Is Exterior Paint better to use on steps or go with another Solid Stain?

Thank you. will a light color solid stain cover up any remaining old stain or should i try to get it off?

IMO the black shutters are too stark on the brick. Try a medium color - maybe a grayish green. The front door could be the same color. I think the stairs look good stripped, so don't stain them a dark color. I don't think you want to draw attention to them - they're very basic. I don't know why they didn't put a concrete porch and steps on this house when it was built. The wood stairs look insubstantial. That's probably why you had the initial instinct to paint them black. But you're right, the black doesn't work.

Black is too harsh; either match the mortar or the siding on the steps and shutters. Change the black mulch too. I would beef up the lamp; it should be 1/3 of the door's height. Seems they are both pretty skinny, so changing the lamp to a heftier size might help.

I'm drawn to these colors but not sure which to apply to doors, shutters, steps

I pulled up this photo. The brick is a little darker but similar to yours, I thought.

I like the idea of a green for your shutters and I wondered about painting both door and trim a dark color, maybe a dark purplish almost black. I think the column could be pulled from your chart, a warmer tone than your current white - maybe Swiss Coffee. Think about whether you'd like that same color for your railing and maybe a dark brown from your brick for the treads and risers.

Here's a screenshot of some greens that might work. This link will let you identify all the colors shown, if you want. I love your brick.

https://benjaminmoorefrance.com/en/colors/1560

I'd pick a dark blue for the shutters and a lighter version of the same color for the door. Paints are mixes of pigments. You can increase or decrease the white or black in the paint. If you have the same pigments in a lighter/darker shade, it works really well.

i think we'll lean towards blue/grey shutters, light blue grey door, light grey steps, white risers

I also looove Boothbay gray Ben Moore for the door not sure what to use for shutters