apartment therapy changing the world, one room at a time

Perhaps the photo isn't accurate, but I don't hate it the way it is.

Is the roof a light grey colour?

Very cute house.

I like the white as it is - it's a nice contrast to the red brickwork and ties in with the white mortar.

I even like the way your window sashes, mullions and muntins are brown.

If anything, I'd replace the front door and the garage door to updated recessed-panel units - perhaps in a nice brown/woodtone to go with your windows.

I don't think it necessarily looks bad as is. But if you want something more modern or 'hip', maybe check out http://www.colourlovers.com for some inspiration!

You're not painting the brick, are you?

The reason you're having trouble is that you're looking for colorS plural. Pick one shade for BOTH the wood and brick. It will make the house appear bigger and less choppy.

And you don't have to worry about matching.

"Pick one shade for BOTH the wood and brick. It will make the house appear bigger and less choppy."

Why on earth would she paint the brick?

It's beautiful as-is and practically zero-maintenance. If you paint the brick, the owner is going to have to keep up that paintjob too.

PLEASE don't paint the brick. It's beautiful. :)

If you're just looking to change the color of the white wood trim and garage, then that's a different story. I like the white quite a bit, but I can see why you might want a color. You could go with something to complement the pink blooming tree on the side, or perhaps something that's mid-century ranch-y. Maybe a deep turquoise/peacock blue-green type of color?

I'd also explore your neighborhood to check out colors you like. And don't be afraid of knocking on the door and asking them what they used. As long as they aren't right next door, they probably won't mind a copycat in the neighborhood. :)

I have the same impression as the first two commenters and think it looks ok as is, and will echo the others to not paint the brick.

I'm not sure, what style you're looking for but a light gray might help make the home look more modern, or a birght color to compliment the brick.

Like this one maybe?
http://www.shutterstock.com/pic-311159.html

When we purchased our home it had multi-coloured brick, white stucco, orange trim, brown siding and a gray base. It also had a black railing and was so busy to look at it hurt my eyes! I painted the brick, the stucco and the siding all the same colour, added a wide white trim around the windows and left a few black accents. It looks amazing and very contemporary. I would paint your brick (Home Depot has a great paint for brick and stucco), siding and garage door all one colour. I would then paint the stucco the same colour but only a few shades lighter and would do the window trims in black. I would paint the front door a bright colour to contrast the rest.

Paint everything egg plant color---also the trailer! Ad all the brass sparkle you can---mail box, door kick plate, house numbers, whatever you can find, even something on the garage door, like a set of house numbers. Paint the underroof of the porch and the down spouts.
Then paint the window frames the blackest black you can find at the paint store, high gloss finish.
It will look so smart and rich and when that tree blooms next year it will be simply high style to die for :-) !

I agree with Lisa. A house in my hometown had the same type of brick/woodwork you have, but when the brick was painted, it looked unified and wonderful, like an entirely new house. I think that would be the way to go.

I'd vote for a dark cream or khaki, like some of the whites that were blogged yesterday. Any darker and it looks like you'd be blending in too much with the house next door.

Follow Up---do not paint the brick eggplant color please.

I am totally pro-brick painting. I know that there are many brick purists, but painted brick can look so great. No real suggestions for colors though.

Definitely paint the brick. Make it chic. I'm nowt a fan of painting all brick, but these are sorta meh.

http://www.coxpaint.com/store/cart.php?target=category&category_id=334

i would paint the brick and wood :stone 05
the shutters, garage door: stone 01
the front door: water 04

or brick and wood:leaf 03
shutters, garage door: stone 01
front door: water 01

what if you painted all the brick a cream color and the shutters, door and garage door a shade between brick red and barn red?

As someone with a painted house, I can't imagine painting a maintenance-free surface like brick. You'll just be making work for yourself. There are plenty of colors that would look great with the brick.

Dunn Edwards has a great Ranch color card available for order for free with great inspiration ideas. I would go with a shade of green.

http://www.dunnedwards.com/retail/content.asp?content=183

hot pink with neon green stripes! fuck the homeowner's association!

I love the dark window frames and muntins with the brick. I'd probably remove the shutter-esque paneling on either side of the window on the projection and then use two or three shades of a dark taupey-green color to add some texture. A darker shade on the gutter and eaves over the projection, echoed with the same color on the recessed front door and garage door, and then a lighter shade(s) on the lower eaves, gutter and painted facade areas.

