Our siding is in bad shape and needs to be replaced. We have never liked the color combination of the exterior of our home and would like to use this opportunity to update our home.

I’m thinking of ditching the shutters, adding a darker siding color, new gutters, fascia, soffit. The roof is in decent shape and will likely stay. I’m not sure what to do with the brick which is painted red.

I hope you get lots of great responses. I look forward to reading them and maybe seeing what you do.
One thing I've noticed in all the on-line advice articles for updating ranch homes is to jazz up the entry considerably by breaking up the roof line there with a gable coming out towards you. The two benefits are to break up the roof line and to create a better entry. Along with that goes a wider approach/walkway from the driveway side and some dramatic lighting. Some contrasting siding and trim for the entry is helpful to break up the long horizontal line the home currently has.

I love the conversions in this article. https://www.bhg.com/home-improvement/exteriors/curb-appeal/before-and-after-home-exteriors/

Look especially at 57 to 58. WOW!

Also consider if you want to add a second story anywhere. I see a lot of that near where I work. I'd be afraid to do this without an architect and trusted contractor. I have both right now, but I had to kiss a couple frogs to find the contractor.

You are starting with a lovely home that appears well-maintained. Your lawn is in great shape, and there are no overgrown shrubs or trees to deal with.

So updates will be primarily about appearances? Do you have any specific properties you admire, or any specific style you like? Maybe use the exterior photo section here, and scroll through 1 story homes with mixed siding? Style - how would you describe your overall style - inside and/or desired outside?

I have a couple of questions which might help define where you are heading:

1. Budget- how much money is available, minimum to maximum for this project? Are you talking about a couple thousand dollar refresh, or many tens of thousands including new roof, doors, windows, siding etc.

2. DIY - are you able/willing to do DIY work, and what sorts? This can reduce costs considerably, and allow you to direct more money to supplies and skilled labor where necessary.

2. Roof - will your roof be replaced, or how long until it needs to be replaced? This is a big feature and will influence your possible color palette.

3. Garage door - will your garage door be painted/replaced? This is also a big feature, and I think changing the large white rectangle to a more harmonious color will have a positive impact. Some garage doors have windows that can be replaced, is that possible for yours?

4. Front door - It's a little hard to see the front door, but it looks like a etched or leaded glass or victorian style? Front door also drives style decisions. If you are keeping can you show a clearer picture?

5. White fence - assuming the white fence will remain as is, so that also needs to be considered with color choices.

6. Shutters - shutters/no shutters is a design choice it's good to make up front. The two double windows under the porch roof don't "need" shutters, and I'd probably remove at least those. On the other windows I'd either remove them when updating the siding, or size up so each shutter is 1/2 the width of the window.

7. Siding - can you paint the siding, or is it going to be replaced?

8. Brick - I don't dislike the brick color, and it works with the darker roof. But you don't have a lot of brick, so applying a brick finish wouldn't be adding a huge amount of future maintenance. While you are thinking about brick , what's the status of the front posts? Are they masonry, or is that a brick-face.

The brown roof is going to affect your siding choice. Also, your driveway looks a little pink, so that's also an influence. Choose a siding manufacturer and product line based your budget, then look at samples next to your brick and roof. You say the brick is painted, but it looks like it's regular red brick. If it is indeed already been painted then you can paint it a different color. If it hasn't been painted, I don't recommend painting it.

If when you get samples you're still not sure which one to choose, update your post with a picture of the samples next to the brick. You're on the right track with removing the shutters. You probably will need to paint the garage door after changing the siding. Basic white will probably not be the best choice if you change to a darker siding color.

Please store trash cans behind fence.

There is so little brick that I would remove it and do all siding.

I wonder how all white would look with a beautiful wood door to match wood columns. You could paint white brick. I would remove shutters.

Again with the skinnier than usual brick across the front of a home. I love it and the low windows no doubt dictated the brick height but I would like it to be a larger band. My first reaction was wider siding. Are you thinking something that will be a forever color or will you go with a paintable siding? As you learned picking one color to last a lifetime doesn't really work.

My house used to be brown brick and roof with yellow siding. I re-sided with "clay" siding which is a Nestle's Quick color. It harmonized really well with the brown. I installed dark bronze chocolate windows and wine-red shutters, a standard color. The whole thing looked really good with multiple chocolate cocoa shades. I added patio columns and a balcony in a light taupe like cocoa cream. It worked out really well. I still think the house remake in that article I linked was better.

Hi all, thank you for the insightful answers. A bit more information including answers to P Banos questions. The exterior of our home was completed by the previous owners. We have spent the last 7 years completing the interior and have an open interior with raised ceilings and alot of natural light. We are estimating another 3-5 years in our home but we are ready to make some exterior changes.

