Per local historical district code, once painted, brick homes must be maintained with paint. Unpainted brick shall remain unpainted and unsealed. I think it was painted because there are three different additions added in 1860, 1890, and 1920. Likely the bricks are different from one remodel to the next.

Taupe, black and white

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Bonjour, Your house is gorgious, I would not paint the brick and would add some iron metal planter boxes on the windows. Same color as door.

http://houzz.com/photos/1484327

http://houzz.com/photos/670607

I like the khaki paint color on this formerly red brick home.

http://houzz.com/photos/3156581

Leave the colour!!! Maybe some iron to break it up? Really lovely...just needs an accent or two!

I also live in a historic neighborhood and the painted brick homes are either a soft butter yellow (love but not sure about that with your beige windows), white or grey. Are there any houses in your area you can emulate? We just paid attention to which houses we admired while walking around.

I love the existing color. It is a compliment to the historical charm of the house. That's just my opinion. Thanks.

This is not a brick home but I just remembered that my two favorite painted brick homes in my neighborhood are sort of a muted seafoam/sage green with a hint of blue with black shutters - I think that would work with your windows
http://houzz.com/photos/1539623

unless the paint is in poor condition, i have to agree with everyone who recommends leaving it as is. my own experience was similar, i wasnt in love with the yellowish color of our new home (Sherwin Williams birds eye maple) but i had alot of other uses for the 5 grand they wanted to repaint it. once i added a garden, the right planters, statues and other accents, the transformation was very pleasing to me and i now realize the color of the home wasnt the problem. in fact, there were several things about the home interior also that i thought had to change. yet once we decorated, they became non-issues. i think the lack of visual interest causes one to focus on the blank canvas and blame it. i will admit that hunting for the right accents can be all consuming, good luck !

I love historical color combinations to bring out the architectural features of old italianate homes. With perhaps 5 different colors accenting the trim, you could make the corbels pop, and add interest to the whole facade. Combining purple and green or red and green would not fight with the beige windows. The body could be painted any one of these colors, too...although new trim colors could even make you like the body color better, since it would change the look.

seriously, try black mulch and imposing black planter urns first!! from the angle of this photo, your home really needs to be grounded.

-- I agree completely with Chris. What I am missing as the house is painted now, are all of the details in the trim. I think that it is these are touches that define the style and could be more apparent.

The front door needs more definition througn paint color or the addition of appropriate trim. i do not know if historical neighborhoods monitor this type of thing to keep the area authentic or not.

Maybe just change the trim to a charcoal grey and add planters for dimension.

I would consider Bem Moore HC 112 with with a cream trim and black accents, ie doors, mail box, lighting. The home sits close to the street and would look stately and classic in that color.

If you really must do something, again I'd leave the paint color and add black shutters on each of the windows. They are beautiful, historic, and consistent with the style of your home. They would contain and define the structure as well as adding a bit of understated elegance to an already elegant home. Look into historic homes in Salem, MA, and you'll find many antique brick homes with shutters and iron fencing and detail in the federal style. Again, your home is spectacular but I understand the itch to do something. I think it's an addiction that many share! lol

The color is nice but I'm not crazy about the trim. Photos probably don't do it justice but it seems boring. I would add some black details. Your landscaping is beautiful.

Thanks for all the great ideas. I like the idea of the shutters as the house used to have them. District code requires that shutters be wood and operable so that might be at significant expense but likely worthwhile. The paint is holding up well so maybe I will try some more black accents and paint the front door black. Eventually I am thinking light green, beige, and some black. Thanks again for the kind comments. We love living in the house.

Very nice looking house. Though I think the color is fine. I understand why you want to paint it. Look at Sherwin Williams sw6164 and sw6163, both are a green tone with a gray cast. I used these colors with beige trim.

