What kind of advice are you looking for? If you ask specific questions, it's easier for someone to answer.

Double doors with glass panels on the side, replace columns with single bigger column on each side to open up the entry.preferably white.

Color for doors and shutters black,deep burgundy, dark grey or go white.

I love this house! But, it seems like there is so much space between the tops of the windows and the roof - I would think about some sort of front porch, and using bigger columns.

Why paint the brick? Once you paint it, you have more maintenance.

My suggestion is to paint the shutters cream, keep the door color you have, remove the tall bushes in front of the windows, and put some color in the landscaping.

Round columns would look nice if they are in proportion, and not toothpicks or too heavy for a ranch.

It is a beautiful home. So many houses have exteriors that look hodge podge or out of balance.

I'm writing this out of curiosity. I just confirmed by checking your profile posts, that you have started, beginning in April, 8 posts with the same picture and dilemma. Are you doing this to jump start your dilemma, to get a fresh take from Houzz? I'm willing to be corrected, if I misread your profile. Is there some sort of advice/attention you feel you are not getting? Houzz posters just want to help.

Agree with olentangyhs above. Go French! I would paint the brick cream and the shutters in a dreamy blue/green/gray. Front door could match the shutters or you could bring in a beautiful wood stained front door. Lovely home!

You have a truly lovely home, congrats. You don't have to do anything complicated to make it shine.

Shutter inspiration photos. Benjamin Moore Cromwell Gray might be a nice colour choice. White Dove OC-17 for all trim.

I like the entryway in the first photo. If you painted all the trim and the door itself a warm white, your entry would look larger.

Do the columns actually need replacing or just repair?

Don't paint the brick, in my opinion that devalues your home.

Call an arborist to trim all the trees, especially the pair flanking the entry. Have the bushes under the front windows pruned so you can see the trim.

I would say that your home is a Greek revival style. Personally, I love painted brick. I would paint the brick an off white, and the shutters a couple of shades darker than the house, a monochromatic look. I would change out the four smaller columns to two larger columns. So one large column on either side. I would stay with the Corinthian columns, just larger. There's is an awkward space between eaves and windows, and to fill this in a bit, I would replace the shutters with arch top shutters, to mimic the shape of the windows.

As for the front door, I would replace the door and side lights with 1 double door, paneled, no glass.

Your home is really, really charming and has potential for greatness! :) (So much easier to work with than our 1969 tri-level which has made huge strides!) Bette P has some wonderful pictures that would transition to your home easily. I love a white washed brick. I live in the suburbs of St. Louis, surrounded by many, many brick homes. So many are painted or whitewashed. The whitewashed is a stunning and elegant look. The area here is very wealthy (average home price is 800K) and I can tell you a painted or washed home is not going to lower the value. The most stunning homes are washed and yours would look great that way! Once you see the color of your home, then the colors for shutters may play out easier. I would always say black shutters are a safe bet, with a tan-ish being very elegant as well. We looked into shutters as ours need updating and replacing. Expensive if you are doing it right!! I was quoted 10-14K for wood ones. (We have a lot of windows.) Also, if you did the tan shutters a gorgeous soft mossy green trim on the window trim looks fantastic--if they are wood.) I would definitely change the two skinny pillars on each side to one heavier one on each side. Make sure they are set back enough to get the entrance feel as you approach. As a side note, I see the landscaping is symmetrical, which for this home is key. The bump out near the drive is fine (could be a bit shorter so you see the entrance and view is not obstructed) but the taller tree in it detracts from the approach to your home. The door color I think in this case should be same as the shutters. All the green and boxwood you have for landscaping is right on. I wish I could show you photos of the homes here! I really think your home washed will make the biggest difference--don't rule it out!

Personally, your house looks nice, and if you want to change the door, they make some beautiful doors with glass maybe beveled glass, the way I see it there is a pattern of arch decor, which to me looks nice. I would just change the door and keep the original look as much as possible.

The brick looks nice the way it is. if anything just the door and maybe paint the shutters, white, which will give a new look, and brighter.

i agree with others find a nice shutter with color and front door. One column to see the front door would be nice. Don't paint the brick a house in my town had a red brick front and blue vinyl siding on the rest. looked good. Next owners went tan siding and white washed the bricks. looks horrible. Makes the brick look cheap and washed out. they have since sold it and no improvement on how the place looks.

Apple_Pie_Order She did ask questions about specific things!!! Get your Head out of the Pie!!!!!!!

I posted a comment on your original post.

Love the house. I did like the suggestion of the exterior trellises mentioned by Bette P. Especially if you plan to enlarge the front columns. Should you enlarge the columns alone without adding more weight to the windows it would make the windows look too small. As far as the color is concerned I could see a dark grey or black. This would tie in with the roof tiles and give the house a little more weight. You need to paint the shutters, door and other accents either very light or very dark to offset the brick color. Should the money permit replace windows with french doors leading to a front porch. The bricks look nice and I would not touch them.

Your house is a nice style. Take the first picture posted by Bette P (Stone Georgian) and use that as a reference. The color and style would work well for your home. The large columns on either side of the door lend more substance. You are right in thinking yours could be "beefier". The single front door looks fine - especially once you have the larger columns.

Whatever you do, DON'T PAINT THE BRICK. That would be a huge mistake for this home.

Please post after pics!

