Hi Matthew! I have a few ideas. Assuming the siding and brick will all be painted the same color, what will that be? Are you having the windows and trim all done as well?

I would locate the existing brick if it is still available. Otherwise use a material that won't rot. Paint it the same color as your brick. Remove the shutters and paint the trim a light tan or cream.

Color scheme: medium gray brick and siding, white trim, black shutters

Color scheme inspiration: FullSizeRender.jpg

Not sure that link worked... here’s a pic of the color scheme inspiration:

Ditch the shutters. They need to look like they could be functional and with windows that wide they do not. Put in a Fypon Type pediment or louver half round head.

Personally, I would put new half moon pediments back in place of the rotted ones, but, get the type that do not rot. Or just replace the inserts in the ones you have with ones that will not route, and repaint to match the trim, the way it is now. They add interest to your very large house. I also would not do away with shutters completely, however, I do think you could use newer wider shutters, in their place. Its a very pretty house.

Brick it in so it looks continuous with the house and like It was never there. Are you going to beef up the casing around your windows with trim to get the same look as your inspiration photo? Are your replacing your tan windows with white?

I think I would have the half-moons removed but would hesitate to just stucco them. With the colors you've chosen, and what you're wanting to accomplish you'll have a slight texture variation like the house in the picture does (on the front step/porch, above the brick), and that's not a bad thing. My concern would be the difference in depth above the window, to the keystone of the arch, because of the way the base of the current half-moon meets the top of the window.

Your best bet would be to bring in a mason to remove the keystones and arches in the brick facade and fill in the areas above the windows before the house is painted. Since you are painting the house, you don't have to worry about matching brick colors, just size.

Are you planning on removing or altering the shape of the long narrow window above your front door? I would consider doing that and follow Christopher Lyden-Ethan Allen’s advice.

Replace the pediments with windows.

Thanks, but we can’t install arched windows because the interior room’s ceiling is not as tall as the arches highest point.

Louvered poly grilles could be inserted in the spaces.

Consider limewashing the house.

> the interior room’s ceiling is not as tall as the arches highest point.

Don't you just hate that? So many new "high end" houses are like this nowadays. Fake "features" that don't serve any practical purpose, and end up causing maintenance headaches and expense in the long run. Just wait until you find out how much it costs to re-roof that lysergic roof line. :(

However, since you have a fairly large house, I'm assuming that you're not on a tight budget. So in your place I'd hire a good mason, and have those over-wrought windows turned into something calmer. In other words, my suggestion is to get rid of the phony arches entirely.

I also agree with Mill about the fake shutters - I think the house would look better without them.

I like the color combination, though. The dark green isn't a color I would have picked, but it actually works quite well for your house.

I would either use stucco or hardi panels cut to fit. Since it’s all being painted either will work. You have enough texture on the house already that you don’t need a fan detail there.

Don't even think about altering the brick please. Even if you found a pallet of perfect matches, they wouldn't look right for years. You can pull that trick when your next door neighbor is the only one who will ever see, but on the front of the house, not so much.

^^^ I agree.

My vote is to brick that area in. That will require addition of a brick ledge and a header to support the brick. Not sure if you should install a brick soldier course right above the new window head with running bond above or if it should all just be running bond. The shutter, like most, are not sized to actually look like they fit the windows. There's also something about the shutter and trim color that is really off-putting. If you keep shutters I would suggest replacing what you have with actual operable shutter that are sized correctly. One other suggestion/question - would you consider building a entry portico at your entry? Even though the two wings of your house jut out and give relief to the flatness of the facade the middle portion still seems a bit flat. An entry portico would relieve that and would also provide more protection from rain and elements. Good luck!

Joseph Corlett, LLC and graywings123, are you opposed to filling in with brick even though it's all getting painted (entire front of house, old brick and new)? I thought maybe it would blend in as long as we have same size/style brick. No?

