I'd keep the shutters and leave the window trim white. The shutters are nicely sized for your windows and not overly crowded.

If you want to keep the house white, this is a nice color scheme. This will be a slight update from what you have now, but fresh paint will really make a difference on your dingy, peeling house.

Architecture Walk: Exterior Styles and Palettes · More Info

Here's a gray with black shutters. You notice this one also has widely spaced windows so the shutters don't look crowded.

Architecture Walk: Exterior Styles and Palettes · More Info

But, you can go to the search in Houzz and look for Colonial Exteriors in Photos

Colonial Exterior - Photos & Ideas | Houzz

I like Lyn’s suggestion & Sigrid’s 2d, only because I’m sooooo tired of seeing white houses with black or charcoal trim. I liked them initially, but it was overdone ( where I live ). I would keep the shutters, whatever color you choose. Looks like some re-landscaping is needed.

We were thinking of maybe adding more defined colonial trim around the windows if we remove the shutters. I just don’t know if it looks too plain. We are concerned with going too dark since it gets so much sun. We want the paint to last as long as possible

Yes, that’s a big house to paint. I understand your desire to have the paint last,perhaps a very light color? I still think your house looks better with shutters, some houses don’t, but I think your house looks too plain without, IMO.

Thanks! I think if it had more windows in the front I could get away with no shutters without it looking plain

So many nice options. See what the link from Sigrid shows you. It’s a great house in a beautiful setting! Would love to see what you decide.

Some ideas

I think the colonial trim could be a nice addition, although I also think shutters would also be nice. I like Lyn's idea of a green with either white trim or black or green shutters. If you choose to stay with shutters, I think spending the money to change them out for authentic hinged shutters with shutter dogs would be a upgrade to your lovely, very well proportioned home. Most new exterior paints, like BM Advanced exterior, have built in UV protection.

There are lots of possible color schemes for your home. Two of my favorites would be the green scheme and the the other is a light gray blue with slate blue shutters.
I like the dark green too but understand why you want to steer away from the darker colors.

I also like shutters on your traditional home. It seems a little stark without them.

Shutters are a MUST, but only if you can do authentic ones, which will be expensive. Otherwise, go without.

For south exposure:

You can't go wrong with a nice white and your choice of bright or dark color on shutters. I am bored with most of the black and grey trends but in this case black shutters would be classic. Consider your landscaping for colors, like deep red roses or holly berries echoed by burgundy shutters and door. Lyn's sage green with deep green shutters would work with any color of flowers. A light grey blue with Navy shutters would also contrast nicely with light or bright flowers. If doing the siding in a light shade of green or blue you will need to be careful in coordinating the darker shutter color but there are usually paint chips or common combos. WIth white you may not need as many coats to cover the current white paint and any darker color will work for shutters.

Another vote for keeping it white and blue.

Keep the shutters. Beautiful!

What color to paint the doors?

And is the roof going to be redone anytime soon? I think that would make a big difference in refreshing the house’s exterior.

Cute house! Very charming. ✨

Another option:

(Added the pair of ancient sugar maples that almost always frame the old New England colonials.)

Prep is key to a good paint job, so be sure you understand fully what will be done, and the materials that will be used.

Great ideas already - other thoughts would be a pale griege like BM Pale Oak or SW tony Taupe, still light but a bit of color to set off the white windows just a bit

pretty house - hope you share after pics!

Shutters are very appropriate for your home. It's a bit hard to tell in the photo but I don't think your shutters are operable. Will suggest that you replace them with real operable shutter that are sized appropriately for the windows. Don't forget to install shutter dogs to hold them open when not closed.

I rarely like shutters but colonials are usually nice with shutters and in your case your thought is right , too plain without. I love classic white siding black shutters can never go wrong. The landscaping is awful so that is where you can really add color and a much nicer looking space all to enhance a lovely home

What ppf and Norwood said. I like most of the light samples given with improved shutters.

I DON’T like the garage man-door painted a highlight color like the front door. The front door should be highlighted but the garage man-door color should match the house.

Just as a comparison I believe this is closer to what the house used to look like before the paint faded

Good point about the people door into the garage, @littlebug. With that change (and dark garage doors):

I'm late to the party, but I just want to say that your house is a beautiful classic Colonial, such a welcome change from most of the houses I see here on this site.

There are so many pretty possibilities, and I think it's unanimous that you should keep the shutters. If you have the budget to change them for authentic hinged shutters with shutter dogs, then go for it. But I don't think it's necessary.

The only option I would strongly advise against is the one posted above with black windows/black trim. It's not attractive at all, and very stark looking. A light house with light trim and dark shutters and door would work best.

We’re leaning towards something like this. We will definitely share photos once completed but we’re still indecisive. Thanks everyone so far on sharing your thoughts they have been very helpful!

That's lovely. Someone I follow on YouTube has an off white home and she painted her door, garage doors and shutters in a color called Jitney by Farrow and Ball. It looks beautiful. It's a thin paint and expensive but I'm sure you could have it color matched if it was something you like.

The cream/sage color scheme can work. I assume AI created this image. I would tweak a few of its choices, as follows:

• Slightly lighter cream paint, for a bit more contrast with the sage.
• Cream gutters and fascia rather than sage.
• Consider using cream for the garage doors rather than sage.
• Keep the simpler original trim. The trim AI supplied is too formal for the house.
• Having said that, simple triangular pediments could be added over the two first-floor windows, echoing the entry portico in slope, but they should not float above the windows as AI shows. They should read as part of the window. Ordinarily they would be the width of the window itself, but these windows are too narrow for a reasonable-looking pediment. It's not standard, but I would probably make them as wide as the window plus the shutters. If you add them at all, that is . . .
• Definitely no pediment above the passenger door on the garage and no too-heavy trim around the garage doors.
• If architectural changes are on the to-do list, I would first replace the skinny portico columns with heftier ones. (Ideally the whole portico/stair structure would be wider, but that would be $$$.)
• If you go with dark green for the front door, I would choose one with a little more yellow in it to speak to the cream/sage.
• And when the roof is replaced, choose a warmer shingle color than shown, one with a bit of brown in it.

My thoughts, anyway . . .