I would remove shutters and do no window grids for a cleaner, more modern look.

I agree the shutters should go, but I think the grids go with the style of the house.

Ditto. Remove shutters and decorative details on garage door. Add a more modern planter - metal urn, resin that looks like concrete, your choice. It will make it look less cottagey. I think it has lovely structure, colour looks lovely.

No window grids will give you a more unobstructed view. Don't really see that the style of your house need grids anyway.

Yes to white (or bronze, etc — depends on what paint you decide) and keeping grids, and yes to going in a more rustic cottage direction than anything modern. Nice house, very pretty stone.

Get a better picture, and closer, please.

Does this help? We obviously still have some landscaping and other work too 😆

I’m picturing window planters in front of the two on the right. I have them at every house I live in.

Wood or iron, and come in so many different styles. One long one, or two separate.

When landscaping, think about enlarging the beds and adding other decor besides plants for an inviting entry — bird bath, cool old chair or bench, boulder, etc.

To me, your house has a European cottage style look with the different materials and that’s what I’d play up.

But I’m always swimming against the modern, minimal tide here. ;)

Your paint selection, removing the shutters, and landscaping will change everything about the look of the house. Without shutters, I think it will make more sense to have windows without grids. Are there other homes on your street that look like yours and have paint finish that you like? What do you notice about grids or not on those homes?

I like the idea of iron window boxes. Or a bird bath. I’m more into traditional cozy decor, lots of flowering plants, and my husband likes modern so we are trying to marry the two in this house. We’ve done the interior in a agreeable grey with white cabinets. Floors are dark brown still. We’ve updated the fireplace to floor to ceiling in large black blue slate with a rustic honey wood mantle. More industrial lighting with copper. Lots of neutral textures.

For the exterior I’m planning on removing the shutters because they are too small. I’m open to replacing them down the road if the house seems like it needs them. I think we have a lot of options to go as far as the neighborhood vibe, only the neighbor across from us has updated their windows to grid less white. The rest of us still have gridded Grey windows. And only two houses in the neighborhood have updated paint and both picked white and kept the stucco.

Window boxes require work, so unless you really like gardening I wouldn't add them.

All landscaping requires work. I don’t find them any more difficult than potted plants — actually easier than my small pots. And mine is in full Texas sun.

They also have a certain charm even when empty (in the right setting).

IMO the home is no particular architectural style but if you want a bit more modern look remove the shutters do not do window boxes and no grids in the windows. I would go bronze windows and a the dark color from the stone for the siding and bronze for the trim The garage door painted the same as the siding .

In your experience is bronze inside and outside best or bronze exterior and white interior? I’ve seen a similar look to what you’re describing trending in mountain homes and have been wondering if our house could shine with that. We’re in the Wasatch foothills.

No window grids

As much as I’m in favor of efficient windows, I really dislike the faux grids, even on some of the better quality wood windows, they just look fake to me. Embrace a more updated look and leave the grids to more historic homes. I like the blue shutters on the bottom window but not the upper one. Do you have budget for a new garage door? One with more character and less generic looking? I think a gray that is in the stone would be nice for the house. You have lots of colors going on currently. Streamlining the color scheme might unify the appearance.