I wouldn't paint the brick. I would remove all the shutters and store for possibly adding later, but in a different color than currently. The wood siding could go much darker in the tan/brown color range. Many people have already suggested taupe. That would work well. Your front door and sidelight panel need new colors. I would eliminate white as color choices! If your window frames can be painted - I would use black or the taupe color. If you also incorporate an updated landscaping scheme, you could make a world of difference. The current setup is dating the property even more so than the house colors.

Remove the railings on the front porch, and replace the columns with ones of greater heft (they could also just be surrounded with wood pieces like a box. I think the heft will complement your home more. A friend of mine took off her front railings and it looks so much better!

Remove the shutters and see if that helps the look.

then paint the front door a color that will pop with those bricks - like turquoise. then put a couple of colorful chairs, a table and some planters on that front porch so it looks more inviting/comfy.

Try simple updates like that before you go hog-wild with painting things like brick that will require a long term commitment to upkeep. Possibly paint that siding in the front above the porch: maybe match or compliment the door color. But don't add more taupe as I saw suggested above. It's a boring color that will not make your home stand out.

don't paint the brick!!! Paint the siding and the trim to freshen it up but leave the brick alone. Think of it as a "period house". It has a classy elegant look; embrace it! Nobody is re-painting the White House cause it needs "updating".

German mortar smear or German Schmear is the technique used on Fixer Upper. The second photo below is what Chip Gaines did. It was a lovely solution but very old world. I think the columns here would work for you too.

Don't paint the brick!

Paint the brick white, paint the shutters and door black or charcoal grey. Paint the siding white as well. You can try grey samples but keep some contrast between the siding and the roof.

I agree- don't paint the brick! remove the shutters and maybe paint the house a slate blue? I disagree that a taupe would work, I think you need a color to contrast with the brick.

Don't paint the brick. Use the "messy mortar" look. It will hide some of the brick color. The main thing is not to do the "trendy thing", it will soon be out of style and you will be back to the original problem of looking out dated. I am not sure why everything has to look "in style", because "out of style" is hiding around the corner!

First, you never, never, ever paint exterior brick. That brick is beautiful! What you do is change the color of the home.

Change your front door to French Doors adds light inside.

Painted the trim around the door to square it off~

Make small changes before you do your brick

They make a style for your house. Good Luck

I would stain the house a darker color. Also replace the posts on the porch to something more contemporary, more solid. They look too small. Paint the shutters black and keep the front door red. White paint or something not so yellow for the house color.

Wow, dditto, you certainly are getting a lot of suggestions. Paint the brick, don't paint the brick. Keep the shutters, remove the shutters. Keep the tree, nix the tree. So here's what I might do:

Remove the shutters ( for now). Whitewash the brick. Paint the door and sidelights black or charcoal. Step back. If it begs for shutters, paint them the same color as the door and put them back, except for the large window. Beefier porch posts would also be a plus. Let us know what you decide . Good luck.

Paint it!! Whitewash always look great over redish brick with brown/redish roof. Don't be afraid! You have no idea how many compliments I've gotten on painting our brick!

Update the color of your outdoor fixtures (spray paint) and remove the shutters. Try flower boxes under the windows instead.

If the brick has a "course" surface as opposed to a "glazed" surface, you can paint it without worry of peeling. Just be sure your painter washes the surfaces first with a mild acid/water solution 25/75, 33/66, uses a masonry primer first then the top coat-color, and use PPG paint. Sherwin Williams, or any of the big box store products just are not worth a $Hi+ any more.

I suggest painting the brick with latex paint - as long you use the correct paint moisture will not be trapped in the brick. Using paint that can trap moisture can created flaking paint or spalling brick when the moisture cant escape.

Then you can go with any color pallet you like. The columns are a bit thin and the shutters are improperly sized, and on the arch top windows they are also improperly shaped.

Good luck.

Here are some close ups of the brick! It's awful! I've tried power washing to get the "rust" look out, but no better. I do not want a black and white house........I like the chunky pillars idea and new front door. I am having a hard time with the white wash and dark grey because the roof is dark brown and to me it wouldn't look good. Still pondering......

