A reader wrote recently with an exterior lighting question and graciously agreed to let me use the picture they sent to suggest some other exterior makeover options.

The home is a ranch style with a facade mixing brick and siding. The lighting question was regarding the entry door light.

While they would have preferred a pair of sconces beside the door, the brick facing might complicate that (though worth checking with an electrician to be sure it isn’t a possibility). Since the current location is a utilitarian fixture centered above the door, they thought to replace it with a barn light fixture as the one of the only type of wall sconces that works over a door without looking awkward.

I suggested that would be fine for a very casual look, but would not provide much general illumination as barn lights have metal shades and thus direct all the light straight down.

Another option would be an overdoor type carriage lantern - these have scroll-work attached to the sides for a more horizontal overall profile. And they have the added advantage of glass shades that provide more general light for the front door, porch, and walkway. They are, however, a slightly more formal and traditional look.

Regarding the house in general - the homeowner is planning to paint the siding at some point and so I’ve made some suggestions here.

On a house of this size, I think the best approach is to streamline the color for the body of the house. I would probably go with a creamy white or a taupe if you are willing to paint the brick. If not, I would paint the siding in as close a match to the brick as possible so you don’t end up with the patchwork effect that two distinctly different colors gives.

I generally favor classic dark shutter colors (black/black-green/deep blue/charcoal gray), though lighter colors like sage or wedgewood would be a more countrified look.

The front door could match the shutters or be a completely different color to draw attention and stand out as a sort of welcome beacon.

The large front-facing garage door does not need to draw attention to itself and so I would paint it to match the body of the house unless it is switched out to something more decorative that mimics carriage doors in which case I’d match the shutters and maybe add a 2’ deep pergola trellis above it for some climbing greenery to soften the expanse.

A window box under the picture window and landscape shrubs would add the needed organic elements that tie the house to its landscape.

The generous porch is a nice size that offers plenty of room for potted plants to flank the entry. It is also a good footprint if one wished to add a porch with columns to shelter the front door - it is always ideal to have a sheltered entry if possible. It would also contribute to the sense of entrance. Having the forward-most roof mass over the front door makes it the most predominant element. It also means there is an opportunity for a hanging pendant lantern as the entry light.

For final details, I would add beefier trim over (and possibly also beside) the front door, again, to assert it’s prominence, and I’d switch out the actual front door to a more classic paneled one with no window.