My question really is aesthetic--how do you think I could make make house look most appealing? My neighbors who have an identical house used to have stucco siding (also sadly lost to age) which I though was very pretty and had a cohesive look. Do you think the fiber cement products that mimic stucco would be appropriate? I've never seen it in real life, I don't want a house that has siding like you'd find in a modern development. I'd like to get it done this year (and as you can imagine by looking the weather conditions, will be happy to add insulation). Any thoughts?

I may ask this on some other forums. The people in Home Decorating are very helpful, and maybe the remodelers have some insight. But it's an old house first of all.

From House

A the second floor line there appears to be a horizontal "belt" trim. Often the siding above it is flared out to overlap the belt trim.

Sometimes shingles are installed over the existing siding if it is reasonably intact.

I can see there's a lot to be learned here. Interesting. Thanks for the input.

We've lived here for 3 years now, and my hubby says it is a very strong house, not subject to very much rot or mold, except for the single glazed windows, which we will have to update pretty soon.

Upkeep on the stucco is minimal, with a pressure wash about once every two years. The house looks white, but is actually a very pale gray to minimize glare in the bright sunshine. I think your house would look very good in a slightly darker shade of gray stucco, with white trim. When the time comes to replace your roof, you can consider the options for a new color there.

You can also find Hardy Plank, which is a lap siding, which does not look anything like the vinyl siding I think you indicated you wish to avoid. I have to give all the cement board options a thumbs UP.

I hadn't seen the Hardi panels in real life, I think they look great. On their web site, it looks like the buildings that use the planks all have lines which make it obvious where the panels begin and end, but I don't see that on your house. Do you know how the change from one panel to another was disguised?

Thanks so much for the picture, that definitely puts the planks in the running. A contractor is coming tomorrow with samples, but I don't know if he knows about this so I will use your picture.

(PS I really like dark gray and white but here in a cold climate I'm thinking of using yellow, just for the cheer factor. But I vacillate--I do really like gray, or gray-blue, or just blue and white too).

Two recommended books are: Bungalow Colors Exteriors (http://www.amazon.com/Bungalow-Colors-Exteriors-Robert-Schweitzer/dp/ 1586851306/ref=sr_1_16?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1265324779&sr=8-16) and Moss & Winklers Victorian Exterior Decoration (http://www.amazon.com/Victorian-Exterior-Decoration-Nineteenth-Centur y-Historically/dp/0805023135/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1265324737 &sr=8-2)

Best of Luck !

So, you think I should keep that belt? I have another thread started called Macv, could I ask you one more thing where I ask for additional input. I was sort of thinking I would put the new shingles all along the house and eliminate that belt. I am now getting more confused, but I guess that's the way to eventually understanding something, isn't it.

Thanks for the complement on my house. It's funny, I was just starting to think it was pretty plain looking (I've been spending time in the Building a House forum to learn about siding options, where there are major mansions on view). I guess I belong here with the Oldsters!

You asked how they merged the Hardi Panels? To the best of my knowledge, they used cement stucco. I woke up my DH to ask.

The Arts & Craft style houses built here in Mobile are generally of stucco but some do have the horizontal wooden lap boards. They could be made of the Hardy board instead of wood. I don't see why the belt (which I have yet to locate on your house, but it will come to me soon) could not be worked into this material choice too.

Oh yes. I thought you had a white roof. HA!! Tonight when I looked, it was SNOW!!! :) Your porch gives a sense of welcome to your house. I can see why you refer to it as the 8th wonder of the world. I feel that way about our sun porch on the south side of our house.

The contractor brought over some examples of the Hardie stucco and it looked better than I thought it would, more textured, but he didn't know how to connect pieces other than with boards--sort of that Tudor look which I do not think would work on this house, though I have nothing against it.

I love your house, and a south-facing porch sounds like a slice of heaven. On the other hand, I did really respond to Macv's shingle suggestion. That sounds right for this house. I have another thread here called macv, could I ask you one more thing, with additional pictures. You can see the "belt line" there, it is the trim piece between the first and second floor. I have looked around my neighborhood of old houses, and some have the belt while some do not. I am pondering what to do about this feature. So, the decisions continue.

Yes, snow. The roof is a very standard asphalt shingles in "weathered wood." We had a hail storm here that blew part of the roof off and I had to make a quick decision about what to do as rain was flooding the upstairs. So I went with the roofer's suggestion since I didn't have my usual time to perseverate about colors and materials. It's fine, nothing special, pretty neutral.

Thank you again for your comments and help. I bet you're getting tulips soon. Here, it still pretty much looks like the pictures I've posted.