I think some landscape would really spruce up the outside. Some big rocks, maybe some mulch? What about a fire pit or a chimnea ? (Spelling) How about a really neat hammock or seat from trees? What is the spending limit? Can you pull in some natural rocks from lake?

If you have private dock for lake maybe a chair over the lake??

Maybe through a piece of stained glass in the big window?

Add window boxes to the deck railing but face them toward your home. When you look outside, you see all the pretty flowers.

Thanks for the suggestions! I think landscaping to "settle" the cottage into the lot is definitely needed and we do have a variety of rocks near the shoreline....thanks kilderrym and pperretti. I was just thinking about what to do with a simple little box of a house and not really considering the surrounding environment.

Also, I have looked and looked at those shutters judyg and know they are too small but was afraid to take anything away from what is such an unassuming cottage exterior.

I rather like the soft green siding as it blends in with the grass and trees. If we found a similar green paint would you paint the trim white (it is painted a cream color now)? We will probably replace the door as it is old and not functional. We are keeping the double hung windows and are replacing screens as we speak.

I am already thinking differently....thanks for giving me new perspective.

Where would you position the pergola River City?? And wood shakes would add character but am not sure where they would be applied? My only idea for the gabled area was a new light fixture similar to the sconces used on barns in the area.

Another "country" fixture in the area are cupolas. Obviously, I don't want to do it all...just enough changes to add character and not try to be something we are not!!!!

Sorry, I have referred to you as River City (a knickname for our city home location). I really appreciate your suggestions as they reinforce things that I have considered. The picture doesn't show the left side of the cottage well but the building seems so "unbalanced" to me as the large part of the deck is in front of the living room window and there is only a little decking on the left side...what about a pergola positioned over that window? But that would mean increasing the size of the deck, etc.

Lake cottages can be "money pits" as we have discovered. We have put more into the interior than we will ever realize from a future sale but it was as much for our enjoyment as an investment. Now we need to give some personality to the exterior or no one will ever want to walk indoors!

Paint is definitely doable and I like the idea of contrast as you mentioned and judyg suggested. Also am enamored with the idea of some shingle trim on the gable. Will this be too much going on?

And pperetti's idea of window boxes might be attached to the smaller window to weight that side of the building??

I really appreciate all of the input...the wheels are turning!

I really like the existing color. I agree with removing the shutters. Paint all the trim on the house with a pop of color. Something like the burgundy on your door would look great.

That is the direction I am going at this point linlac. However, I do not like the color burgundy or the door! So when that door is replaced I am not sure whether to paint trim another shade of green? or something more dramatic like a shade of blue/green??

Wish we lived closer. We live in California!

You could do the trim in a deeper green or a bright white and add a pop of color to the door. Or like you mentioned drama maybe with a teal. You may want to play around with samples. I think you will love the updated look without the shutters.

I am excited to get started! Yes, I will get color samples and explore what looks good. I am so glad a number of Houzzers recommended taking the shutters off because I would have left them on even knowing they weren't quite right.

Will post a picture in the Fall when we return to the lake to begin changing our image!

Appreciate all of the input and if anyone else wants to put in their two-cents it will be considered.

That is the big question. I don't know what will work so I guess it is getting some of those tiny little paint color samples and trying to get a read on it. Then pick what I think is a decent combo and buying some small sample paints.

I still can't get the shingle application out of my head! Would you cover the whole gabled area to the top of the window frames? And then if wood shingles are added to the picture maybe I wouldn't introduce another color and would paint the window frames a darker shade of green.

Don't forget to add some new lighting;)

How about something like this.

Margo C. I have found some antique barn sconces at Restoration Hardware which interest me and will check out the one you have pictured.

Wow Linlac, that is a beautiful combo. Now I have to encourage my husband to paint the deck a shade of gray. As you enter the house I have used some gray to cover one wall that is not knotty pine and the painted plywood...yes, plywood floor is the color of cement.

River Valley what I meant to say was to the top of the window frame...how about gray shingles???

Linlac where did you get the house image. I would like to print it out to match paint colors.

Use cedar shingles or siding as shown in Linlac picture, don't paint it.

Found it in Houzz under exteriors. Type in green siding teal trim.

Maquire do you mean replace all the house siding with shingles?

Wouldn't that be lovely, but expensive! I was just thinking about the area under the hip in the roof as shown in the picture Linlac posted. Any detail there would bring more interest. Or something a little smaller than the beams shown in the second picture or just a cream colored band trim running from the end of the roof on the left across the front of the house to the right as shown between the floors in the third pic. Just adding the band will be an improvement.

You could add shingles about the band for interest. Initially the cedar looks a bit orange but resist the temptation to paint them. They age into a beautiful grey patina that would look handsome with your sage and cream.

The forth picture I included because it's an exaggerated image of the look. It's got stone too - too much for your place and almost too much this home, but the siding, cream band of trim and cedar shingles on top. So pretty, then if you wanted to bring stone in, bring it in your landscaping. Staining your deck a less red is a good idea.




https://www.houzz.com/photos/2001-showcase-traditional-exterior-new-york-phvw-vp~70368

I think that's what River Valley was suggesting.

I wasn't sure what River Valley meant about moving the window to the left, as it doesn't look as though there's room to do that, but yes he mentioned running shingles down to the "base of the triangle".

I think any detail under the hip of the roof and not necessarily down that far would look great. Even shingles down to just under the light fixture and a broad trim piece. I don't think I'd go white, I'd go to more of a deeper cream for the trim, similar to the last photo above.

Maquire I think a band painted the color of the trim above the windows would be a good transition to the shingled gable. The budget could handle that. How long does it take for the shingles to weather???

I have been thinking how to add rocks to the landscape to tie it all together. Don't like the shallow end of the deck from a design perspective but not interested in extending the deck right now as we will probably have to replace the deck within a few years. Maybe adding a 'stone" extension to the front of the deck in front of the shallow end of the deck? We have lots of stone on property and gathered a lot together to face a pedestal on which our propane fireplace sits in the cottage I love the grays, greens, beiges of all those stones but would probably have to purchase flat stones for this purpose.

Great idea! You could make stone supports for columns on a portico over the front door, ILO the banding.....



I imagine that once you get started the place will keep transforming and come into it's own. I just hope you can relax when you get there and not feel like you have to work!

Maquire when we are at the lake all work is fun. I had to look back at my picture and noticed there is a vent at the very top of the gable. Wonder if we can cover that up with shingles and maybe add another vent somewhere else?

I'd leave the vent. Hate to mess with attic ventilation and so easy to work around. If you're used to working in the Sacramento summers I'll bet it's paradise there. I spent 25 years raising kids in Folsom, I love the valley, but don't miss the heat. You have the perfect set up with a lovely place to cool off. Brilliant!
Keep us posted on the progress.

Will definitely let you know how we do with all of the wonderful ideas on improvements. Yeah, our retirement plan is working pretty well thus far. Thanks to everyone of you for your input...this has been an amazing experience for me.