Weathered Wood for the shingles (Google Timberline HD shingles). If you plan to replace the siding across the front of the house, I think a slightly wider plank would work best. As to color on the house, choose your roof then select something in the tan/cream family with yellow/brown undertones, not pink/red undertones. I would also go with a medium value.

If you want simple try adding some colored flowers or flower pots that have a pop of color ..

Thanks! I'm inclined to replace the siding with a different design altogether - maybe cedar shingles (pic 1) or else a flat front with a beam design (pic 2)? In an ideal world where money is no object, I'd actually open it up with just beams (pic 3), but that's probably not in the budget right now.

Can you explain what you mean by a "medium value"? I'm afraid I'm entirely new to this whole renovation thing...

LOVE your little brick bungalow!!!! I have one too, but mine is the red brick. Same issue finding trim colors. Took me forever.

I think even if you didn't use the cedar shingles...I love that color with your brick.

If you want, get some samples from your favorite paint store & try different shades & combinations on the back of the house. No one else will see it.

But...I have seen houses in my town that clearly had done this on the side of their house & changed shades here & there until a certain group or set of colors were finally selected. It's totally obvious they were testing colors. People do it all the time. Everyone knows you're not turning it into a clown house! hehe

Great ideas! Particularly like the last one. Your pictures offer some good color choices as well.

Our tan brick house has burgundy trim, house numbers, and wrought iron window/door covers. We like the combination very much.

Excellent - remove that plastic siding. You will find some nice detailing. There should not be clapboard in the gable over the porch. Vertical boards are more appropriate. You will find them underneath. Just sand down the wood and repaint it. The original wood should last many more years. Why even consider adding new wood siding when you have it under the plastic? No need to waste money and more wood.

you need a brown roof and ivory trim. get color with porch furniture and big colorful flower pots. nice house.

I think that, if you went with a light color on the trim, and a brown shade that matches the darker brick on whatever surface you replace the siding with, that it will look nice. I agree a brown toned roof would also look good

Personally, I really like the direction of your first inspiration pic in the comment you made - the pic with the "sold" banner. The warm wood with the dark lines of the roof (even though it's snow covered you can see it's dark) would really make that lower dark brick "pop" more, I think.

I think of the three pics you posted there, that's the nicest choice for the brick you have, a dark roof to bring out the darker brick below and the pop of warm wood. I just said "warm wood" lol. Oh, it's late.

Beautiful bungalow and you seem to be on the right track with your ideas for sure.

Altering the landscape is a fast and a fairly inexpensive way to boost up that curb appeal! By adding an ornamental tree and a few blooming shrubs and perennials is easy and will maximize the house's character!

I'd also suggest to plant in mass groupings, right now these shrubs are planted far apart. It is stronger when they are planted in groups. I attached a photo explaining what I mean by that. Good luck!!

I think that if you went with something like BM Grenada Green, perhaps even adding a bit of extra black into it to "grey it down" a bit, and bright cream trim, it would be beautiful. I agree that the roof should be brown - perhaps in the tone of your door or one shade darker. You don't want it so dark that it is the predominant feature or that it attracts the heat in the summer. Good luck. It is a lovely home.

OldHouseGuy - the after photo is amazing! The color combo would be perfect for this home. You should post a photo here.

Thanks to everyone for all this input! This is my first purchased home, so all of these decisions are brand-new to me. How exciting to think there might actually be useful detail under that ugly siding! Thanks for the roof color guidance too, and I love the ideas to add color with plants and furniture.

I have a similar style house with beige/yellow brick. I had the porch painted a brick red, with the gables and overhang in a tan/taupe color with a cream on the larger areas. https://maps.google.com/maps?psj=1&bav=on.2,or.r_qf.&bvm=bv.83339334,d.aWw&biw=1280&bih=694&dpr=1&um=1&ie=UTF-8&q=2161+Winston+Avenue,+Louisville,+KY&layer=c&z=17&iwloc=A&sll=38.219017,-85.680125&cbp=13,332.0,0,0,0&cbll=38.218784,-85.679967&sa=X&ei=VmCyVI32BsX_yQTS0IKIBw&ved=0CB4QxB0wAA&output=classic&dg=brw

I think the combination of colors oldhouseguy shows in his link for removing siding is gorgeous and a bit more adventuresome altho' all the suggestions are nice. Good luck and hope you love your new home.

