You don’t really need them.

IMO it looks lovely with no shutters and lets that window trim be the star

Love the window trim and agree with the above. No shutters needed.

I think period shutters would look fantastic on your home. (I'm biased having the original shutters on my 1852 home restored five years ago!) I like the idea of a grayish black like Farrow and Ball Railings. I think it would make the white and green really pop.

Have you looked at other homes in your area to see what some of the historic dogs looked like? Those in my neighborhood were mostly clusters of grapes. I think something like an S curve would look really nice with the carving around your windows.

I've noticed that no matter what the style of the house is, no one on Houzz ever likes shutters (maybe people feel that shutters are dated or not modern enough?). You could use a dark reddish brick colour for the shutters or a black, but I think light shutters would look nice with the Louisberg Green and the Dorset Gold. Maybe something like Lancaster Whitewash HC-174 or Natural Elements 1515.

All About Exterior Window Shutters - OldHouseGuy Blog

Jilly -I agree that window boxes are a must! And as far as the old shutters go they are covered in layers of lead paint so it might be more trouble than it’s worth!

Kendrah - I’ll have to check out some local houses! We live on a pretty shaded lot so I’m worried anything too dark will make the house appear really dark as well - the house sometimes looks grey instead of green as it is currently. 🤷‍♂️

Since the house is very old, and had shutters originally, I think, I would replace it with replica shutters as close to the original as you can get (wood ones). Yes, I would put the shutter dogs on them, and I see your existing ones have a latch, I would try to replicate that too. I would try to keep it as close to original as I could.

Is there any evidence of shutter pintles let into the window framing or brick adjacent to the windows?

I think dark red would be very nice.

I think many on Houzz are opposed to shutters because the majority of the time they are on slapped on to homes from the 1950s until now as silly decorative do dads that would never actually meet in the middle to cover a window and just look silly and dinky. Your house is an entirely different situation. I presume new shutters will cost less than restoration. Either way, it is not an inexpensive endeavor.

I love that color. I think your house looks nice with shutters. How about raised panel ones? Newbeuryport Blue would look great. I love the idea of Dorset Gold on the door. Same as mine!

Houssaon! You are the reason we went with the Louisberg green in the first place! I’m giving that shade of blue a hard look!

I would consider shutters for only the bottom windows.

Have you seen photos of what the house would look like with all of the original shutters? Are there holes on the sides where the dogs would have been?

I know the bottom floor all had shutters and we do have some original dogs as well. The top floor is a little harder to tell just due to the amount of times the house has been painted/window AC unit brackets being damaged, and some wood rot issues as well.

This is a great house for shutters, especially since you know it had them. Due to the age of the house the louvered one you show is likely original and would have been on both floors. Shutters during this era were actually used for light control… Shutters are expensive- buy stainless steel hardware not the stamped steel and if you can stomach it look at Atlantic shutters- they are solid synthetic shutters with an amazing warranty that are approved in many historic districts. You can’t tell they aren’t wood except they cost several times as much but when you figure in one repaint they’ve paid for themselves.

I'd go with no shutters or a really dark green. To get one that goes with Louisberg green, look at the recipe (all colors are made with a mix of pigments) and pick a dark green with many of the same ingredients (for example, there may be different blacks).

I would not do window boxes. They are very hard to keep looking nice. Take it from me, I'm a gardner. I would do foundation shrubs. Pull the bed out so that you can put something in front of the gas meter or whatever that thing is.

I agree that landscaping will do a lot to help “ground” the house (and cover the meter). Full front and side gardens, with azaleas, rhododendrons, hydrangeas and other foundation bushes will change how this house looks.

Window boxes leak and ruin the siding of any house, so nix that idea.

It looks like the original shutters were quite narrow, which matches the windows. Have you researched colors that complement your exterior? I do like the deep blackish greens but you need to paint narrow pieces of wood and have someone hold them up against the house so you can photograph them. That’s the only way to “see” possible colors so you don’t buy new ones, paint them and then hate how they look.

Soft black might also work. Deep gray?

Here are other historic houses in Louisberg green.
This is not the same style as your house, but notice the window trim and overall use of cream. This is listed as having Louisberg Green on the main part of the house.

Two more examples.The second one is grayer than your house.

Thanks for all of your input everyone! It is a lot to consider!