Shutters look good on single windows like on the right, but the current ones are not wide enough.

They don't look right on double windows like on the left.

I think your house would like fine without them but one thing shutters can do is add a bit of color to a monochromatic house.

I personally would remove the shutters AND the plastic grills on the garage door windows.

Trim down the trees and shrubs in front of the house.

Paint the front door. The sidelites are part of the door.

Are you selling now or several years in the future?

What work is the contractor going to be doing? I hope you're not planning on painting the brick.

Pretty house! i think updating the landscaping and pruning/removing the shrubs/trees in front of the windows will go really far - if it were me, I’d try the house without the shutters (it’s close to free so why not) and see how I felt - and then update the front door color —but i tend to like the look of an uber simple house with lush landscaping

I agree with Lyn totally. Waht the house relly needs is landscaping and never shutters on double windows .

@apple_pie_order we are not planning to move for at least another five years.

Ah the great shutter debate continues!! Shutters are completely appropriate on a Colonial home such as yours. They just need to be wider to look good.

Also, having no shutters isn't more "modern." This one is from the 1700s--does it look modern to you because of no shutters?

@ kandrewspa we are getting new siding, gutters, and possibly shutters. Nothing is being done to the brick.

I agree with Diana Bier. Shutters are appropriate for your style of home. However, as other have pointed out your current shutters are not correctly sized for the windows. If you are going to keep shutter I will suggest that your replace the current shutters with properly sized and operable one. And don't forget to install shutter dogs to hold them in place while open.

I would get new shutters that are more appropriately sized for the windows (omitting the double window). Glad to hear you're not painting the brick. If you decide to try no shutters, look to see if the brick is the same color under the shutters as the rest. Some discoloration may have occurred over time. This color brick looks good with green shutters.

Gutters should blend into the house as much as possible - they are not an architectural feature. I assume the siding is on the back and sides of the house. Is it currently cream colored?

@ kandrewspa the siding is cream color. My contractor suggested getting a darker color this time, I'm not sure. He also suggested black shutters and black door. What shade of green would you suggest?

It’s the stacked set of double windows on just one side that makes me pause a bit with shutters

i think the dated idea with shutters comes from lots of undersized plastic shutters that have been tacked on to houses over the years (my house had them when we bought it) in the name of interest, but appropriately sized, operable / ”real looking” shutters are timeless on the right homes

Black occurred to me as well, but your roof is brown, so I think green would be better. If there is a manufacturer of standard sized shutters that fit your windows, they will probably have a standard green already. Look at it against your house and see how it looks. Factory finishes are usually high quality and can be more durable than site-finished.

Darker exterior colors are more popular now, but you replace your siding so infrequently, I don't see anything wrong with keeping it cream if you like it. Lighter colors will come back around in popularity. However, there's no harm in looking at darker colors from the siding manufacturer. You need to place samples against the brick to decide. Since you only posted a picture of the front of your house, I don't know whether you have any brick on the sides. Maybe the two types of surfaces only meet on the corners? If you have a deck or hardscaping on the back, make sure the siding you select will go with those surfaces as well.

Rather than a true black, maybe a very dark brown since the roof is brown.

I think your house will look better without those shutters.

A dark gray/green could work nicely with your brick and roof colors, such as the darker ones here.

No shutters. Paint front door and garage doors soft green, which harmonizes well with brown roof and red brick.

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Do think about upgrading your landscaping on the left, perhaps a planting bed with that tree along the driveway towards the front.

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Or something like this with your tree at the corner.

@Kathleen Turner, I think the contractor’s suggestion of dark blue and black is a trend that will fade soon. Contractors tend to see things in a way that it’s easy to make changes

I would keep the shutters (wider ones), even on the double windows. Though not authentic there, that section of the house will look bare and unfinished without them. Black shutters and door could look sharp with a dark roof:

But the roof looks in good shape, no need to replace now, so maybe a darker version of its brown color for the shutters (as suggested above)?

I would remove the arch over the door and the arches in the garage windows.

Handsome house!