Congrats, very nice home! I'm glad you aren't considering painting the brick, that's not usually a great idea, especially if it's in good shape. The roof should be a light color for two reasons: it's eco-friendly (reflecting light, especially nice in summer--keeps the house cooler) and the actual color of the house will be complemented.

The color on it now (if in good shape) can stay and then you can add the trim color to give it a little pop. Your idea of green would work, just be sure it's the right one--a mellow green which actually has a warmer tone in it to go with the siding color. Bring a sample to a trusted paint expert, they can help you with the right color.

Since the brick on this home has some interesting detail, I would be hesitant to paint the brick as the detail will be lost. Besides a neutral tan color is a popular color right now.

I love your house! I like your cedar shingles idea. It pulls out the architectural lines of the home. I'd get a designer's input on the roof coloring to compliment the cedar shingles. Then add color in your gorgeous front yard.

Very cute place! I love the design already present in the brick. Remember roofs are expensive and semi-permanent whereas paint is cheap and easy to do yourself...make sure it goes with the brick. If you like green, go with green...just a different shade than your neighbor. My neighbor used a forest green with a dark stained cedar which I thought would look dated but it looks great. The dark brown in the accent bricks could be used in the gable with forest green trim. i also like the maroon suggestion.

What a great house! Those brick colors are tricky though - I see your point about wanting to add color. The problem is the amount of gray tone in the yellow brick, as well as having the contrasting darker brick already worked into the foundation. A sage green could be a nice light complimentary color, while finding a paint that matches the dark brick would provide a nice contrast for that.

You might consider replacing the clapboard style siding with fish scale cedar shingles. It would look nice in sage green with the darker reddish/brownish color as trim. In the front gable, you could paint the fish scales sage green, the trim brown, and then paint some of the fish scales in the center in the same brown design that you see in the brickwork below.

If you choose a dark trim, be sure to paint all the windows, eaves and even the drain pipes to match. If you have open eaves under the front, paint the ceiling a lighter color (maybe a buttermilk color to match the brick) and just use the dark to define and accent. You need a dark trim color to define and pop the windows, whereas using the sage green will make them recede and look like holes. The definition will help remove the feeling that it's boring and needs sprucing up.

If you really don't want to use green, try finding a stain to match your front door and use that on your fish scales. You'll still want something other than white to paint your trim - if you google bungalow trim colors you'll find tons of different combinations that will work well. If you pin down one color you can add that to your google search and see what pops up.

I also meant to comment on landscaping. The front looks like it is pretty shady - there are lots of hostas that have gold tones to them that would cover all the brown mulch, stay low enough to show off the brick design and still brighten the space. Pretty cheap and very low maintenance.

What a beautiful bungalow! There's a book called "Bungalow Colors: Exteriors" by Robert Schweitzer, available from Amazon, that goes into detail about Brick & Paint color combinations for Arts & Crafts Era bungalows. Might be helpful!

Love the colors in the "after" photo from Old House Guy!

Trim color on entire house---dark coffee brown to match highlighted brick contrasting the blonde brick
In gable--cedar shakes to match stain on front door

It would be dramatic because of contrast, but still neutral enough to add color in porch furniture, landscaping,etc.

Some ideas, like the charcoal in first pic, could still keep windows

If you go with charcoal, add lots of red in your plantings, looks amazing. Your house will stand out and be different from boring green and beige lol

Thanks again to everyone! We're going with Timberline HD shingles in Barkwood for the roof. Closing is tomorrow, and then we can start poking around at things like tearing off that siding. Exciting!

your home is great, except the porch cover/roof line. a new roof design over the porch whether modernized or historic could add amazing aesthetic value without affecting the main home.

What a great house! Glad you're not painting the brick. I would add install dark grey shingles and enhance your front door with natural wood siding. I'm also leaning towards dark grey trim. Obviously, you would have bigger planks but this house just gives an idea on an exterior with tan bricks and stained wood siding:

I would use dark brown paint and shingles to balance the bottom of the house and bring attention to the brickwork design. But I would be tempted to use a brighter color on the windows, but not white.

I would love to know what you ended up deciding for your house. I have recently purchased a very similar brick bungalow with the same tan brick and darker brick foundation. We are currently having the same exterior color scheme debate as you had a few years ago. Would be great if I could get some advice!