I like the look of painted brick, but why would you create more maintenance for yourself when the brick looks fine as-is?

My ideas: leave the shutters white, paint the wood a denim kind of blue, replace or paint the doors (front & garage) with a medium grey.

If you want to start small, you could leave the white and paint the front door either a bright color (sunshine yellow maybe) or a glossy black to tie in with the window mullions. Then bring in some brightly colored pots with plants to add color without commitment.

Straying off the original question a bit, you could add interest and texture to the front of the house with some great landscaping. Less lawn and more plants. Then the white might not feel so bland and instead feel like a calm backdrop to the texture and color created by the plants.

If the color of brick under the shutters on the far window isn't different from the rest of the house (from sun fading) you might consider removing the shutter to modernize and tie with the other 2 windows.

And I agree with the advice to not paint the brick. Once it's done you can't go back (or at least it's EXTREMELY difficult), and you don't want that maintenance.

Please don't paint the brick. It's gorgeous and its timeless.

The dark windows make the house look modern but the shutters give a mixed message. I suggest removing the shutters to make the house look more cohesive. You might decide to keep the color.

I would also paint the door a bold color. Maybe Eggplant, or Navy.

I agree, color the bricks. Also, do something with the roof and the windows.

Remove shutters. Paint wood areas and garage green-grey about the same color value as the reddish brick and going up or down one shade on any trim. This will lengthen the house, or at least not shorten the width. Shiny black on the door. Wait a year. If you don't like the look then paint the brick and gutters one shade darker. Some brick is like some wood - ugly.

I just had my house (brick and all) painted and I'm very happy with it! Still need to put the shutters back on though...

http://janiebaby.blogspot.com/2008/08/new-house.html

Hey, paint the white parts glossy black or navy blue!!! But, please remove the shutters. Then put up white lights during the holiday season, and red flowers in summer and fall

Paint the brick, paint the brick! Here in Europe, it is particularly popular in Belgium and the Netherlands to paint the brick -- a nice white or off-white would be gorgeous. I think it would set off your windows beautifully, and allow you to remove the decorative shutters. Then, follow up with some interesting house numbers (Neutra maybe?) and light, and it'll be very handsome and chic.

I would keep wall and brick as is but paint window trim, door and door trim black. I might also try a blueish grey or olive color for underneath the roof.

Paint the brick--find a color and pick two closely related shades. Like others said, realize that there will be maintenance involved. I personally don't like brick, and find some of the most beautiful brick homes to be the ones in DC in Georgetown that were painted white and are now chipping--absolutely gorgeous. Adorable house.

If you don't want to paint the brick, then paint everything else the same color as the brick. Right now, the white highlights the disjointed architecture. You don't really want to play up the garage door and the faux shutters and the awkwardly shaped entry, which is what contrasting color will do.

Seriously, I think that whatever color you end up painting it, you should mix in at least a little bit of paint that's the color of the brick. Not necessarily enough to notice, but enough to just make it "feel" right. Even if you use something like a grey or a green or something, put some of that brick color in it, and it will just feel better.

I have to say that the shutters on the right side are probably there so that some of whatever color that's on the left gets acknowledged across the front, so the right part isn't out there by itself, so I would NOT get rid of them.

I really don't hate the white though. But I wish the trailer could go elsewhere so that the horizontal stuff that the garage door is doing could go ahead and echo that horizontal thing on the shutters.

I think you shouldn't paint the brick, that's why I suggested a shade of green earlier because it's a compliment of the red.

thanks for all the comments and suggestions!

my house hasnt been painted in 20 years and in person it looks it.. sorry to lead any of you on, haha. we will be keeping the brick and will try pressure washing them, without nasty chemicals, to get them looking their best..

(curtis) my mom tells me the same thing all the time about adding a bit of colored paint to your base color. how itll just make it "match" that much better. totally makes sense. my husband isnt sold on the idea though. and, ugh, i do agree that trailer should find a new home.

I'd go with leaving the brick as is, it suits the house and is light enough to not be depressing. I would see about replacing the doors with something that has paneling of sorts (both of them) and replace the shutters by a pair that has the same paneling so they give a more uniform idea. Keeping them white though.
Then, I'd paint the window frames black (if they aren't already) and pick a fresh colour for the white wall bit. Can be a new coat of white or something that pops. I'm partial to a purplish colour to go with the gorgeous blooming tree (I have a thing for purple and pink together).