I think it would be tough to pull off cedar shakes on your style of house. However getting rid of the diagonal siding would be a big plus. Lap siding would look better.

Thank for your input! I agree, the diagonal needs to go! We have lap siding on the rest of the house and although I like it, I was hoping to dress the front up more with either stone work or cedar shakes, adding windows, bigger trim and removing that olive tree (the one blocking the far left window) and removing the 4 taller bushes (in front of carport). And possibly some gable detail. I was thinking if I put cedar shake for the whole front of carport wall and on the other pitched roof area above the front door (not sure what that's called) it would make the home appear taller. Maybe I'm wrong? I figured stone work on that wall would make it look smaller....

Just a side note, all the homes around us are on the lake and are huge and nice. We're one of the older homes in the neighborhood and it shows:)

How do guests enter the house? Does the sidewalk go past the carport? You really could stand to beef up the entry instead of the carport. A pergola over the main entry, add some stone to beef up the columns. Change of color would also help. Paint the entrance door. Trees planted further out in the yard will screen the carport. Also the hedge makes the home look more squat.

some diagonal siding is ok, you just have too much of it - carport makes my eyes cross. bigger trim for windows would be good. you must decide roof type/color before house and trim color can be considered.

@ Dar Ekert - we have beautiful stamped concrete driveway and sidewalk (which runs along the front of the house beside the hedges and around to the foyer area where the front door is). We really do need to beef up the one column that we have. And I really like the "Northwest Contemporary Exterior" pic that you sent. And you're right about the hedges making our house look more squat, never thought about that! Those will probably need to go! Thanks so much!

Thank you bgfuqua for your input! Yes, you're right, bigger trim is a must! And I'm hoping once we decide on roof type and color that the trim color will be easy to decide on! Although, I'm leaning towards a "linen" or some type of pretty cream color....still looking at other pictures on that though since it will be a big contrast!

Anyone else have any ideas?! I've been researching today about "shake" style siding and I didn't realize there was a lot to choose from. Real cedar shakes vs. Nichiha shake vs. Maibec? We're really considering putting in two windows and awnings similar to the "Northwest Contemporary Exterior" pic that Dar posted for our carport wall. We're also considering changing our house color all together too. Something lighter.

I would contact a highly skilled landscape designer to sketch up a drawing for you. A typical design runs $300-$450. Here are a few pictures of a professionally landscaped front area.

cole880, those hedges have to go. I too would put horizontal siding as the current siding makes the home seem to drag down. I am not fond of cedar shakes on your home. I would use a manufactured stone for those areas and would definitely spend the money on a professional landscape designer to use plants to make your home seem taller

Thanks you guys for your input! Consider the hedges gone along with the horizontal siding! I agree we're in of some serious help with the landscape too. Thanks for the photo ideas. I like the idea of stone as accents but I thought it would make the house appear smaller....I guess I LOVE the look of cedar shake that I've been trying to figure out a way to make it work....the rest of my house is lap siding, maybe I need to start looking into that too as an option to replace the horizontal along with some gable detail, and possibly different colors all the way.

what about something similar to one of these designs for the carport wall?

Cole, please post more pictures of the exterior including entry. If you already have lap siding, you need to continue with it. Forget the shingles. I don't think windows on the carport are a good idea. If you want more light in there, consider lattice panels inset into the wall where the 4 hedges are.

Thank you sheshore for your advice. I just added more pictures of our house too!

My recommendation is to remove cedar siding and install cement board shingle siding on the front elevations of your home. Such as James Hardie color plus. Other option is to only do the shingle siding on the gables and lap siding on the rest. You also need contrast in your home. There is to much of one color. So if you are doing the roof, go with a darker neutral color and lighter neutral siding color. I personally like the metal stone coated steel shingles. Yes expensive but a better investment and less maintenance.

I love the idea of the columns and the pergola across the front porch area. I also like the idea of additional stone work (like at the bottom of the columns). Can't see how that would make the house look smaller. It doesn't have to be a big color difference from the stone to the rest of the house, it would simply be adding a different, more up-to-date texture. We found the perfect answer for the front of our house by searching through photos here on Houzz and generating a computer enhanced photo of the house with those ideas incorporated. There were several ideas we thought we were sold on that went in the trash as soon as we saw it on the altered photo!!! My husband knows how to do this type of thing but I think you should be able to find someone who could help if you don't know how.

Cole, if you posted more pics, they are not showing.

Chromatic - thanks for letting me know that you can't see the extra pictures b/c I can see them on my screen, but here they are, please let me know if you still can't see them. Thanks!

Thanks everyone for taking the time to give us your opinion!

...

One thing is the front door is Victorian and all wrong for this house. Consider a full glass panel door with blinds In between two sheets of glass or a color inter layer like pale green or white. Also hating the bay window at the front door.

I Keep looking at the house thinking it's a waste to change perfectly good siding. I keep trying to think of ways to add strip details to detract from the V pattern, but coming up empty.

The house should be stained a weathered grey and I would investigate galvalume metal roofs. I would be looking to make this house more industrial style with an emphasis on its square lines rather than trying shingles or a cottage look.

Here's a picture with the galvalume roof and corrugated steel siding. Or leave some of the house with the horizontal siding alone and just put the corrugated siding on the parts with the V treatment. An architect can help you pull off this look. It might mean changing your front door posts to a heftier metal ones etc.

The most important change should be to get rid of the 80's diagonal siding with horizontal siding. Use shingles if you must on the gable above the front door & try to minimize the garage door.

Paint the window frames a lighter color - they look like large dark holes. Replace the front door in a brighter color & add new light fixtures, etc.

I agree that it would be money well spent to hire an pro landscape architect or designer.

Similar to our roof line, I think something like this rock facing looks really nice. You're right Sheryl, our windows do look like dark holes! I really want bigger trim and maybe painted some shade of white, right now it's an ugly yellow color! We're also considering painting the house some shade of grey. It would be really nice to get a "Lake House" look since the lake is nearby. If we don't do some sort of stone work like the above picture, then lap siding would be another good choice as all the commenters have said above. Oh, and the greenhouse window (near the front door) will be replaced with a regular window!

Just throwing out some different window placements for carport wall, don't pay attention to material being used:)

I like the window placement on the Evergreen Residence too.

I'll weigh in on this. First of all, either a grey or whitish-grey roof. If I were you, I'd add 2 skylights - one over a bathroom and one over a gathering room if possible. We have 'em and I love 'em. Next, See the picture of the Northwestern Contemporary Exterior, aka Craftsman pillars at the front entry? I'd DEFINITELY add those if budget allows. That would do sooooo much to enhance the entryway. Def. lose the diagonal siding and go with partial faux stone on the lower half of the entry way to complement the Craftsman posts you add and you'll be amazed at how that improves the overall flavor of the front. As far as the siding and color, I'm thinking more of a greyish-tan siding with dark mahogany color of trim. See how that looks and then make changes accordingly to complement everything and bring it all together. Depending on where you are exactly, let the landscape colors dictate partial colors of the new siding, trim. As for the yard, I'd put in a desert flavor rock garden and succulent gardens with ambling walkways and 3 boulders. IF budget allows. Let us know. Lots of potential with your home, NICE design!