Etelka's Profile

Is that a light fixture on the front of the chimney? If so, replace it with a bigger, geometric one that echoes the lines of the house.

Definitely keep the gutters white or gray to match the roof. You don't want a horizontal line cutting straight across the house. I like the taupe idea for the windowsills, etc. I think the main thing is to find a "bridge" color(s) to better tie the roof in with the brick.

MORE ON CAT SCRATCHING: Try clear packing tape on furniture.

You also need something more solid than a typical pet store scratching post. When cats scratch they like to push and pull against a resilient surface -- it's how they exercise their shoulder muscles. Either find a way to anchor a scratching post to the wall or use my cheap but ugly solution: Wrap a carpet sample around a door frame and nail it in place. My cats love it.

You can also provide other scratching surfaces for them, such as a couple more carpet samples on the floor here and there.

NAIL CLIPPING
Cats will always need to scratch. Clipping won't stop that. But if their claws are snagging the furniture, here's how to clip them. 1) Don't pick the cat up and try to clip right away. Instead, start by massaging its paws a little bit every day for a couple of weeks. Do this on the same clear, flat surface where you plan to clip. When the cat struggles, stop immediately. Give a treat each time. 2) With the cat on the flat surface, lean over its back to handle the paws on the side facing away from you. Turn the cat around to work on the other side. 3) Use regular nail clippers. 4) When you start clipping, the cat will struggle after a claw or two. Stop immediately, give a treat, and have another go tomorrow. It may take days or weeks but eventually the cat will be (more or less) reconciled and you will handle its paws with confidence. 5) Never clip more than the very tips.