Try to compliment the colors of the stone with natural rustic colors. I would do the awnings a terra cotta/rust color & the main house a golden/brownish yellow. Then I would get rid of the screen door on the front entry & either replace the front door with a beautifully stained wood door or paint the existing door a terra cotta color that is darker than what you choose for the awnings.

What a cool house! Have you thought of removing the awnings and adding a more streamlined decorative shutter? Also, adding simple window planters beneath the windows could be a great way to add color, curb appeal, brighten, and update the front of your home. You could also paint the window trim and window planters in a lighter contrasting color (white/ivory/warm white), and the shutters/doors in a darker earth tone. You can receive many suggestions/options for colors, but what colors are you drawn to?

When I came across this post, I immediately thought of the Oak Road Residence by Dillon Kyle Architecture. Take a look at the color scheme, you might like it!

http://www.dkarc.com/wordpress/portfolio/oak-road/?utm_content=buffer5a85a&utm_source=buffer&utm_medium=twitter&utm_campaign=Buffer

Let me know what you think!

You mentioned that you'd like to make it more modern and fun. How modern do you wanna go and how much do you wanna change? I think the first thing you should do is, get rid of the awnings and find a different more modern solution for those, maybe some shutters in a bright colour on a track that you can move. Change the railing, paint the house bright white and add some modern accessories to it (big planters that lead to the entrance, lamps, mailbox, house-numbers).

A great discussion, yea! Admittedly, I was focused on the OP's desire to keep the awnings. More streamlined ones would be the best, but sometimes we can only afford paint for our design dilemmas!

So.....usual choices for the awnings would be 1) paint house color, 2) paint accent color. As I was looking at the photo, you can clearly see a stripe pattern on the awnings formed by the light and shadow. That's going to be there no matter what color they are. I thought, what if you went with that, but made it slightly more obvious. (Thus PALE grey/cream.) Wasn't necessarily going for the "circus tent" idea (how funny!) but to try something different, like on the side awning, and see.

Maguire, sorry, don't have a photo of the artist's home I mentioned. It's a small, single story house and the awnings do look like your picture. I think it does take an artist-owner to be that brave! :)

If the house is white stucco, I'd leave it that color but paint the garage door to match. Stucco ages nicely and I think you have a metal roof and that also looks nice as is. I DO LOVE the black and white fabric awnings. The metal awnings probably are dating the house more than any other thing. I'd get rid of the wooden plant holder and try to get the shrubbery around the front a bit more sophisticated with hydrangea, Soften the harsh edges of the house by planing a Japanese Maple or a Magnolia. ( leave plenty of room because they will bush out unless you trim them back.. but I think a lush bed across the front is a great idea. Also, can you replace that light fixture near the driveway? If you don't like the stripe with the all white.. You can do even more white and add those or a black. I'd paint it all the stucco color.

Grey is actually a very modern color but a paint color to bring out your lovely rock front would be a dark color on the house like a great cranberry or even a stark white color and add lots of green pots of plants on the stairs and can paint the stripes in the window coverings the green that match the pots. Either one would be beautiful.

Here in San Francisco we love our candy colored hillsides. Just didn't think it was popular in a bucolic countryside. I'll bet it would be adorable especially for someone with the name "bekindandlove" on Houzz. Love it just really wish I could find the right photo.

Maguire! You live in San Fran??!! We went there for our 25th wedding anniversary and fell in love with the place!!!! It was perfect in every way! LUCKY!!!!

Ah.. I'm in Kentucky.... so I get the difference in style.. It's very traditional here... for the most part. Those photos have caused me to think I don't know anything about what would look good in S.F.

I've been here 6 years now (from the San Joaquin Valley). It's an exciting little town. Two of my daughters live here too, we have all turned into "foodies". Love the restaurants (and the wine!). Let me know if you ever want to come back!

Hi Hurst, I didn't mean to highjack this thread. This home is not in San Francisco. I don't know where it is. May not be in USA.

Ah, the wine! We brought back lots of bottles!!! And the seafood.........I am hungry now!!!

Maguire - not a problem.. I just look at houses the way "Hurst" would want hers to look...I don't like a lot of color on the outside. Maybe paint the front door a bright color.. Also I agree, the entrance would be nice if it was a front on walk up and not over to the side but a construction project that would be!!! As opposed to a lot of people, I don't care for the stone. The lighting fixtures really need to be changed out. I think I've added my 2 cents already!!!

