Fire place...home depot...stacked stone..beautiful.. best way...cement board attached to the wall by long tapcon screws, look for studs..( meaning grace work not men..lol ).
Then apply 400 to 700 PL glue. Good Luck
Marilyn ...from Redhouse Castle Estates

Staircase..easy and do able. Sand the stair areas you want painted. Make sure your threads are covered, while sanding and painting. Good Luck.
Marilyn.. from.. Redhouse Castle Estates

I would recommend not buying a home that you don't love. Renovating picture #1 to resemble picture #2 would be very expensive not that it can't be done. My recommendation would be to find a home builder in your area that could custom build a home that you would love and not a home that you settle for. Home is where the heart is.

The door, keep your eye open for a second hand store or website selling older doors, many people want modern now, so many second hand places may have want you want for a lot cheaper the having one ordered and made...Good luck
Marilyn.. Redhouse Castle Estates

How about covering the brick with stucco?

KKD

What caught my attention between the two pictures is that the second one's color makes it look bright and cheery while the first looks dark and sort of forboding. We have several brick homes in our area (tho not as large as those pictured) but I have always like what one homeowner did that really makes their house a shining star on the block. They pained the brick a creamy tanish white and then had the trim and shutters done in a dark brown. Maybe someone could photoshop the house into various color optins? But if that is not a solution, I agree with many others - don't buy a house you hate looking at!

ahall, you have certainly provoked the trolls!

I'm glad you bought this classic house, even if it's not perfect. I recently bought a house myself that isn't perfect, but so much about it is wonderful. Having that baby will definitely slow down the decorating pace, so pick a few projects that will make a good difference to you. Like many others, I vote for a change in the fireplace, and good landscaping. I'd turn to professionals who understand the design of a house like this, however imperfect.

If it were me, once I changed a couple of things, I'd concentrate on the baby. And on slowly choosing some furniture that will work in this home and in the dream house you hope for. Who knows, you may come to love it here! Meanwhile, don't try to make enormous changes. You'll be selling it to someone who loves colonial brick houses!

You need to both love whatever house you buy.

When I see all these comments and the OP had not responded in days, I wonder what has happened.
Did you get this home? Have you moved in?
Can we have an update please?

SandyC. Great comment. I wonder too!

The brick is beautiful. Maybe I am from a different generation (born in the 80s), but I think that home is just beautiful. That being said, if you don't like it personally, don't buy it. Someone else will absolutely fall in love with it, and no sense in changing something that drastically. Buy something you can love, it would be sad to see that style turned into something it's not meant to be. Good Luck!!

In my state a $650,000 house has a $20,000 annual real estate bill. Yes a $350,000 house has a $9500 tax bill. It's why we call it the People's Republic of Illinois.

Keep the house if it is in the very best school district. If not, move on.

Again, waiting to see if they actually bought the house.

The house has good lines, Its just to dark, Try stucco, you can make this place look great, Stow makes great products, If you did coin corners that look like big cut stone blocks you would get a Mannor House look.A lighter color will help If you like the local you can fix the House. Schools are the main thing,,.MASTER BUILDER

Happy to hear that you've gone with the 'old world' charm of the first house.... once you've worked out your interior designs, do hope you & your family will enjoy living in your new home :)

Just saw this post and it would be easy to change the entire feel of exterior with a few changes. White wash the brick, don't paint, gives a more authentic feel. Small porch along the front and remove the columns that area currently there and wide steps leading too door. It would open up the front door area quite a bit. The columns are too close to the front door currently. Darken up shutters as well. I put a small sketch together.

'Good luck!

Why should she come back when people have been rude, not paid attention to the additional comments she made and repeat poor advice?

Why not knock the house down and start over... sell the lot you purchased and use that money to redo this house if you love the neighborhood.

I don't mean to be bold, but I will be frank, that is the most ridiculous post I have seen in a long time, because I never met anyone being in this business and I have built almost 60 New Homes, I never met anyone who comes from an apartment and buys a house and hate everything about it and in it. Not to mention they own the lot to built a new house, but for now they will spend money on the house they hate and renovate everything inside until they built a new one.... and with every post it just gets thicker and thicker and it's time to get my rubber boots on :)

Your comparison of homes is apples and oranges. Never try and teach a pig to sing, it wastes your time and annoys the pig.....this house should never be converted to that house.

