were considering SW Alabaster for the cream color. I juuuust painted my living room this color and it reads very white, not off-white. I would consider a creamier color. Also, I would make sure to paint swatches on the trim before committing cause, like Alabaster, they may read differently than on a paint chip or online. I would look at SW Dover White and SW Antique White. My last home had SW Antique White walls and this is an accurate representation of that color (the walls not the trim) vs. other images/paint chips online:

Agreed....shutters look better. Thank you!!!!

You might want to hire a local color expert to help. Your light impacts every color. Well worth it to get look you want. Check on Lori Sawaya’s website for one of her graduate color specialists for someone near you.

Will do, thanks!

When I was replacing my shutters, this is the great advice I was given by Anna (6B/7A in MD):

Shutters should look functional, even if they won’t be used for their intended purpose. Especially if they’re part of the original house design. Wooden shutters with real dogs, latches, etc. will be needed. https://www.lifeofanarchitect.com/residential-architecture-101-shutters/

You may be familiar with him already: https://www.oldhouseguy.com/

This is a great resource for finding shutters at the right size: https://shuttermarket.com/composite-shutters.html

So it’s finished.....new siding, updated landscaping (still needs to grow in its winter!) and new shutters. Thanks for your advice everyone!