Wow, you are all so amazing! Thank you for taking the time to offer suggestions...all the details you've offered and the links you've shared...wow, just so touched that you are sharing your time! I honestly didn't expect this!

I will offer some more information about myself to help give an idea of what we might like. We are in our early 30's, earth loving, easy going folks. We love our WV home, the people, the music and the mountains. I love authentic rustic country charm...flowers in mason jars, diy pallet projects and the like. The home was built in 1952, semi-rural with about an acre of green. There is a giant oak tree just to the left of where this pic was taken from and a stone wall along the front and back yard. I'll try to add a photo this evening of the wider scale. To give you a feel for the area, there is a horse and 2 donkeys across the street and a rooster calling on the hill. Country, but not too far out. I had originally stated fun and modern, but I'm not sure I used the correct adjectives. In saying that, some suggestions probably just won't work where I am (no matter how cute they are :) !! In testing out some of the color suggestions, I am drawn to the more earthy, rustic tones...the craziest I may get would be an accent color, painting the door or something. I had considered a sage color, with cream and reddish accents colors, but fiancé feels that would be too much green with our setting. I'm digging the camel color scheme, as well as playing with various grey and cream or white tones. A few have mentioned funding, and to be honest, the budget is tight right now, so major restructuring is out for now. But we are Diy'ers and have actually talked about boxing in the porch posts with wood (painted or stained?) and redoing the path ourselves. We do love the stonework, and like I said, the stone is used all around the property. So that we will keep. Also, I love the doors, they have a lot of character...that retro character that I love :) Our biggest challenge right now is deciding on color...this is our first home, so these decisions are big for us!

I have written down all of your suggestions so far and it has really helped me figure out more what I'm looking for. It seems a common theme is to lose the awnings if I want to modernize the home. That is a possibility...while I love the ability to open windows in the rain and the shade it provides in the summer, the look is admittedly outdated. I was hoping to make it that retro cool thing again in a charming sort of way, I'm just not sure how to do that. I may still try painting one a charcoal grey in line with the roof color to see how it looks and try to picture the porches with pillars. We are going to take an awning off this evening to see how much damage it may cause to the walls and go from there. I do like the idea of planter boxes under the windows. And possibly shutters...it just seems that's what every house has these days though, so not sure about that. Also, I misspoke before, there aren't really eaves, it was the gable I was referring to. Learn something new every day :)

Again, thank you all so much for sharing! I'm new to this site, and you have made me feel very welcome :) I'll be sure to post photos of the progress! Much love!

Hi Bekindandlove!

I've been working on and offf alll day, and you have received MANY comments since I started!

Your house is lovely, and I enjoyed the working on the design.

It was an interesting challenge with the requirements of the roof staying, and your desire to keep the awnings, if possible. (They are practical, and expensive to replace!)

To modernize, and highlight the beautiful stone was a bit difficult. Incorporating the whitte awnings, with what looks like a maroon stripe, modernizing and highlighting the stone, required almost opposite coloring.

Highlighting the stone to its best required rich colors. But if I used a color that was too rich (darker), it made the awnings and roof look amemic. If I played the color down, (lighter) it seemed to do nothing for the stone, or the design as a whole. So, even though it is close to the same tone as the stone, the warm beige somehow brings the stone out.

I tried numerous color combinations, and what sometimes happens, is a combination I wouldn't thiink would be the best, actuallly looked better .
Repeating the white (and light grey) leaving the door white, and the garage door, along with the grey roof, and the awninngs, is actuallly pleasing, and allows the eye to easily move around the design.

I think what made the biggest difference in the design, was beefing up the porch and stairs, and continuing the stone design on the front of the house.

I tried the opposite combination of what I thought would highlight the stone, trying different shades of grey and taupe for the maiin color, but it looked too harsh against the grey roof and white awnings, and really needed the warmth of the beige

I think highlighting the stone was a very good idea. It is such a lovely feature, and gives your home a substantial and important feel.

Thank you for being gracious enough to allow our opinions and critiques!

Great rendering, smdrovetto!

bekindandlove: Now that you've mentioned rustic, you may be in for even more comments!

Since you mentioned taking off an awning, and being DIYers....I wonder if you might take a look at reusing the awning frame, and putting a different treatment on it yourselves? Am not sure if those even have a standalone frame to salvage, BUT, it seems if there is a frame you could possibly reuse it and do a colored canvas cover. Home Depot and Lowes sell just plain canvas replacement awning covers. If you can sew, it may be not such a tough project to do yourself.