Too much space between the windows and roof line. The porch columns are too skinny. A full light entry door would definitely help.

try this on for size; if you have any questions about it, please feel free to ask

I would keep the brick unpainted. It is a nice brick and will look great with the right color shutter. . Start by changing the shutter color and paint that white trim around the front door a different color. I really like your house and I don't think you need to replace the columns. They look nice. I would try a dark charcoal color for shutters or a certain Green, or go French as suggested. Check out French decor on houzz.

In my opinion, painting the brick would be a mistake and a huge maintenance issue. You will have to have it repainted down the road. I also would suggest using arched shutters, that will be more appropriate for your windows. Before painting your brick, replacing the front door and columns, I would invest in good landscaping and pavers for your driveway. You'll have to do those things anyway, may as well start there and see what a difference it will make on your front yard.

paint your door a bright color

You've received some good advice here. Your house is lovely and I would not paint the brick because I do not think it will help with the bigger issues. I see a lack of cohesiveness & proportion between the various elements. A too small door & contrasting paint plus the many elements surrounding your front door are "front & center" issues. The Corinthian capitals seem out of place and the columns do appear too thin. The entry, too, makes the windows look insubstantial. Your plan to replace the door/sidelights with with stained wood double doors will be helpful, IMHO. However, the windows need the trim bulked up and some element to better connect the windows to the roof line. A budget friendly idea might be to use trellises along the sides and above the windows (not shutters.) Then, train a vine/climbing rose on those. Perhaps, by the door, you could then use a more substantial column, with the same vine trained on them, I prefer a square trellis pattern to the more common diamond shape.

I love plants and rarely suggest removing or cutting back a shrub. However, if your case, the two shrubs covering the inner two windows erase the windows and affect the symmetry of your house. I would move or trim them back.

Since your driveway is a prominent feature, I would pressure wash the drive and look into repairing the cracks. (We used a row of bricks to correct a crack in our drive and it added to our curb appeal.)

Are the various trims all wood or is that stone around the door? In the photo, the colors of door arch, columns and trims look slightly different? I would aim to match the color of those elements, or make any contrast look very deliberate.

Good luck!

Arched metal window trellises:

http://www.wayfair.com/Design-Toscano-Thornbury-Metal-Window-Trellis-FZ91579-L407-K~TXG5171.html?refid=TPNP49-TXG5171

http://www.ironaccents.com/23-dlg302.html?utm_source=googlepepla&utm_medium=adwords&id=81847069450&gclid=CjwKEAjw-ZqrBRDt_KjhjcbzhhISJAAlRGvlSdgJjDLOxLpnMzoa4c_P1T2pQzhsRm-0KsAsOQ4Y1RoCfSzw_wcB

Love the arched iron suggested. Also, you could add arches out of wood or composite wood. They are very common in that style of home. I do t know what you would call them but I live in a community with your style home and it is a very often used accent above windows to add architecture.

Could you send me a picture Beverly of what you are talking about

I will get a picture for you. It will take a few days as I will drive my neighborhood and take a picture with my iPad. Weather is terrible also so I will have to wait for a nice day. Am happy to help.

Susan Davis thank you so much for your input!!! I love the trellis idea. I couldn't open the link on wayfair.
You are right about the colors of trim, columns and door not matching. It drives me crazy. The door has wood around it not stone. Could you recommend where to find a door and specific paint colors for the door and trim and shutters?

Glad you like the trellis idea! On Wayfair site, search "Design Toscano Thornbury Metal Window Trellis". The arch trellis can be bought as a pair or individually. I noticed you had several double wood doors in Ideabooks--your best bet is to contact local door companies with examples of what you like. Big box stores like Home Depot/Lowes might help, too.

Paint, especially on the exterior, is a big decision. And, is also matter of personal taste.

Maria Killam is an online paint consult that offers help with exactly your dilemma.

http://www.mariakillam.com/consulting/exterior-colour-consultation/

https://ss157.infusionsoft.com/app/storeFront/showCategoryPage?categoryId=20

At a previous home, I had lots of green in my landscape, like you. I used a combination of Benjamin Moore Abington Putty, Providence Olive and Hancock Gray: Mahogany front door and black for wrought iron & light fixtures. This is still a favorite combination. The house had some siding along with brick. Abington Putty was used on the siding. Providence Olive on trim. Hancock Gray was used mostly as an accent.

Good Luck!! Hope you'll post photos of your progress :)

Ferris Zoe Design.....FAB!!!!

This is a Palladian house. LEAVE THE BRICK--it's 100% appropriate to American Palladians. You need to research Palladianism in the US. VERY little needs to be done (other than door and shutter color) on the front, but the landscaping should be appropriate to the house style rather than the current "generic traditional-esque" style.

I would be inclined to change out the door with sidelites for a double door because it's a bigger "action" and more appropriate to the style of the house. Right now, it looks oddly busy there.

Palladian is VERY formal and geometric, and the landscaping should reflect that.

your house of course but I wouldn't paint the brick. I think it's elegant. I would open up the landscape to make it feel airy. a big pot of flowers would add a pop of color as long as it doesn't block sight lines to door and windows

Hi. Sorry this took so long. I kept forgetting to take my iPad. I am attaching a number of houses that have these wood panels above windows that I mentioned several weeks ago.

Anything happening?