Our neighborhood is a diverse middle class neighborhood with well kept but generally outdated homes consisting of ranch and split level homes built in the 60s and 70s. I would classify our taste as contemporary and functional. For example, I love love love the look of natural wood and all white but I also do not want to wash siding every few weeks as the front of our home is north facing and does not get sun light it is quick to discolor.

1. Budget- how much money is available, minimum to maximum for this project? Are you talking about a couple thousand dollar refresh, or many tens of thousands including new roof, doors, windows, siding etc.

We are planning on spending many thousands on this project. Siding, gutters, fascia, soffit, a new front door, and multiple patio doors will be replaced during this project.

2. DIY - are you able/willing to do DIY work, and what sorts? This can reduce costs considerably, and allow you to direct more money to supplies and skilled labor where necessary.

This will mostly be hired out, I am willing to paint and complete some small projects on my own.

2. Roof - will your roof be replaced, or how long until it needs to be replaced? This is a big feature and will influence your possible color palette.

Undecided at this point and dependent on some estimates. The age of our roof is unknown but it is largely in good shape.

3. Garage door - will your garage door be painted/replaced? This is also a big feature, and I think changing the large white rectangle to a more harmonious color will have a positive impact. Some garage doors have windows that can be replaced, is that possible for yours?

I am open to a new garage door or painting. The door itself is in good shape. The sunburst window inserts can be removed.

4. Front door - It's a little hard to see the front door, but it looks like a etched or leaded glass or victorian style? Front door also drives style decisions. If you are keeping can you show a clearer picture?

We will replace the door and are open to natural or another color. I am undecided about the storm door. Definitly prefer the look of a front door without a storm door. However, this is a north facing door in a cold, wet, and windy northern climate.

5. White fence - assuming the white fence will remain as is, so that also needs to be considered with color choices.

White fence will remain

6. Shutters - shutters/no shutters is a design choice it's good to make up front. The two double windows under the porch roof don't "need" shutters, and I'd probably remove at least those. On the other windows I'd either remove them when updating the siding, or size up so each shutter is 1/2 the width of the window.

I agree with your recommendation for shutters. At this point I am thinking we will go without shutters.

7. Siding - can you paint the siding, or is it going to be replaced?

The siding will be replaced.

8. Brick - I don't dislike the brick color, and it works with the darker roof. But you don't have a lot of brick, so applying a brick finish wouldn't be adding a huge amount of future maintenance. While you are thinking about brick , what's the status of the front posts? Are they masonry, or is that a brick-face.

The brick has a red glaze over the top of it already. The brick short walls are pretty common in this area on homes build during the era our home was built. It seems that most people in our area who paint their brick either match the siding or go with a complementary color. I think the posts are brick faced. They sound hollow when knocking on them.

Our driveway was originally dyed red and is fading. Ive never liked the red of the driveway with the bricks.

Echoing some of the previous comments. Remove the sunburst inserts and the shutters (tonight after work, it’s therapeutic). I would strongly advise removing the brick because it makes your house look short. Paint your gutters to match your trim versus the roof- again painting them to match the roof lowers the house 6”. I’m assuming you are going with cement siding. The porch columns look simultaneously too heavy and too skinny somehow. I would replace with 10” square wood with simple caps and bases.

Your home is quite long and linear. As others have suggested adding a porch, dormer or other element that will break up the length and place emphasis on the entry and middle portion should go a long way toward updating your home.

I happen to love long low facades on homes but I love MCM yours is pretty close to that style For me I would play that style up no dormers for sure no front porch but we need a lot more info from you. Start by removing the dark brown trim on the windows .This could incorporate that addition of a roof line change but expensive so part of the info is budget

Can you dye the driveway again to a different color?

Rough view of dark blue siding, leaving roof alone and wider trim on windows, updating front posts.

Love it thanks. I am going to reach out to a concrete company to discuss resurfacing and hoping to return a natural cement color.

If you resurface, consider electric radiant heating for the driveway. https://www.warmzone.com/snow-melting/heated-driveway/

I love ours!

I like the white painted examples sent by rockybird and could even paint the brick to inexpensively bring to 1 color. Some pots with tall columnar shrubs in front of the 2 posts framing the door would soften, and a new wood garage and main door would look great and work with your roof. Definitely upgrade the driveway. Some more plants to soften and add Cole to the yard would go a long way too. If you are only staying 3-5 years I wouldn't spend a ton. Seems very workable. Have fun!

Great suggestions thanks!