I don't know why… but sometimes I get questions that are really out of my league. I am very much an interior color person. Choosing exterior colors can open up a can of worms.
Some areas of the country and some styles of homes are not suited to the same choices we might make in the Southwest USA. I edit another website that is strictly for Spanish Style Homes and I never have to think about staining exterior pine ceilings or cedar decking.
Here is a question I got in the old email box:
I have dark brown house (black bean soup) with white cedar trim cottage style, what color stain for porch pine ceilings and cedar decking do I use?
A complimentary color for this home would be green. I am not a green person, so I would love to give a best pick from me. 
Brick Red Stain. Gougeous deep rich colors would do wonders for dark brown walls. The White trim must really pop against this dark brown and the red would really give it that third color punch.
If their are shutters or other small architectural elements that you need to accent, don't use the red… Go Black.
Here is a web site full of old house colors on cottage style homes. It should be helpful.
