Hello Laura,

I understand your struggle with color, I to have your traditional red brick and for years struggled with colors and landscaping. I have added the weigela below to our front and a Japanese maple (I believe it is the Bloodgood -15-20 ft tall) by the front corner. Bringing in the color of these plants seems calm the fire in the red brick. I have also added boxwoods for year round color.

I also think by adding shutters on the siding will add more depth to the front.

Hi Lori - it's BM low Lustre exterior white. the trim is same color, except semi gloss. I contemplated a creamier white but didn't want it too look dingy next to the white house next door. also, the front is pretty shady so I figured the white wouldn't be too blinding/bright anyway.

correction: bm soft gloss on the trim

a porch comes with a big price. what if you added shutters as others have suggested then put an awning over the front door.

Looks like I'm late to the party, but I'm glad you went with a classic white. My $0.02 would be to add functional, hinged shutters in a subtly contrasting light grey. Since they're neutral, the door can be either matching or your striking accent color of choice. Do consider adding shutters to your side windows similar to your neighbor's house.

As with the photo, the 7' American Arborvitae would do nicely on either side of the front stoop. It looks like you may either have some dwarf, or very young versions of this. I'm not sure how old they are, but if they're more than 3-5 years old and still that size, they're probably not getting much bigger.

Does your house face north? In the northeast, even hydrangeas need some sun to bloom well. If there is some sun, I would suggest Annabelle Hydrangeas for their growth habit and classic white flowers to bring some white accents back to the lower level, and again, green and white is a very classic garden palette. They're also low maintenance, prolific flowering shrubs that can practically be cut to the ground in the fall once established. For some greenery, I would put a low row of boxwood hedge along the front of the beds for some formal structure and to hide the legs of the hydrangeas and to provide a landing place for any floppy flower heads (just make sure your spacing allows for this).

In view of the outcome effect of the roof cleaning ...the white seems just the thing to keep the look crisp and non competitive with the new roof color...Less color does put you in a little more formal frame for the the landscaping...calling for more symmetrical ordered plantings...and a more controlled look...with possible some boxy pots or planters for annual color..some creatively placed evergreens with sculptural pruning could be a striking as well

In lieu of painting the brick where you could have both brick and siding same color, then I would go only one or two values darker with a deeper red tone that complements your brick. Keep your trim a warm white (not gray/chalky) and add shutters in a navy tone. With only having brick on the front of the house and the lower half at that, it feels to me that it dictates not too sharp a contrast lest the house will feel "off" and "float". You are wise to also consider the neighboring house color and would want your home to "hold its own". Your choice of warm colors will contrast nicely with the black and white of the other house.

The white was a good choice. You're house is a classic and in my opinion it does not need a porch or portico.

I don't think you will ever be satisfied until you paint the brick and siding the same color - taking in to consideration the roof color. Otherwise it looks chopped in half. You don't have much brick to paint. Reevaluate when the painting is done.

Laura, it's absolutely beautiful the way it is. Please no shutters, they will only add clutter, and detract from those lovely front windows! Blends in beautifully with your neighbours house. Job well done!

I would darken the base color to any shade of beige weather it be brown, grey, yellow, green. ect, but it needs to be darker than it is, much darker. Oh yes, white trim, off white or antique white preferably. (Profesional artist)

You could give your added porch a hip roof to complement the roof.

How about window boxes above instead of shutters? You're doing a great job!

The white looks great - very classic. I was going to suggest a green/grey because there is a house I pass by that is similar to yours painted that color and it goes so well with their brick.

The orange-red brick is a warm color. My thought would be to use a complementary color (light tan), as you are considering. Going too gray (cool color) may be too much contrast. Same goes for the roofing shingles, that is, more toward brown than gray. Be careful with tan or taupe color that it doesn't have an obvious red or pink undertone.

Look back at previous posts, owner painted it white.

Hope you are liking the white.... I guess I caught this forum too late! I thought that a rich navy blue would be a good choice, paired with some pink and white flowers/bushes. I photoshopped the color and then added the plants in a home design program, hastily.

One of the most beautiful paint jobs I've seen was on a house that featured rust-red bricks. The wood portion was painted a very light, dusty celery green (the complimentary color of red, appropriately adjusted for the rusty, orangey, brown shades in the brick) and trim painted a dusty (greyed out) rust red which coordinated without exactly matching. It's hard to go wrong by using the color wheel. Lightening up the green considerably kept the house from looking like Christmas.

Haven't read through all the comments but for whoever was concerned about the peeling aspect of painted brick, brick stains are the way to go. They sink right in so no peeling. Boring brick is so...boring. Yesterday's brick colors are ugly too. Staining the brick makes it fade into the landscaping and architectural detail.

this is the rendition from the landscape company. not all flowers would bloom at the same time. also, the pic doesnt show the colorful roof.

Love your house, and I think you made a good call with the white. Your neighborhood looks like classic New England--I've seen a ton of streets that are exactly like yours, and traditional white (NOT painting the brick!) is perfect.