IMO money well spent = leave brick as is, remove shutters, replace rotted panels with louvered no-rot material, paint all louvers to match current brick (cream). Rip out front walk to allow for deeper planting beds, pour new 48 inch wide walk (sweeping curve). Spend majority of budget on new, lush landscaping, contact local plant nursery for design referrals. Reserve lintel / door paint selection for last. Lovely traditional home awaiting finishing touches.

Norwood Architects, I do like the idea of a portico... but I don't want to break the bank. Any idea of a general ballpark for something simple:

Have you looked at raising the ceilings? Judging from the roof lines, that is probably wasted unused space. If you can, then add in transom windows.

I will put my 2 cents in IMO if you want to instantly devalue your house paint the brick . Remove the shutters they are ALL wrong I would do what beverly suggested and get the louvered ones then paint them the same as whatever you are painting the trim then get to work making a walkway from the street to the front door and the landscaping needs a real spruce up . That will add more to the house than all the paint in the world. The idea of the potico is also a very good one.

I like Beverly's louvered grilles for above the windows but, after removing all of the shutters, I would spend my money on replacing all of the windows. They don't compliment this traditional style house. I'd also paint the louvered vents above the window arches to blend into the brick - they aren't architectural features I'd choose to highlight.

I agree about the windows .Maybe with bronze frames .

If you're going to paint the brick an exact brick match isn't necessary. I wouldn't paint the brick.

What tale a relatively maintenance free product and turn it into a maintenance item?

Big mistake to paint brick. Low maintenance becomes periodic repainting. Value of the house falls as a result. Especially if it's the only painted brick in the neighborhood.

Painted brick goes in and out of fashion. Natural brick is always in style.

I’m in the same situation with my house. What did you end up doing?

Rather than painting brick look into a lime wash. Less maintenance, better for the brick.

We did not pain the brick... had rotted wood replaced with new fypon-type maintenance free materials cut to fit. Painted over the green with white and black. New landscaping.

That looks great!!

Looks great!! We are going to do same thing. White Sunburst.

Best idea yet!^^^

Nice job, David Smisek.

David, what does it cost to add semicircle glass? Where do you buy semicirlce window?

Thanks! I really want to get rid of pediments.

Thanks. I create this by hand. I bought plexiglass sheets and used template to cut both a black and clear. I glued grid trim on the black plexiglass then put clear over top. Then attached to a cut out plywood half circle. then found flex trim that would fit my curve on Amazon.

One issue: Plexiglass does warp and wave in different temps, so I might have to switch out the top clear plexiglass with actual glass that I will have to have cut.

I am in this legit exact same boat and can’t find any answers for me self. Did you ever find a modern solution?

@Nicholas D'ambrosio i moved hahaha.

Same boat too! not a fan of the semicircle fan type look .. was curious about a fake window look above the real window, as my walls do not go up as high on the inside as well

@David Smisek do you sell the glass semicircles on amazon?

No. Built myself. I wish I could switch to glass as Minnesota weather causes plexiglass to warp. My next project is to cut glass and do same setup. Can’t find anyone willing to help.

We have a window like this in a bedroom. We’ve replaced the whole window bottom and half moon once because the seal broke on the half moon due to the hot sun shining on the half moon and rotting the window frame. Then we just replaced the half moon part with new glass and that room gets unbearably hot or cold now. We can’t pick up our house and turn it. lol I’m not sure what to do to fix this. The builder should have never put that half moon window on the house. Only a regular two panel window. I wish there was an easy fix to just get rid of the half moon and still make the front of our house look nice.

Use window film to block out the heat.

We did! That is one reason the seal broke. The heat radiated back onto the glass and cracked the seal. The sun hits directly on that half moon in the afternoon.

Sally post photos of your house if you want suggestions on swapping out the window. There is tinting available that goes on the outside (presuming you had the more typical interior film before)

Sally, you might look into getting a (custom made) solar shade cloth screen for the exterior of that window. Either locally or on-line.