Or, you could look at building simple awnings yourselves. There are written and video tutorials all over the place on the web. I'd suggest simple overhanging ones using reclaimed barn wood, but that would just be the crazy Oregonian in me! :) :) :)

I wonder if you're DIYers can you fabricate awnings using the same hardware as a foundation with your roof material? If you like the awnings and their function, you should absolutely keep them!!!!
Paint them silver or bronze and work with them.
Your home has so many wonderful architectural details, the stone wall, the covered porch, the millwork at the gable, the pop out trim around the windows. I wouldn't add shutters, you don't need them and they were never something that was on the house. Keep it what it is.
I might think about changing out the one window over the garage, something with muntins to match the other window or a diamond pattern, something with more interest. I also recommend painting the garage door the same color you decide on for the body of your home.
I just had to add the second picture, it's a new home with a rustic look. I have no idea how they aged the awning but isn't it lovely?! Maybe if you sand the paint off yours!
Take your time and enjoy the process, half the fun is the deciding. Don't get in over your head either, that takes all the fun out of it. You're lucky to be in an adorable charmer, no rush to do a thing. Thanks for sharing with us!

Thank you, nwduck! What a nice compliment! I'm a NW girl, too! Just a little farther north! :)

Here's another updated color combo that would be pretty with your stone and roof.

You mentioned wanting things to look more modern and less drab, and shared that you also have an affinity for the natural world. Your stone could easily launch you into colors which would give you both sensibilities. If you paint your front door a caramel or tawny orange, such as Benjamin Moore 2157-30 butterscotch, or 2158-20 venetian gold, to bring out the brighter stone colors, you then could bring out the grays in the main part of the house. That way, the gray would pull colors out of the stone, but the stone and the front door are what draw your eye to it first. Gray is a modern choice, but also very natural. And the tawny door won't be a traditional red, black, or green front door, but still works with the stone.

You will need to bring some gray paint chips to the stone, and see if the gray parts in the stone are more green - gray, or blue-gray, or red gray. Try these grays to compare: all Benjamin Moore - 2108-50 stone house (a purple based gray, but neutral - it has both reds and blues beneath it), 2137-50 sea haze (a green -gray), and 2124-40 thundercloud gray (leans toward blue), or AC-32 pismo dunes (a brown - gray) . AC-30 winter gates might be worth checking out as well. Whichever one works better can lead you to adjacent colors which also might be worth considering.

Benjamin Moore's AC colors, or America's Colors, are taken from the landscape, so you often will find colors which work with a natural color scheme in that group. Painting your house to be more connected to the beautiful landscape is always a good choice. We see contrast before color, so make sure the front door stands out.

Do at the same time think about the interior colors. The front door should lead you to colors on the interior in some way - whether in artwork in an entry area, or an accent wall, or a piece of upholstery or a rug.

Painting the exterior walls gray, however, will cause you to lose the railing visually, so you may wish to paint the railing black, like your lamp post. That will give you some geometry leading up to the door.

I would make the awning color determination after you select the walls and front door.

As for your deer, they won't eat daffodils or peonies (peonies need ants to take the coating off their buds so they can bloom, and deer don't want a mouthfull of ants), and they don't like plants with fuzzy leaves, like lamb's ear, yarrow, Lychnis, and others with prickley or fuzzy leaves. You may find someone who has perennials which are deer resistant, who may be willing to give you some cuttings, or share in exchange for some weeding labor or other help.

Avoid tulips, hosta, and day lillies, which are a lunch salad bar for deer...

Here's my list of suggestions:
1. Paint the entire house including the "a" the same color.
2. Certainly there are updated versions of awnings. You'll find some you love. Think wood...
3. Match the chimney to the front stone.
4. Update the porch railings to match the wood of the awnings.
5. Landscaping.
6. Update lighting.
Cute house... Tons of potential!!

Forgot to post inspiration photo.
http://houzz.com/photos/117046

Love it that you've got all that property - I'm in Kentucky and appreciate the green space. Might be in the conversation, but is this a standing seam metal roof? If so, what color is it? If it's all a DIY, I'd leave painting the entire house till last after you've tried to paint the awnings you have. Spend as little money as possible. You've got lots of room to start plants and small trees for your landscaping. I'd shop for new light fixtures. Your inspiration photo is lovely. If I was going to keep it simple, I'd paint the peak the color of the house - garage door and try to paint the awnings yourself. Maybe look at matching the color in the metal roof to keep it simple. Then, you sort of have a clean slate. I wouldn't choose colors just to simply match your stone.

