I say either leave it as is - the simplicity is nice and period, or do something really unexpected and add a pop of yellow. Maybe paint the front door a bright buttery yellow, and add some yellow shutters to the non-corner windows?

Beautiful home! I would definitely NOT paint the brick. The white walls would be nicer warmed up. Maybe a greyish taupe, or one of the colors found in the brick. Since I can't tell what color your roof is, it's hard to say for sure. Definitely paint your door a bright color to play up your entry. I had to sort of seek it out in the photo.

As far as the windows are concerned, I could see a nice wide shutter, and perhaps a deep flower box beneath to give more heft. Otherwise, bulking up your landscaping near the windows would also fill some of that space. Good luck, and don't forget those "after" photos!

Leave the brick for sure! It's great! I think a nice warm green door would be good (not too dark). It would contrast with the brick nicely. You should check out retrorenovation.com for lots of other ideas for the era and stye of your house! Good luck!

Oh my goodness. This home just SINGS Massachusetts to me. I miss that state oh-so-truly. A nice warm taupe would be nice, as jprich suggested. Best of luck!

Emily

First you need a summer pic on a (grey overcast, rainy day) - to see more details - roof colour and more of the complete landscaping. At first impression the house is cut in half / balance is needed - more colour will make the difference, add scale, & allow for more details. Include some attention to the brick wall along the drive, etc, it would not be difficult to have a wow streetscape!

Leave the brick for sure, ditto. It's a nice color. I would find a house color that is present in the bricks. You will have a choice as your bricks are made up of several different colors. Find a color that makes the bricks pop. You will know it when you see it. I'm thinking tannish brown, but make sure the color you choose commemorates the bricks. I'd paint the door black. It seems there is a little black in your bricks, and it's always nice to have a little something black. Or course, if your house is paid for, paint the door red, the universal sign for 'IT'S MINE!'.

cute house. leave the brick in this case it looks great and gives it more visual interest. I too thing war taupe grey for the rest of the house and maybe a deep reddish orange door, yellow would be fun think more mustard gold which would look great with the gray and the brick.

Do Not Paint The Brick!

However it's hard to make suggestions when everything else is covered in snow and we have no idea what color the roof is...

I too think warm ^^ sorry typos

Yeah, I'd leave the paint colors as they are (and leave the brick alone.) A flowering shrub along the naked side might be what you're looking for if you're hungry for some color -

Yes, we do need to see the roof color before making a recommendation. Makes a big difference.

Maybe just paint the garage door, in a color that pops but isn't too out there. And leave the bricks as is, but paint the walls a red-rust-brown color, and the door aubergine.

But... only the one corner is brick? Am I the only one who thinks that's weird? I mean, I probably wouldn't paint an all brick house, but I would paint this in a hot second. Siding and brick all one color, maybe something like this:

http://z.about.com/d/architecture/1/0/1/k/iStock_000002471755Small.jpg

That is not cute brick (on the house, the garden wall's brick looks nicer) so I would paint the living bejeezus out of it. Soft gray with white trim could look really good.

It is a little odd if only that one corner is brick, but I still wouldn't paint it. Why take a maintenance-free material and make it high-maintenance? Plus you risk long term moisture damage by interfering with the breathability of the brick.

I would start by painting the windows & door frames. Hard to say what would go best with the house with everything covered in snow (but maybe that's the situation most in need of help!), but a nice bright yellow, or a deep blue, or a pale mossy green, or even bright purple would look nice with the brick.

Another vote for painting the brick, since it's making the house look out of balance. I'd go with a dark color like charcoal grey for the foundation/garage area and something lighter up top. If you want to keep the brick as is, go for a siding color that blends, like a taupe with red undertones. Black trim around the windows can visually expand them. Do not add shutters. A nice period railing for the front stoop would add some appeal, and I would remove the yews/hedges that are blocking the view of the entrance.

To repeat most of the above: love the brick, totally in keeping for the period. Warmish brownish paint and a pop-of-color door. Don't neglect to paint the garage door the wood color so it blends as much as possible. Those things can't help but be the most unsightly part of a house.

It's hard to provide colour advice without knowing what colour that roof is under all the snow!

However, in order to modernize the house, I would paint the non-brick parts a deep charcoal grey.

Take some inspiration from the sprucing-up of this house exterior... it may be a completely different style, but see how the grey modernizes things? Also note the great door hardware and house numbers.

http://chezerbey.com/exterior/

Make sure to paint out the garage door, but use a natural wood for the front door.

My favourite grey these days are Farrow & Balls Down Pipe and Off Black.

Good luck!

p.s. I would leave the brick alone -- it serves as a counterpoint to the grey, and adds an interesting texture.

I think that painting the rest of the house grey, and going with a wood door, will make the brick into a very interesting and quite modern design element, as it was originally intended to be. Far from making the house look off-balance, I think the brick is key to the look.

(and I am usually the one telling people to paint their brick, so heed my words!)

I too have a brick, mid-century house with white trim. I plan on painting the trim a dark grey - almost as if it could be metal. I think with brick, the contrast with white is too much. It wants an earthier color - browns, greys, even green.

As the owner of a 1940's house with painted brick exterior (it was already painted when we bought it), I have to tell you that the upkeep sucks! Having to touch up the chipped paint is awful - sometimes pieces/flakes of the brick fall off with the old paint. It's something we have to work on each summer.

Do not paint the brick!!!!!!!!!!!!! It's something you can never undo. When I was house hunting last year, that was a deal breaker!
My fireplace brick is painted (I don't know why since the brick is a lovely light grey) and I really really wish that nobody had painted it.

I'd paint the wood a darker color--something that goes well with the brick color. Even the window trim. That way you notice the windows and not the trim. Not a fan of white/bright houses...I think houses that blend in with nature look bettere. But a bright colored front door would be nice since they look welcoming.

Also not a fan of shutters...they look silly to me since they don't have a function.

No need for useless shutters. No need to paint the brick.
The white is the dominant color right now and it overwhelms the brick.
I suggest changing the white paint to something that will highlight/compliment the brick corner. It should be a bit darker than the brick. Perhaps a warm grey, or dark taupe, or even a burgandy.