How nice to have a lake house! I think I might go for the cedar shakes on the peak, and stain in a cedar color as is the base of the house. For something a little different....what about getting a Dutch door? I understand they can be rather hateful expensive, but what a difference something unusual like that would make! A blue/green/even orange door would be quite a statement. I'd add riser boards to the steps so they are not so open and seem more substantial. A window box with some permanent trailing variegated ivy and annuals on the right hand side would kind of disguise the siding piece. On the blank left hand side, I'd find a medium/largish appropriate piece of rustic/locally made metal art. Even something simple, like an antique metal tractor wheel rim, or even more creative, depending on your taste. For landscaping, I'd start at over by the tree by the outbuilding, and maybe just do a curving bed from there to the left hand side of the house in varying colors of evergreen shrubs, keeping some gravel as a path to the man door on the outbuilding. I guess....a little Arty Alpine is what I wound up picturing...different, and fun. :)

Have you considered coupling different colors of siding? It can really add character and curb appeal to the exterior of a home.

I have attached two more photos that give the full view of the front of the house.

Does anyone think I should change the vinyl siding on the left porch entrance? I could make it match the same as the peak of the roof?

Scottish homes ... I like your suggestion of different color siding, it really makes things pop more. Did you have something specific in mind? I have to work with the beige stucco and dark brown tin roof.

nw duck ... thank you for all of the suggestions. I like the idea of going with cedar shakes up top. Would you go with the real stuff or use the cedar impression polymer stuff? I also think I will do the window box and the back boards on the step. I also like the idea of painting the door, but do you think I should paint both entrance doors? Depending on costs, we were thinking of getting rid of the front door and installing a window. We could make the side entrance our main entrance

does anyone else have suggestions

If this isn't your year round residence, I'd choose the lowest maintenance materials I could. You are there to have fun, not have a list of chores. If the cedar shake look alikes are pretty good look alikes, and you don't have to tend them, that's what I'd go for. I would paint both doors, and keep the front door. I had another idea. What if you did the shingles up top, then added beefier trim around the front door and the window? Even if it is something simple in style, a something like a 3"-4" wide trim in the dark brown around a bright door would give it a little more oomph.

At this point all of the weight of the house is on the top (due to the dark brown), I would like to see a lighter color on top with a slightly darker color on the bottom. The door needs some sort of structure above to give it importance, a pergola or an awning. Using warm tans, it would give your lake house an organic feel
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