I like the first one with the black shutters. It looks classy and not boring.

Don't paint the brick. It is nice. Plus you'll turn something that is basically no maintenance into a maintenance item.

Remove the shutters. The larger windows are wrong for them. Declutter.

You could build a proper relaxing area with a patio, since you have no backyard, defined by a pergola. I would put it on the right side of the entry.

You could also add a portico with a gable over the front door.

Here are some paint colors that would compliment your house.

Remove the shutters; that's one less thing to consider when planning your colorway. Romabio can color match masonry paint/stain. Lanterns flanking the door should be 1/3 the door's height.

We did a facelift on a similar house only we used cultural stone and only went up halfway

Before

After

Thanks all! @houssaon, I've always assumed we would paint the brick because it's so...orange. But I really like the house pic you shared with the green and brick - definitely something to think about!

That looks real nice, GN!

See how much better his/her house looks without shutters? Those narrow shutters are a 1950s element.

Remove all the shutters. The porch should span the side of the house without the bay window. And it should have a shed roof, nothing with a peak. Choose your windows carefully. Muntins? No muntins? The configuration should be thought out, especially if you decide to keep the bay. A more modern style might substitute a box bay for the angled one, or simply replicate the window above it.

No shutters to start IMO the fastest way to devalue a house is to paint the brick no matter what Johanna Gaines says.This is also one of my faves for a house with brick.I did not see where you said you have no back yard . IMO patios on front lawns are really not nice a porch is IMO a maybe but you do need something over the front door for shelter I think we need to understand a bit more about the style you like.

This one from you idea book is kind of interesting for a completely different idea but IMO you would need to lose the bay window which honestly does not work even now .

We do have a nice back yard with a big patio back there. The house is a "reverse ranch", so the front door opens into a foyer in the basement and there is a set of stairs leading up to the main level, which is laid out like a classic ranch or split level home. That level walks out to the back yard.

We like that mid century modern house with the red door - it's about 20 miles from us. But that look would be wildly out of character with our neighborhood, where most houses are either still in their natural early 60's state, or have been redone in a traditional style. Most are still rocking their shutters, though a few replaced them with wider architectural shutters as part of their remodel. Most remodeled houses also painted their brick or covered it with stone.

I think the style we are going for is traditional or modern farm house.

Thanks for these ideas - would love more!

I think these are all great options that could work with your home.

I don't see any of those photoshopped options as an improvement. Photoshop always makes things look sharp and fresh, but so would a new coat of paint.

As a buyer, sunny rooms would be more important to me than a front porch.

The shutters are the wrong size for the windows and the color doesn't go with the brick.

The house has decent bones. The updates you're looking at will cost a lot and not make a huge difference to the basic shape and look of the house.

Based on your comments, I mocked up something in green without the painted brick, and a smaller front porch. what do you think? I do think we will ditch the picture window, and repeat what we have in the living room above.

Would it be better to have a shed roof for the porch?

How about an attached pergola ? It will provide a visual break in the look of your house with the added benefit of blocking some of the southern sun.

Your mockup is nice and very professionally done. I like the idea of going darker on the trim, and that is what I would do, also.

I personally do not care for houses that look too split up; although in some cases it can work well - depending on the style of the structure.

But in many cases, it doesn’t work as well - and in the case of your house, I would opt to go with a color that is more complementary to the brick tones than a green is. I would definitely keep the brick as the foundation for the design. I would also remove the shutters.

My mockup is incomplete and much less professional than yours - but just to sort of give you an idea of my general take on it.

I would probably do no shutters, as I mentioned; but If you wanted shutters, I would suggest going darker in color or alternatively wood.

btw, a wood siding or wood type of stain/look on siding might be beautiful on your house, also.

Beyond the siding, trim, etc. my main focus would be landscaping and lights on house/grounds.