Once you paint the brick you can never go back. Paint the shutters for sure, black is popular, I prefer a dark navy blue just to be a little different, if the rest of the trim needs paint do that, but your brick looks fine. Paint the front door so it pops, maybe new door hardware. Then put some money into the landscaping. Your grass looks tired and needs edging and those trees are a bit overwhelming.

Beautiful setting!!! Lovely mature trees! Local nurseries will often give low cost/no cost landscape design advice.

The house would look great with a fresh coat of paint in a light brown or mauve color. Also, consider removing the shutters. I'm noticing that they're not as popular with clients nowadays.

No.....Don't paint the brick!!

Don't paint the brick, and have those trees that are right next to the house taken down, and the stumps ground out. I can only imagine the damage the roots are doing to your foundation, and a strong windstorm could bring them down right on your family.

I want Margo's path to my front door!!!!!!!!!

No......Don't take down the trees!!

Instead of just taking a hatchet to the trees near the house, get a certified arborist to come and tell you 1) are the trees healthy or do they have any disease, infestations, etc. 2) are they a danger to the home such as roots damaging foundations and plumbing, or hazardous because of dropping branches or likely to come down on the home during a storm.

Since you chose to move into a place with mature trees, you should get them checked every 3-4 years. A certified arborist will know how to thin the canopy so your lawn will actually grow instead of being patchy and they'll do it so you can't even tell the trees have been trimmed. They'll take out any dead wood that might fall and hurt someone, and let you know if anything develops that might impact your home such as a termite or carpenter ant infestation.

Getting trees trimmed can save you a LOT in the long run by preventing problems like downed trees on the roof. My place was the only one in my neighborhood that didn't get damage from Hurricane Katrina because we'd had the fellow there trimming them 2 weeks before the storm hit. Everyone else in my neighborhood had damage from downed branches and trees.

Everyone has a different opinion, but I think painted brick here would be wonderrful - sort of french country. A pale warm neutral like bm collingwood with bm kendall charcoal shutters and off-white trim to pull in the white aluminum windows - you've got a really light roof and that is why painting is a good idea. A roof should not be lighter than the house - that is what makes it feel so low to the ground.

White like bm snow on the mountain or bm mascarpone . . . a gray front door - but lighter than shutters - maybe bm storm ... good luck and congratulations!! gorgeous woods . . . love the suggestion re the path thru them . . .

You have a beautiful midcentury ranch. Embrace it.

Yay, Jessica!! Words of wisdom!!

Depending on your budget, a front porch that came out from the front wall with roof form over it would do a lot to create an inviting face on the home.

Cryin' at the mere thought of chain saws!!!!

We have similar situation and as I explored options and can upon Lime wash. You can achieve a similar look is to use a limewash. “Limewash is a mixture of slaked lime and water that, as it dries, reacts with carbon dioxide in the air carbonating creating a tough, “rock” like coating.” SourceLimewash has been around for centuries. Search Houzz for photos of lime wash. I find it very pleasing alternative to painting.

also posted same on another similar problem. Regarding the trees---Don't be influenced by the tree huggers posts. I am looking at xxxthousands in repairs because of large oaks too close to the foundation. First rule protect the foundation and the house tree are nothing more than big acorns.

Be logical not emotional.

While I like the limewash idea, I wouldn't touch the brick and save your budget for that beautiful stone path and keeping your trees maintained.

Here are some other suggestions:

--Take the shutters off altogether. Your style house doesn't need them.

--Paint the white trim a greige/taupe.

--Right now, the entrance is a dark cave. Paint the front door a beautiful turquoise and put out some turquoise chairs and large colored planters in the entryway.

You really do have a lovely brick color. It just needs a little help. Shingling your home with a soft black shingle, and painting your shutters with a matching soft black paint would make your home look awesome. In addition, painting the cross bars in the windows with one of the hues in the brick would be a much better choice than the white. Margo's path idea would definitely complete the look. Please don't paint the brick until you give something like this a try. =)

Love the trees too but high winds will take them down for you.

I would not paint the brick. You currently have a lovely no maintenance material don't mess with a good thing. Paint the shutters and doors then call an arborist. I love trees but it is unwise to have such large trees so close to the house. One the trees are taken care of a curved slate pathway and landscaping. Your house it actually very nice looking - the landscaping just needs work.

Completely agree with everyone saying don't paint the brick!! I'd add some night lights and potted plants in the entry courtyard, then call a landscape company to create a welcoming front yard/pathway.

Devote your brick painting budget instead toprofessional beautiful shade landscaping and hardscaping. Yes to the stone path! Yes to greige trim. Put a light colored door on the porch--yellow or light turquoise, and two painted chairs in that color on the porch.