Since there's lots of stone besides that on the front, it seems like going Craftsman with a warm earthy camel color would be a good fit for updating the home like smdrovetto's pic. Perhaps wooden trellises could replace the current awnings and provide some architectural interest.

Paint the house a little deeper shade putty color. Paint trim, doors and awnings a dark gray/graphite. Put out terra-cotta clay potted plants, new modern light fixtures. And if possible switch out the railing for wood and paint dark gray as well. I think that would make your house look more current and really make the stone stand out. Here's an example...
http://houzz.com/photos/3640407

smdrovetto
Please tell me what app or software you use to try ideas & draw on photos?
Thank you!

Hi Hihohousehunter!

I'm sorry this took so long! I just happened to come back and see if there was any more activity on this thread!
It's called paintbrush. You can download it for free. It's the same program that comes with Microsoft, so if you have MS Office, you probably have it. I have a Mac now, which I can't stand, and it doesn't really have any photoshop program.

I actually think it's called "Paint" in MS. I'm trying to remember where you find it. I think its part of their photo library and where you adjust photos. my email is smdrovetto@yahoo.com if you need any help using it.
smd

An update:

While taking off the awnings to paint, we decided to leave them off! It has updated and brightened the home...and now that Fall is upon us, I can live with the warmth :) We did leave the awnings over the porches, however, and will be painting them as close to the roof color as Sherwin Williams can match. I had stated the roof was grey before, but it seems to change between brown and grey so much with the light, that it's hard to say what color it is exactly. So I'll say taupe greige :)

I have been trying various colors in greys and tans. I'm leaning toward a color called Oxford Tan from Valspar (again, going to have SW match...40% off though tomorrow!) with an Antique White (tried one from Behr that worked well with the tan...I think!). They are both in the yellow neutral family. I can't decide if I should do tan body with off white trim or vice versa. The house is stucco finish. And also, some suggested the gable and garage door match the body color...does that work for any color scheme? Should I tie more accent in with a couple stripes on the gable? I've attached a couple of photos of my home and the inspiration I'm leaning toward. Thank you for any further insight!

Inspiration

This dark gray house has the window frame and muntins painted in the same color as the stripe in your awning. Then a wow front door?

Just painting the awnings a single solid color will be a big improvement (the strip is very dating; awnings per se, not so much). You need the shade so pulling off awnings is not an option!

Oh wait, you just did. Any chance you could make it so they can be slipped on and off seasonally? While you wait for a deciduous tree to grow for shade?

If you want to update the look the awnings really need to go. They really date the house more than anything else.

If it were my house I would ditch the awnings, replace the windows and change the plywood paneling in the gable of your roof.

A bit of paint, new windows, replace material on gable (I personally would probably go with a hardie shake), and update the hand rails along the porch and then it will look like a completely different house.

Also, try painting a trim color around your windows, etc. it will bring the house out more.

I personally like the metal roof...................

Hi bekindandlove!

I have some disability when it comes to user names. I didn't get right away what yours says. Very nice.
One gentleman that commented a lot in discussions was: retiredecorator, and of course I read it as retired dictator..................

I think removing the awnings is a big improvement already. If the awnings were a bronze they would look fine, but the white wtih the maroon stripe, was quite distracting.

You haven't mentioned what, if anything you have decided about the porch.

Your house is really nice, and looks well kept up, and noticing the stone work around the property, really calls for the stone to be an important element of your design, especially when it comes to updating.

I think the two most dating elements in your design were the color of the awnings, and the delicate, white metal porch and stair railings. The delicate scale, and fret work, really work against the stone being the feature that it should be, and I still think continuing it, is needed for balance, and continuity.

And beefing up the porch and railings would connect the stone to the house in a way that would also make that architectural detail stand out, and make it a complete design. I think the stone needs a more substantial look to make it look balanced and modern.

I know the south is conservative, but I think beige and cream in the same tones will not modernize your home as much. I think the darker color should definitely be the sideing, since cream would be too bland against the stone work, I think.

