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Style and color of shutters to improve house exterior.

Please help me figure out what style of shutters to get for my house. Hoping some shutters will give it a bit more interest. Not interested in real wood due to upkeep required. Appreciate any advice. The roof is black and the brick is tan with some hints of pink/gray/black.

Comments (15)

  • PRO
    last year

    There are hardly any windows that can even handle shutters so no to that idea IMO. Too bad all the windows are not the same style maybe a dark color from the brick for a ll the trim and then go to work on the landscaping a beautiful wide walkways from the street is a great start . If the grids from the windows can be removed a bonus.The front door is hifdden so that landscaping needs to draw you to the entry then maybe color for a door with mostly glass and some really good exterior lighting fo that entry

  • last year
    last modified: last year

    Shutters do not belong on the house. Do try larger outdoor sconces and paint the front door a striking color.

    Fairytale by Behr




  • last year

    Shutters not needed. With the help of a landscaper, plant some trees to frame your home.

  • PRO
    last year
    last modified: last year

    Unfortunately you have a bit of everything on the face of the house. Shutters will only add to the chaos. I think the idea of improving the landscape plan to pull the attention away from the house is a good idea.

    Here is the house with darker trim and added arched shutters.


    Your landscaping should include trees and flowering bed and change height and provide shade for the face of the house.


  • last year

    I agree with no shutters for the reasons mentioned. Since the door’s recessed, painting it to match the sidelights might be nice…and pull it out of the shadows a bit.

  • last year
    last modified: last year

    As others have mentioned, the landscaping is not the right scale for this size of house. The shrubs are small, and nestled too close to the house. Hopefully some of them are a tall variety that will be allowed to grow. A house this size needs evergreens with some oopmh, and a tree would look great. Here's a property where a blue spruce could be allowed to grow without pruning to a beautiful size and shape, for example.

  • last year

    Beverly did you a huge favor by doing a mock up of shutters on your house. It just looks busy.

    Pick a strong color for your front door to help highlight it and get stronger colors in your landscape design.

    I don’t know your planting zone but hydrangeas, knockout roses and azaleas are usually great for color.

  • last year

    @Patricia Colwell Consulting- I appreciate your feedback. What lighting and door would you recommend? Those conical boxwoods should grow to be decently big in a few years. We are pretty limited with what we can plant due to the deer population by us. They eat everything, even plants that are supposed to be deer resistant. What they don't eat, they rub against when the males have their antlers. And while I would love to do a tree or other at each end of the house, the issue is that they always get too big and either obstruct views from looking out, or are hitting into the house pretty quickly. We have taken out trees because of this. Thanks!

  • last year

    @elcieg - Any recs for some nice large sconces? Changing out the lights is definitely part ofthe plan. Thanks.

  • last year

    @chloebud- Yes! Was planning to paint the sidelights to match the door. First trying to decide on door color or if door should be replaced. :)

  • last year

    @BeverlyFLADeziner- Thanks so much for the mock up. The deer by us are terrible. They eat and rub on everything. Hence the lack of landscaping options. Most of our neighborhood has similar plants. We had trees at each end previously, but they became too big very quickly. Also had a Japanese maple in front of the large window but it quickly blocked the view out. I guess when it comes down to it, we like the view out more than the view from street. We are trying to find a good balance for both views. And to have landscaping that doesn't require a ton of maintenace. Perhaps we are asking too much. :)


    Any suggestions for sconces to draw attention to the door? What about some planters and a faux or real plant to put on the sides of the porch or to the sides of the steps until the conical boxwoods reach a more mature height?

  • last year

    Generally outdoor sconces are 1/3 the height of the door - something very simple would look great.


    If it were me, I would meet with a landscape pro and get some ideas (esp about adding a few ornamental trees) they will likely have options that take the deer into consideration. There is already a lot happening on the house, I think improved landscaping will be the biggest return on the $$

  • PRO
    last year
    last modified: last year

    Large style vertical sonces are a nice look . The door color coulld be almost any color but more saturated and not probaly too bright . Maybe a nice pot of plants a near the entry to draw your eye . I know the deer can be a real issue but I love them so I deal with it. I think where you have the 2 pyramid trees at the side of the entry would be agreat place for some real color in plants .this is alist most of these I have had luck with for deer . Not sure where you are so you will need to find out which work there . I would make the pots huge and eep to try some perennials if you are where it does not get bruttaly cold in the winter . The box wood was a good choice for sure They reallty dislike marigolds so at least do the pots filled with those as test

    • 15 best plants to deter deer. Barrenwort. Bee balm. Bleeding heart. Boxwood. Butterfly bush. Chives. Daffodils. Foxglove. Iris. Lamb's ear. Marigolds. Oregano. Peony. Purple coneflower. Russian sage.
    • Why are deer attracted to your yard?
  • last year

    Shutters are a bad idea on your house. That prominent stone decoration means you'd either need very skinny (therefore, probably odd-lookng) shutters or they wouldn't lie flat (also not a good look).


    You have a lot of interest in that prominent stone, and the different windows. It's just subtle. I'd add color with landscaping.

  • last year

    I hope your boxwoods survive! Between the boxwood moths and the many diseases they get, a lot of boxwoods are dying.