Yes, the yellow is not working. Try a grey taupe like Fusion
SF-675 by Benjamin Moore to ground and modernise your home.
Mega planting is in order - if you work with a local nursery they will usually wave a fee when you buy from them. Plus, the fall is the best time to plant. Start with the basics and plan to add over the next couple years.

The brick color can't be ignored in choosing a color, consider painting it also.

Hi Meg.....Your roof looks pinkish in the picture, and the brick looks honey brown??? Can you take some close-up pictures???

I'm assuming you live in Canada. As a Pacific Northwest resident, I understand that winter/overcast can seem to go on forever. I think that's why, at least in our area, you see lighter and warmer colored homes, and not so much dark/grey. With that in mind, I''d consider going green. Benjamin Moore has one called Cedar Green 2034-40 that could work, as it is also shown as going with a warm-tan color, like that in your bricks, as is Aurora Borealis 565. Given the climate, I would not paint the brick due to the fluctuations in temperature, moisture, etc. Even mortared bricks expand and contract, and I think that would impact the finish a good deal. I would find a color of masonry paint that is the same tone as your brickwork, and paint what appears to be a gray concrete foundation. Then it would not look like you have 3 colors on the basic house structure plus a trim. The white trim would still look fine (again, I'm assuming you cannot paint the window surrounds). You might consider painting the garage doors the house color rather than white. You could do the light fixtures a burnished copper to tie in your doors and deck/porch.

As for a landscape suggestion, I have large Douglas Fir trees around which I've planted regular sword ferns from the forest (or from the nursery, as need be!). They look lush, do well in shade, and except for an annual trim of the old fronds, are pretty carefree. They take about 3 years to get BIG. Farther out from the tree base I've done annual impatiens for color. Simple.

Thank you all so much for your comments and expertise! I really appreciate it! Since our roof is sort of a terra cotta colour, and the bricks have an orange tone, we have decided on antique beige for the main house colour, and we will paint the garage doors a darkish gray. We will keep the window and door frames white, and we will paint the deck floor grey as well, to match the garage doors. We will begin to do more serious landscaping next year. Thanks again, so very much for your suggestions!

I love the exposed bricks, adds a lot of class and value to the property. This is a beautiful house!

This could be very easy. Paint the yellow areas a light gray, it goes great with the white trim and still goes great with the exposed brick. You can also paint the garage door the same gray since the white molding with separate it.

If you want to still with beige, make sure it is the right tone. Good luck.

Paint the garage doors the same as the house color. You don't want to make them the focal point.
Your front door should be the focal point. Lovely home by the way.

There r different types of hostas...they do well in the shade and fill in nicely. (I like variegated). Some grasses tolerate shade well and could add some height and texture to your landscape. Bleeding hearts, columbine can some color.

You can choose outdoor furniture then you have get more idea for home color,
http://www.theclassyhome.com/comersus_listOneCategory.asp?idCategory=977
Here is a wide range of color and size for patio and outdoor furniture just see and get more ideas for your home color thanks !!

Absolutely, paint garage doors same color as house.

I would go with a grayish Victorian blue color on the house....never paint brick......I would go with a burgundy front door....the trim can either be white or cream......

I like the sound of the burgundy door!

Thank you so much! I love your doodle! I will definitely think about getting flower boxes. The vast amount of shade we get really does affect what we are able to grow, but I think I will really start to plant soon. I think we are going to choose a gray shade for the house to modernise it a bit, but many people I know do like the yellow so we are a bit torn! Thanks again for taking the time to come up with some ideas, so very kind of you!

You are most welcome, Megilly. Heavy shade is a challenge to say the least so google deep shade plants for your area - hostas, ferns, solomon seal, sedges, hydrangeas, kerria japonica, lily of the valley, hellebores, etc. Think about thinning the trees out a bit for more light . Choosing a house color is not an easy thing. I hope you'll be happy with your choice. I went from gray to tan on my American Foursquare and was happy with the change.

Nice, the added walkway takes the focus off the garage and more the center of the house, definitely the balance it needs. Good job Sweet Caroline!

Please do not paint the brickwork. :-)

We have a terracotta roof and red brick chimney. After using a colour consultant we chose a neutral browny colour with white trim. The colour is dulux stonecrop (we're in Australia but you should be able to check it out online and find a colour match at your local paint shop if you liked it). It is quite a rich colour that really complements the warmth of the tiles and brick. If the stonecrop looks too dark for your house (we are in full sun rather than shade) then check out the next shade down which is called gnu tan. For a pop of colour we have a blue door.

Oops... Should say, dulux is the paint company (not sure you have them) and stonecrop is the colour. There are loads of online resources for shade-loving plants. The only thing I would say about hostas is they are meant to attract snails.

Yes, annmarie15, like humans slugs/snails love shade, especially moist shade. To prevent them from eating your plants you can save your eggshells, crush them and put them around your plants. They can't stand sharp edges. Diatomaceous Earth, a natural mineral which can be purchased at garden centers, will do the same .

We have to make our colour decision today, and we have gone from neutral brown with gray garage, and keeping the white trim, to a lighter gray with darker gray doors, to wondering if we should keep the yellow! The orangey roof, bricks and front door (which we don't plan to paint), we are finding a litle tough to match. But thanks again for all of you help! I will post an "after" pic!

You have such a cute house. I love it. :)

I would choose one of the lighter colours in the brick to paint the house and leave the trim white.

I know you haven't mentioned painting the brick, I hope that means you aren't planning to. Painting brick is very bad for it. The paint traps the moisture in the brick and causes it to crumble and crack.

The house is realy cute I like what some one did with adding color by landscape.

How about BM Somerville red or Currant Red? I would out in lots of hosta (try the variety that has both green and white in the leaf) almost as a border. Lilies will also do well in shade as do Bleeding Hearts. Joe Pye is another. I planted it this year and it is quite healthy. I'm in Zone 3, though, so I don't know if it will overwinter. Annabelle hydrangea can be beautiful with its white balls of flowers.

Annmarie, I have hosts and have never had snails.

Hi Megilly!

You have a spacious patio. I think, it would be appropriate to install a bench.

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