My initial thoughts were maybe cedar shingles, but that may not be the look you are after. They are easy to put up, no fuss, can be sealed easily and last 30 years if you go with the weathered look.

If you are bent on a vertical only look, I would just use pine boards, but do the battens the right way, nailed between the verticals so that they move and contract properly. If you look it up, there is a proper way, and then they typical way to install that siding that is kind of wrong. Easier to do, but wrong.

If you want useful help regarding exterior materials post some photos and tell us the climate.

Azek sheet and the boards ripped for the batons.

Thanks! Good considerations for us. Option 2 is just keep the vinyl.

@millworkman Azek seems pretty awesome. I like buying hard to recycle materials.

@Travis Johnson I will research your installation suggestions. Thank you. I like cedar shake a lot but I think it would look a little random (we have a busy farm with more buildings in more colors than ideal). We chose a vertical white for simplicity- it repeats the soffits and trim color/patterns.

@res2architect The climate is Wisconsin, north-facing (I did include this). We're just looking for siding material suggestion; not really all the things you think we should change in this photo, so please don't get too carried away: https://www.houzz.com/discussions/6286459/ugly-house-fix-front-door-awning

" @millworkman what do you like about Azek? "

Inert material, will not decay, not effected by moisture. Paints easily and looks great after painting.

@millworkman Great. They do make a board and a couple sizes of batten- any reason you don't suggest this?

Not completely up to the moment on their product offering's. If they have that roll with it, easier than having to cut the products then.

I would leave the siding, the same vinyl that it is. There is no need to change it. If you had put a whole front porch, across the front, then, I could see changing it, but, since you did just an awning type over the front door, then, leave the siding, so the house is cohesive.