I think that the darker color on the bottom would look better too, but I'd also ask on the decorating forum. They answer very quickly and always have knowledge and opinions (even if you don't always ask for them, LOL!)

I tend to like darker colors on the bottom...

rlthomas and wi-sailorgirl~

Thanks for your very quick replies. I also posted in the Paint Forum (although this isn't really about painting), and the Decorating Forum (although the description at the top seems to imply that it is geared more toward interior decorating rather than exterior. Will see if anyone there posts, but so far you two are the only ones. And you just happen to agree with me. How about that?! :-) Of course, the GC feels otherwise, but what else is new?

Foxy, one thing I'm learning is that my GC has very different tastes from me. Unless it is related to something structural, I've stopped asking for his opinion. Maybe I have horrible taste, or I'm just "doing" it wrong, but I know what I like in most cases. Unless he can point out a specific reason why my opinion is wrong, then I don't pay much attention to his thoughts on the aesthetics of things.

sailorgirl~ have been easing up a bit on asking his opinion also. many of his ideas are good. he's got an upclose and personal relationship with a lot more houses than i do, after all. and he's seen many 'mistakes' that have been made by clients who regretted them afterward. i appreciate the fact that his intentions are good and he wants me to be happy with the project. it appears our differences revolve mainly around colors. he likes stark, sharp contrast; i like soft and subtle with no one thing overpowering anything else. the problem comes in when he looks over my choices and infers that they may be misguided. then i begin to doubt myself, freeze up and can't make a final decision. in the meantime, he's held up because i can't tell him which siding to order, roofing shingles to order, etc., not to mention my tossing and turning all night, every night with these things on my mind. am like a walking zombie every day from lack of sleep, and there are no good decisions that come out of exhaustion. have to fight the urge to just close my eyes, point and be done with it, but i know i'll regret that in the end.

Foxy ... I was exactly where you are about 6 weeks ago. Didn't sleep for what seemed like weeks with all the decisions rolling around in my head. All I can say is that it did get better as the project went on. I am suffering a bit from decision exhaustion ... for instance I'm pretty much just narrowing lighting decisions down to a small group and then asking a friend to pick for me because I just can't think about it anymore, but it does get better.