If I were house hunting, would the band or lack of a band alter my decision? Not at all. After several years and it was time to repaint would I tell the painter to just paint the band the same color as the walls? Absolutely. So I voted no band, it doesn’t serve a purpose and visually it’s just sort of there. But the real question is, do you really want exterior lights that high up?

No band and I too think the lighting will be kind of useless up there . Does that stone run all around the house or just in front ?

Stone is just in front.

Also trying to decide if we want light gray or dark gray siding on the sides and rear of the house.

I’d have all the siding the same color, and of those two choices I’d pick the darker grey. Unlimited choices and I’d go navy blue but you didn’t ask.

I'm surprised! When I saw the question, I assumed I would vote "no band," but when I compared both illustrations, I really liked the banded one better!

Thanks Rawketgr! I am liking the all Charcoal Gray. I think to mix it up we would use horizontal clapboard in the middle section with the door, the small section on the right side.

I like the image Rawketgrl posted. I don't think you need to "mix it up" with horizontal boards. It looks really nice the way it is in the image.

I prefer no band. It seems cut the house in half visually which makes it appear shorter IMO.

Of the three images, I like rawketgirl’s version the best, without bands (even though I voted for the band).