Also, working with color, if you use two neutral warm tones, like beige and cream, it can be rather boring to the eye. If you used a grey, with a cooler (not COLD) but a bit of cool undertones, it makes the warmth of the beige look so much richer. Make sure you decide on an awning color before you do the painting, because they are very visible, and an important element of the design. Having the trim and awnings accenting each other would look very nice. But if you use beige, and cream, and silver, I think it would be so neutral looking that it would not do justice to your lovely home.

Hey, did you notice my name? "I play tennis" :>)

Love the inspiration house you found and think those colors would work well on your house. What makes that color scheme work is the contrast between the siding and the trim - something to keep in mind with your house as well.

The roof is much darker than the siding on the inspiration house. Can you find a color chip that's close to your metal roof color (which you plan to paint on the awnings) and use this "roof" chip when choosing your siding color?

I looked up Valspar Oxford Tan online and wonder if your stone work will just blend into it too much? Online colors aren't super reliable, I know, so maybe it will be great. How does it look with your metal roof?

I like how the inspiration house painted the garage and garage trim to tie in with the rest of the house and know you're thinking of doing that as well. You really found a good "inspiration" piece!

The front door on the inspiration house is probably hardwood, but you can make a nice statement by painting your front door a contrasting color, possibly a dark red, rusty orange, or woodsy green.

Railings and light fixtures, etc. are things to consider in the future, but for now, the paint colors are most important. You're on the right track. Good luck!

DARN! I wish you would have made me figure it out, iplay10s :) I want to learn to play tennis! I LOVE to watch it! Went to US OPEN in 2001. Was fantastic, except for tragedy the next day.
Goal is to go to Wimbeldon, someday :)

Sorry for digressing on your thread, Bekind!

Looks so much better w/awnings removed, updates it instantly. You're heading in the right direction, cute house.

Keeping the paint in the same color family as the stonework will unify things. It maybe something to do later but replacing the porch awning a gable like your inspiration photo would look great. You might could recycle all those window awnings into gable roofing, but matching the metal roof ( and its pitch)would be best. I'd move the barrel planter next to the lamppost and grow a flowering vine up the post but Morning glories may not be deer proof.

Just look at the difference in this house with the awnings removed and a bit of paint

Wow, just taking off a few awnings really made a big difference. Painting the ones you've left your roof color is an excellent idea! Looking at the inspiration house, they have put the darker color on the body, and light on the trim and gable. I'd go for that. Since you have a kind of "drive down" garage, I'd paint that the house body color without any embellishment...almost treat it like part of the foundation. Then your eye would just naturally go to the front entry. In that inspiration picture, I wonder if they didn't use a third color on the trim along the roof. It looks darker than the house body color by a couple of shades.

Since someone mentioned the railing ironwork, I understand it is possible for a DIYer to use a metal cutting sawblade to take out the "fancy bits", sand at the spot they were previously welded and then spraypaint. That would leave you with a simple rail until you might want to re-do the railing and porch cover.

Here is your house done in your colors that I took off the internet, and I have to say, I like it. It has a freshness that's very nice.

I think a bronze colored awning would look great. Silver would REALLY be bland, and they don't have to match the roof.

That's a really nice looking roof, by the way.

I WOULD love to see some color in a new front door?

I'm excited to see how it looks. Like I said, don't pay any attention to me! :)

Hi, a natural rustic look sound like a great idea. And al the colour suggestions are lovely. I just want to throw an idea into the mix. Given you like rustic things, perhaps you could use recycled timber for some replacement awnings? I was going to suggest maybe building an open pergola style awning and growing a deciduous vine over it. That way you get the sun in in winter, and the shade in summer. its natural and if you choose a nice climber that has autumn/fall colour it will be a real feature.
Otherwise maybe you could make up some awnings using recycled doors or windows. I would also build a new railing and stair out if dark stained heavy timber. I would stain. paint the window frames a warm timber shade, and paint the roof a terracotta colour.
This is a picture of the sort of frame I had in mind for the deciduous vine awnings.

here are some great pictures of modern timber awnings.

Here is a lovely rustic style one

And here is the kind of vine I would imagine growing on your awning.

Painting the garage door the same color as the body of the house and your millwork at the gable the same color as your trim (exactly the way your inspiration picture shows) will be perfect on your home. It really is looking better already.

I would suggest you keep the house white. You could choose a peach shade from the stone and use this color on the pediment that is brown. Then, you also could paint the door and the porch ceiling a variation of this peach color. You also might paint the window and door trim a very pale silver grey to harmonize with the grey roof and the grey stripes on the awnings.

Two year old post