A previous poster mentioned hydrangeas and boxwood, which I think would be a great complement to our house. The structure of the boxwood is perfect. Again, heading toward classic seems to fit your house. A little color is nice, but getting too "cottage-y" doesn't seem right.

I would definitely do shutters on the second story, a dark-ish color, and then possibly do the front door on the same color. (Black? Cranberry?) I would consider larger fixtures by the door.

Finally, once you decide on a front door color, I would look into a storm door that's finished in the same color. If not available ready-to-go, you could look into having it sprayed the correct color. The white storm door matches the trim, but makes the actual front door look out of proportion, like a little sliver. Would be better matching.

Another vote for cranberry or deep burgundy shutters on the top windows to add some balance. Also with white on white trim they just look a bit unfinished as if they popped out of nowhere

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  Laura, if I had your beautiful house, I would paint it like my classic dollhouse from the early 1950's! Someone knows how to paint brick in your climate, and the paint acts to seal the brick! Everyone likes your house- thus so many comments. Good luck! Just think of harvest gold and avacodo green if your paint color is too trendy- will make it look outdated in a few years and then you have to paint again!☀️

Wow. I am closing on a brick and siding house tomorrow that definitely needs a paint job. I am so impressed with all the comments and helpful posts. Laura, I really like your house and the color you chose, and feel the same as you (ambivalent) about shutters that are just stuck on and are non-functioning. Janiebird, I LOVE your dollhouse. So well done, everyone. Get ready for another house on which to make comments!!

cydszymanski I'm really loving how the white turned out and I think a huge thing to consider when choosing a color is how it will look in different lighting throughout the day. Because the house is shaded for a lot of the day, white comes out creamy and rich vs blinding/stark. I'll have some landscaping in about 2-3 weeks and because I went with white, the flower colors, even just the boxwoods, should bring a nice pop of color/contrast. cleaning the roof was also a big eye opener. i'm so appreciative of everyone's help!! couldn't have gotten through this without the houzz community support! Post pics when you can for some advice and good luck with the closing!

I'm having a hard time photographing the white paint and like it more than what I see in the pic. I'm going to post again with landscaping soon. thanks again all!

krdpm I agree about the white storm door making the front door look out of proportion. that's something on my list to tackle soon. Thanks for all of your comments and advice!

The pic looks good, Laura...especially with the leaves on the trees!...the white looks totally right with the new roof look...

Laura thanks so much for keeping us updated!

Instead of shutters on the upper windows as some have suggested, what about painting the trim on just those windows a dark color (gray or black or a color coordinated with your door)? I'm not saying it needs anything, but just a thought ... as an alternative to fake shutters.

I know these examples don't have a hip roof but I don't know that it matters with what they've done with these. I think maybe enlarging the 2nd floor windows would help with the look. Good luck.

I would go with a white base. White shutters on the first level would look nice. Landscape I think needs more dimension.

I love the Freire on the siding, keep the brick, pint shutters black, but add pop with great front door color. The great thing about this combo is that it is easy to change the looks by changing the door color. Maybe a brick red door, or rose, or greyed turquoise door, or Martha Stewart faded green. The skies the limit as long as it doesn't clash with the brick. Also mid navy door with a bit of brightness. Love the front porch or small porch over front too, easy to add porch wings on the sies of this house too. Looks well built and. classic.

Sorry, auto correct keeps happening. Darkish beige/gray on siding.

We built a salt box style home, here in the South 43 years ago and realized the front was too plain, so we had a porch added all across the front. It made the house and we enjoy it. First and foremost, think you should consider a porch, then take a good long look at your house and about paint. Grays are very popular in our area and the right shade can blend in well with bricks; ours is brick and wood siding. For shutters, most any color will go with gray.

I nice deep grey

Your home is looking beautiful! I think shutters on the upstairs windows and a beautiful front porch would complete the picture. Sort of like this:

Good luck and enjoy!

I love your house Laura with the white. Can't wait to see it with your new landscaping.

Window boxes on bottom windows with variegated red flowers olive green on top colors paint door a orchre red

Ha! I know Faddegon's pretty well - we stay in Latham when we come up for Saratoga. Nice garden center, good selection of plants. Hope they do good work for you.

Im already so excited about landscaping. should be complete in two days. bottom pic is before, top is after.

Beautiful home Laura, you've made great decisions. Landscaping will help define the space and add depth. In time you may want to add decorative fencing with a small gate...boxwoods in the front will add to frame flowering shrubbery, i.e. Hydrangeas, butterfly bushes or a mix of variegated leafy shrubs...see Walpole Woodworkers for some great ideas.

Something like this

some landscaping! boxwoods, geraniums, still d'oro daylilies, hydrangeas..and a path! everything is young and will fill in. I'm glad I went with professionals.

path to break up the area..

All your planning paid off! It looks great and will only get better as everything grows!

Lovely!

looks great Laura, and will look even more lovely as they mature, love the pathways! Thanks for keeping us updated and posting pics.

Beatiful

Been a while since I visited your post...was very impressed how well the roof cleaning improved the look of your home...it appears to match the brick well..and really confirms and supports your choice of paint color...

The landscaping seems just right as well....you really brought all this together perfectly...good job