I like the current color combination. How about painting the posts and the trim around the windows white? Paint the shutters a color you like. I love this green called Lush with gray. I would paint the shutters Lush.

Is the wall color as gold as it appears in the photos? I can't tell how much is actual color, how much is lighting, and how much is photography, but the whole room seems very yellow/gold. It looks like there is a covered porch or patio outside that limits the natural light, so I would be looking to increase the amount of artificial light, and probably increase the color temperature of the lamps as well (up to 4000 K). Does your sister just want a change or is she specifically looking at what's currently "in" and thinking, "I want that"? If the latter, I'd probably be looking at paint color (grays may or may not be going out, but I don't think golds a poised to come back in for a while. Maybe a greige, or white, or blue). Changing the light fixture would also be a relatively easy update. A new window shade could add some color and pattern. If she's not as concerned about trends, I might focus more on artwork and the arrangement of the plants. I like the plants, but evenly spacing the pots looks a bit uninspired. Decorators like grouping odd numbers of objects (so 3 or 5 rather than 2 or 4). She could change out some of the pots so that they look more cohesive (this would be a way to introduce a new color if she wants).

Hi Simplynatural, You brought up a good point that I didn't think of (thank you!). The side of the house has the original red brick (see photo below). The back and right sides of the house are white siding, matching the front of the house. I would rather not paint the brick but will if needed. Is there a paint colour that we could paint the siding that would work with both the bricks and the stones? I'm not sure. I really like your ideas of the black door, the symmetrical lights on either side, the long roof over the garage, and the symmetrical porch (without the extension towards to the garage). So if we kept the porch centered and extended the roof over the garage would it be strange to also have steps leading to the right, so towards the garage in addition the the ones centered to the front? I'm thinking that if we needed to go to the garage and it is raining it would be better. I attached a better image of the full view of the house. On the right side of the house is a path that we use to have access to the backyard and the third post in your plan (all white) would end up at the corner where the bins are currently placed; they can be easily moved. Thanks again for all your fantastic ideas! Please let me know if you have any other comments. I really appreciate your thoughts.

@Diana Bier Thank you for your input Diana and suggestions and fresh ideas. And @roarah thank you as well for the ideas. I have written to Houzz about why we cannot load photos. I wanted to show you all I did paint my open study off the foyer a very dark Van Duesen blue by BM but because my dining room was so dark before I used BM White Dove in it for a break but I do love dark walls and may paint again in the future. Maybe some dark velvet draperies would be pretty in the DR for drama or is that too much with white dove. My house is very open and the DR and study flank each side of the foyer as you enter the house with case openings. In the meantime I have a technical question for everyone. My dining room is 15'9" x 12'4". I was thinking I needed a 9x12 rug until I tried one and it is about 6" too wide. I will have to move my funiture to place it on top. uggg it is all so heavy but I want to do the right thing. So that leaves me to find a 8 foot to 8'6 x 12 or 13' rug which is not easy to find on the width. SHOULD I bite the bullet and go for a 10x14 for this size room and just move everything again - then the funiture would rest on top. Just wondering what is the right size for scale of room.