That home just needs some solid landscaping. Large hollies on the corners to balance the size of the home and a punch of color will go along way. Put a little lipstick on the girl and she'll shine.

Actually both homes have many of the same elements and actually I see in this house what your husband probably sees. I love it. Having said that, a couple should NEVER purchase a home that is not liked by both. Keep on looking. No matter what you put into that house to make it what you want it to be (and it will cost +++++$ wasted with a result neither of you like) you are going to call this 'baby' your house. You are never going to call it your home. That is what you need to be able to do.

Guys, the OP hasn't been heard from. We don't even know if they bought this home........

Just a thought - you might paint the brick? There are 2 good options. Classic white and install real wood shutters and proper shutter dogs. Paint those black. Plant 2 fast growing (Maples? But they have shallow root systems that after years will rise through the grass) trees, and put a pair of really large classic urns with red geranium and English Ivy on the front porch. Red Knockout roses along the front of the house, with boxwood in front of those. Classic Georgian architecture is symmetrical, so think pairs. A more updated approach would be to paint the brick cream and install proper wooden shutters and paint them a pale coastal blue or blue green. Look online at Daniel Island real estate pics and you'll see a lot of that color scheme right now. Look at Charleston pics to find painted brick homes. They often use white and a very dark green (about half black, half green mix) on the shutters. A splurge would be gas lanterns instead of electrical outdoor lamps (if you already have a gas line for the dryer or stove). Good luck! We bought a house I hated 20 years ago because my husband loved it and I've concentrated on the interior and my garden, trying to ignore the red brick transitional facade, but it will never feel like "home" for me. Wishing happiness and serenity for your whole family... That baby will be grown and gone before you know it so don't let the house or building a house distract you too much -

True, true. Just couldn't help myself. Hopefully they will agree to find some middle ground. All the best to them in their choices.

I was quickly reading through some of the comments and I wanted to warn you that I tried planting English ivy and letting it grow up the facade of the house. It was a nightmare to keep in check. It attaches with suckers to bricks, mortar and will ruin the wood trim on windows, etc. I had to painstakingly take it down, scrub off the residue with a steel brush, sand and repaint all the wood trim and windows. It took me two weeks one spring and I wouldn't wish that job on anyone. And lastly, I agree with the protester that said your house reminds me of Drayton Hall - it was my first thought when I saw it - and that is considered the finest example of Georgian architecture in the United States. It's being restored now. Take a peek online!

oops! Excuse me, I meant poster. The memory of that repair job addled me :). Etta, how can 18 years go so fast? From crib to college, it's a blur.

One last note, at Home Depot and Lowes you can buy balusters to replace the metal ones on your interior stairs. They have many different styles and it's a DIY project. If you choose traditional turned wood paint them before you install them, it'll save you lots of time and painter's tape.

I agree with you Kimberly 18 years, man... Have to say that I would never think of English ivy or any of those other 'fast grow' perenial vines. Have had my rounds with them as well. Gives you an understanding of why all those old 'ruins' exist in Europe. They were literally torn apart by those vines. I honestly prefer grapes or the hardy annual vines for use. Pays off big time in the long run. My other point of note when you talk plants is 'yarrow' beloved by so many but incredibly rampant when not well (and I mean Really well) contained. Actually having to gradually cut a yard out of an old farm yard in the prairies I have learned that when the nurseries and the seed catalogues say 'very hardy' you will have a whole lot of trouble with it. They are so hardy they will run rampant over everything and can be impossible to get rid of. But I digress....my apologies, this is about the house.

Thank you all so much for the comments!! I am wowed by all of the insightful and creative advice. Some have been asking if we bought the first house. So yes, we bought the first one and are so excited about it. I was not trying to change the first house into the second, I was simply trying to show my style vs. my husbands. The first house has actually grown on me and I like it more everyday. I like that brick requires less maintenance and is very traditional. I think maybe the poster who suggested I tend to like assymetrical design may be right. I think that is why I thought the first house looked too cookie cutter at first. My style tends to be very similar to the design found on the show Fixer Upper. I guess that is called rustic or farmhouse design. Initially when I looked at the first house I just wasn't sure how I could assimilate my style into it because of the appearance.

ahall, thank you for the update, and I hope you will be happy with the house. It really is a beautiful home as it stands, and you can personalize it with landscaping and your interior furnishings.