Color Hi KOH, I love those colors, do you think there won't be enough definition with the tan? Wish they'd paint the trim a charcoal , black, or green-black, with cream accents. That would really pop with your color suggestions

Although it is beautiful as it is, paint it a light color with the same effect as this image to make it look old and worn

I like these as well, because I've used them, so I'm a little biased :)
The first is BM hc 111 Nantucket gray
Next BM Black Forest green
Next BM featherbed

Here's pic of my house with the above colors

That's a lot of house and trim therefore you'll be seeing the color differences. The black accents will also help. Take your time and use samples to get the look you want. Paint samples in the full light and shade to be sure.

Another angle with the colors on door and shutters

I would definitely add the shutters to your house. They'd be beautiful :)

Amazing as is. Colour is beautiful, same as my 1880 Gothic Revival. Add black front door and iron accents.

i think you will be amazed how much better it will look if you replace the red mulch with DARK brown/black or pine bark nuggets. the orange tones in that mulch are not complimentary to the color of your home. this is from an article in Fine Gardening Sept 09: The only thing we hate more than red mulch is red rubber mulch.

don't be thrown by the word "operable" when referring to shutters. it only means that the shutters should be hung from hooks (4 hooks per window) in lieu of being nailed into the structure and it really does make a huge difference esthetically. wooden shutters shouldn't be too much nor should the hardware. certainly, they'd be significantly cheaper than painting the entire structure. I don't know if they would even fit on the circular portion of the first floor so that would be another savings. You can paint the shutters black but my personal favorite is benjamin moore essex green, another north shore massachusetts historic color...essex, massachusetts! your house is spectacular. Whatever you decide I'd love to see the before and after.

What a great house! Love the very distinctive color that you have! If you go more subtle, it just won't have the same character. What is that roof section on the 3-sided portion? Copper? If you enhanced that, it could really be a standout.

I agree with color. Have you considered taking it back to brick?

They aren't allowed to take it bak to brick, previous posting :)

Sorry you can't take it back to brick, but it is a gorgeous house! Here are some houses that have the corbels or similar features painted in accent colors. It's cloudy today, so the colors aren't showing well, but hopefully you get the idea. There's another house I know of that the brick was painted green. I'll try to get a picture of it later today or tomorrow, so you can see what an older home looks like with brick painted a non-brick color. I always find the home owners that were brave and added many colors to have the most attractive homes, but maybe it's corbel envy, since I had an italianate myself, but it didn't have corbels on the box gutters ;) Whatever you decide, you're already starting with such a great home -- I'm sure you'll love it.

Great comments all. I have some great ideas here. I think I am starting with researching shutters.

As you all will see, I am lucky to live in a town that has much inspiration just a few steps away.

Jeez, you sure do!! Don't forget to google Salem, MA, federal style mansions. Salem has the highest concentration of mansions anywhere in the world! Trust me, I lived in one! Search "McIntyre District." I love your house and would love, love to see the process.

Although we are fans of the color right now, we understand if it doesn't suit your needs. If anything I would go for a neutral color in the tan, white, or gray category. However if for some reason you do decided to keep the color of the home you could offset the color by adding galvanized gutters. Notice, how the galvanized gutters stand out against the brick. Good Luck :)

I am just jumping in here but I am curious to know if this is a single family dwelling as I see 2 front doors( white and black 1st pic) or am I mistaken?

It is a single family home now. Started that way, was converted into a rooming house, then a tea room, then it was converted into two apartments. Now single family. Actually has 6 doors on the first floor.

Pale green would be my choice. And that would work with some of the suggestions I just made about your back porch. There's a green butterfly at the top of the rug I posted - maybe one of those two greens would be pretty.

What a fabulous home! I choose this for the future and the second picture that hollandr300 posted for now.

Have started adding black accents. Door black and new black bench out front. Looking better already.

does look good

Thinking about adding shutters. This is a rendering of what it would look like. Used to have them.

Love the shutters!!

i like

I would suggest a soft white for the brick walls and shutters the same color as the roof. The house does look beautiful in the coral, though.