Trying again, not so black and white. Whitewashed brick with blue trim? Sage trim?

We had to deal with the same type of dilemma. Our ranch midcentury home has ugly brick on part of the front façade which is typical of that era. The rest of the home was sided in wide white cement siding that the previous owners had painted. It was peeling and looked so awful. anyway, We did not want to paint the brick and resurfacing would cost 5 to 10 thousand so that is out for now. We chose to leave the brick as is and sided it with dark brown/taupe that matches the frame color on our new windows and coordinates with the new roof (gray/brown). We figured that the rest of the house needed a bolder color to counteract that brick and it worked! The brick, much like yours just retreated. What a relief. I still don't like the brick color but will live with it for a year before we make any decisions. I think landscaping will also help. Good luck.

I know many folks are anti-paint, but it really does alter the appearance of a house drastically. This is my neighbor's house across the street, before and after-

if you have a hard time with the combination of a grey paint and your brown roof, I would suggest a griege also known as a warm grey.

https://www.sherwin-williams.com/homeowners/color/find-and-explore-colors/paint-colors-by-family/SW6073-perfect-greige/#/6071/?s=colorStrip_242&p=PS0

if you look through the color strips, many of the greys look more beige, which may work better than a cool grey with your roof.

Based on your photo of the brick, here are some color suggestions from Sherwin Wms. The first column looks like some possibilities worth testing out,

Do not paint the brick! Change the other colors, beef up the posts, and get professional landscaping! Those little shaped plants and hedges greatly detract from your home. Your home is VERY nice, neat, lovely setting.

Take a drive through some nice neighborhoods and take note of the landscaping. I love looking at homes! I started noticing that it was the landscaping that really sets a home apart from the others!! I rarely see the roof color or the door style....they are not as important in the overall picture.

I think the brick is fabulous; why you would want to paint over it is beyond me! I would paint the shutters dark blue or black, and perhaps a slate blue for the siding. More robust columns for the porch would definitely help. White trim, keep the porch white also. Deep color for the front door, black or very dark blue, will look great against white trim.

you can also stain brick which does not require maintenance long term. Google it for photos. Currently building a house and this is an option that was suggested by the architect.

Definitely try painting siding (griege or moody blue), shutters (black) before painting brick. I don't like the idea of painting the brick. New double front doors in black or just paint existing doors to see how you like the look. Paint is always cheaper and can be changed. Take shutters off front window on the porch. Spend your money on new posts without railing and dynamite landscaping. Place a couple rockers on the front porch and large urns at the front door with seasonal flowers. Step back and see how you like it. I did not notice any light fixtures on your porch but that would be a great option to add.

Another don't paint the brick. Change the siding, the colour of the shutters, remove the shutters, install a new front door... move... but please don't paint the brick. As a buyer, I'd never buy a house with painted brick. The whole point of brick is that its low maintenance! Everytime I see a house with painted brick, I cry a bit.

You may also consider stucco the house to give it a completely new look, with any color you like!

At first I thought you should leave the brick and just change the colors of the siding and shutters, but after seeing the close up of the brick I would paint it too. :) I love the look of painted brick. I suggest you drive around town and look for painted brick houses that you like, and use them for your color inspiration.

I would definitely look at SW's Perfect Greige as one choice that could work with your brick (don't paint it!) and roof.

I would paint the siding the darkest color in the brick, do shutters in medium tone and trim in lightest tone, but do the house dark.

I agree with the other posters who say not to paint your brick. I think a mid tone paint to coordinate with your brick would bridge the gap between the brick and dark brown roof. I'd stay in the taupes or beiges. I would remove the shutters as well-they don't add anything to the house's curb appeal. I think a dark stained wood front door would be beautiful on your house. Getting rid of the stiff shrubbery and replacing it with more layers of grasses and free form plants will also go a long way toward updating the house. Good luck with your project and please post pictures of your finished project!

I would paint the siding the darkest color in the brick, do shutters in medium tone and trim in lightest tone, but do the house dark.

Are the sides and back of house brick or siding? The brick on our house was an ugly peach/pink color. We painted it over 10 years ago and it looks the same today. We painted on this gritty stuff first before we painted.