Congrats on your new home! The house you bought is lovely and has good proportions for its size. What I think your objection is: The dark brick is foreboding and the front entrance is not as welcoming as you would like.

You can do a technique on the brick called "German Mortar Smear Technique". A simple technique, it gives the brick an "old world" elegance to the architecture. Below are some pics found on Houzz.

Extend the porch to the left, so you can actually use it as an outside room with seating and plants. See the first pic below. I love the use of double columns spread out so as not to confine the entrance door. In this case, the columns are square, but round will work just as well.

I happen to like shutters on a house. With the German Smear, a lighter moss green would be a quiet detail.

Can't see the existing front door from the pic, but changing it to what you like will make you happy.

Without saying, landscaping can create anything you want. Do your research and narrow it down in pictures. I always find a "master plan" for the garden works best since I am not good at landscaping.

Now I realize I can try to make some minor changes and get some nice furniture to make it more like my style. The house we bought is also brand new, which is one of the reasons we bought it. It is in a very nice neighborhood and in the best school district. It is around 5000 sf and has an unfinished basement. The second house was also a house we looked at, but was built in 1994 and was around 6,000 sf. It was in a very rural area though and the commute to work would have been too long. It also was a maintenance nightmare and had all kinds of things that needed fixing. The one thing I loved about the second house was that it had beautiful custom features on the inside and had lots of charm. I loved the door, crown molding, beautiful ceiling detailing (which was different in every room), and the stairway had hand carved detailing on the side and railings. I like homes that have charm and character and that's another reason I think I had trouble with the first house. I think with some adjustments I can add this to our home.

We are going to make a list of things we want to change. I know for sure we will add nice landscaping and add a fireplace with mantle. I want to also change the door, add new light fixtures, add built in bookcases and paint the outside shutters and trim different colors to make it stand out more. We are also going to screen in the back deck and add an outdoor fireplace because my husband is all about that. I feel like the current paint colors make it blend together too much, so I want to fix them somehow. I would love to paint the brick or apply a German schmear technique, but I'm not sure my husband would go for that. He really does like the idea of painting the shutters black and making the trim white. I love the idea of extending the porch across and making the steps up to it broader. We are going to take it slow and do a little at a time. We don't want to change too much though because of the cost and the time it takes to do all of it. Decorating is going to be hard enough lol. We are very thankful to be able to live in such a nice house and will definitely not put renovations before family. We are going to focus our attention on each other and living each day to the fullest.

I'm so happy for you all, ahall. I think you will grow into this house, both literally and figuratively. I love turn-of-the-century architecture, Victorian being my favorite, so I'm a sucker for old-fashioned charm, too, but a weekend in a B&B in Savannah or Charleston gets me my "fix" and I come home happy and filled with romantic nonsense (which in real life is what a Victorian is - small rooms, a little dark, and not very livable. Truly, I love your new house. Over the years I've come to appreciate the discipline and practicality of an orderly architectural design. The floor plan of a Georgian will always make sense, and won't ever be "out". A classic never grows old and dated. You're on the right path, take it slow, spend money on a design for both landscape and house (explain you want a plan that you can do over time). If I'd done that I'd have saved a fortune in plants- I bought small and underestimated mature size so I've dug up more than half of what I planted. Plus, now that we have money for hardscaping I'm hemmed in by houses on either side and the ligustrum hedges I planted so we can't get equipment in and we had to dig the pool for the fountain by hand - ugh! Anyway, you're on the threshold of more than a new house, these will be the best years of your life. Enjoy!

Fixer Upper on HGTV is not my style but I love the show and their style! That is where I originally saw the German Smear. The thing I like best about their style is that they let the personalities of the owners shine, in the outcome of the project. I agree with you about painting out the stair white. It's too much going on for a big stair like that. The white is calming and classic. Think French country house! You are almost there and I bet you will love this home when you are done. Enjoy!