I saw a very cool technique used on "Fixer Upper" with Chip and Joanna...I can not remember the name, but it was essentially a weatherproof plaster treatment which is put over the bricks and wiped off, leaving parts of the bricks exposed, and parts look like old worn plaster... Very good looking!

Thanks for all the feedback!! Ok, here are a few ideas I like and need to know if this would all pull together? I am thinking white wash or stain brick a neutral warm color? I really like a nice solid dark wood door and shutters, minus porch. For the porch I like bigger columns. I like window boxes under garage Windows. Siding color to be similar shade of neutral of brick, maybe a little darker. Back and sides of house is entirely siding. Thoughts? Suggestions? Here are some inspiration images.

I would change all other, and leave the brick alone. If you update the door, remove some of the shutters as someone else mentioned, change siding and roof. You may find that the brick isn't so bad. I'd go for a dreamy brown roof.

I like your thoughts on the change. I think it's worth getting a few bricks that seem to have as much contrast as yours do and do a "test run".

Do not paint the brick. Just my opinion. I agree with the comments that tell you to get rid of the shutters and 'beef up' the woodwork. Replace the deck posts and railings with timber frame elements and go bold with the colour on the upper part of the house. If you can, think about changing the size of the windows on what is the left side of the photo. Part of the reason you might be bored with the look is that the segments of the house are simply too symmetrical. Same goes for the one level right side of the house. If that's one room, perhaps larger windows will open it up and change the outside appeal. If you like the look of timber, you could also trim your windows in the same wood, making them pop out a bit more because the frame on your current windows is much smaller than what's available now. I agree with getting rid of the tree, but perhaps move it out into the front yard and create some sort of multi-level, but moderate height green space/garden that will make the house look less severe. Good luck.

I am like you, I have always wanted to paint my brick which is a little like yours only with less color variation. We painted our our shutters and trim last year a color that was a nice contrast to our brick and we've added landscape, I couldn't believe the difference it has made.

I'd do that first, unless you are going to stay in your home a long time or you just want to spend the extra money. I agree with the others who suggest doing more with your front door, shutters and columns to bring out the beauty of your home.

I too love the white washed or German Smear look. So if you decide to paint go for it! I'm not sure you are going to get the look you are after with white wash or German Smear though, just because of your original brick color. A solid color first might work better. Or just a solid color for your home might work better. Then you have long-term maintenance issues. You have a beautiful home.

If you want to paint the brick then do it. I would not whitewash it. Just paint it the same color as the siding.

I do not like the porch posts and I would change them. You have an elevated porch and it may be a code violation to have no railing. Look into that before you decide.

Here is a nice example of brick and siding painted the same color.

The German shmear done on Fixer Upper by Chip Gaines is classic and timeless. Painting is not. Someone posted a picture previous. The larger Porch columns are a must.

I agree!

Bricks and mortar need to breathe. It's an important structural thing. I wouldn't paint, unless the brick is unsightly. Even then, you need special paint for bricks, or natural limewash. There are recipes on the net, and instructional videos.

I think the color of the shutters is really not doing the brick any favors at all. I'd definitely try removing them and some of the smaller changes like repainting the siding (which is also not the right shade for the bricks) and the trim and see how you like it. Right now it looks like the shutters are bringing out a lot of orange tones in the brick and you can totally down play the orange just by pairing with the right colors on siding and trim.

You may still decide you want to do something with the brick, but that is not a small project to do properly so I would try other steps first. It is very difficult to un-paint brick without damage if it doesn't turn out how you like.

HI! I suggest painting the brick a warm, light sage green - make sure you use the best paint for brick and follow the directions for using it. I would remove the shutters on the porch window and the three windows above the porch. Remaining shutters should be brown, but not as dark as the roof and not reddish. Window trim and the porch columns and rails could match the shutters. Beefed up columns for the porch and a new door would be great if it's in your budget. If you can, move the tree to the other end of the house, not blocking any windows.

I'd love to know what you ended up choosing!

don't change brick color, change your trim and shutter colors, add in a blue gray and white. It will save you money and give you a new look!

Loved reading all this! So what did you end up doing?