The biggest bang for the buck would be to extend the front porch and install a new front door. Then you can do all the other details little by little. Get hubby to watch that Fixer Upper show with the German Smear. He will either love it or not and that will settle it. Sounds like you have a good head for this.

On another note, please don't take the negative comments to heart. I don't understand why people have such a sharp tongue and sour opinion. At no point did you sound ungrateful. This is a wonderful site to bring people together on common subjects in hope we can help make one's home special.

ahall, so happy for you! What a big house! It will take some time to furnish it; I hope you enjoy the process. I am moving from a 650 sq. ft. house to 1700 sq. ft. I downsized a lot to get into my current house, and I finally couldn't take the lack of entertaining space any more, and the lack of space for my (imaginary, so far) grandchildren. So I'm looking forward to adding some furniture and decorating! I'm on Houzz and other decor sites every day; an addiction.

Best wishes for your new home, and new child!

Quite honestly I would pick the brick house . If you are planning on changing windows & doors , I would put the arches into them (not too many though otherwise it will lose the effect you're looking for ) I would go with the large square window over the main entrance or the four on both sides of it (again , not all of them ) also the front door in an arched double door . You could have the exterior brick painted a pale shade of gray with the windows & doors done in a matte black . That will give the house a more cottage look and feel , yes even at that size and soften the look and lines of it . ..... but that's just what I'd do . good luck , Tim

You are blessed to have a new home, new baby and land for your future dream house......so.....that door is just fine! Enjoy decorating the babies nursery, and enjoy every moment, with your bundle of love. Later, you can paint the doors, make two wreaths or add two large containers of topiaries or flowers.

Aha. 5000sq. ft was my estimate from the pic. Nailed it...my hubby would be the first one to comment about the size of the home if he were to read this thread. He'd say something like, "What the he-- does two people and a baby need with a house that big? Ridiculous! So and so's house is that size, but they have 8 kids!" (He'd be with the builder-poster wearing rubber boots, too, lol.)

Hey, you'd be the kind of builder I'd hire! No BS.

We are surrounded with 5000 and 7000 sq.ft homes. With few exceptions, the smaller homes in the area look much better! There is a certain cultural influence here that figures that if one chandelier is good, ten must be better. Or if exterior home lighting is good on three gables, it must be better on all 6 gables and every tree. Some of the homes look like freakin' airport runways! There is such a thing as over-done, spoiled, gaudy. Try telling that to people that have to "impress" others. Crazy.

I sincerely wish the family well and am ever so glad I won't have that upkeep or housework or having to pay a maid...what a wonderful world. Bigger is not necessarily better, lol.

Lovely house, and you can get the curly bits replaced with straight, on the wr iron staircase.

luvourhome, amen to that. But whatever floats their boat.

Just watched a show on PBS last night on the 10 iconic house styles and the history behind them. McMansions were mentioned, lol, but not in a good way.

In Australia, the McMansions take up the whole block of land. In developments they sit cheek by jowel.

@Tarma. We live within miles of 3 International airports and several local ones. I'm sure in an emergency all the planes could land near our place, that's how ostentatious some of the lighting is.

@Tribble. Oh one day I will get to Oz! That is a dream trip. It would be nice if we could spend a month and I could dive all over. I do have a cousin there. Someday when the hubster retires in a few years...

your home is going to be great! the magic will happen-I wouldn't rush to do anything to the bricks-they will age nicely in place. Do try some classic but bolder colors on the shutters and trim-look at classic ivory for the trims, and also almost blacks. Look at images of english country homes for inspiration. And the landscaping will really make your house sing from the outside. For the inside-rugs and lighting will make a huge difference. And coming up with a paint scheme, when you are ready to paint over the generic beige/white that is there now, will also address the flow and overall feel of the place.

One significant difference I noted in comparing the house images you have shared is that the second one is looking better because of aluminum railings. For your reference, I am sharing the details of one of the best railing manufacturers in my personal experience to date, which is CPL Aluminum Railings & Glass. Just have a look once and maybe it will help in making the right decision.

There are some beautiful finishes you can do for masonry. We have mineral and lime paints that are breathable and extremely durable and can get you a flat, antique limewash, or opaque/chalky look. Visit romabio.com/masonry to learn more.