If you want to keep it MCM, you will keep it looking pretty much like it does now, except you could paint the gable and garage door a different color.

Most people will probably tell you to remove the cast iron floral(?) porch column, but it is of the period and I would probably keep it. I would probably paint it trim color so it was more visible. They are out of fashion but it's original and it fits the house.

If you really want to take that down I would use a single or twin plain square columns painted in the trim color. No rustic wood, nothing like that, it's trendy but not appropriate for the character of this house.

You could up the curb appeal with more interesting plantings at the left of the house.

Thank you for the input. We are thinking of a new garage door such as this one in the pic. Also plan on replacing the the A frame over the garage w/ wider siding. wondering if we should keep the brick red?

I need to see the whole house but IMO you need a MCM garage door the siding all painted a color that works with the brick so a nice dark gray maybe that is close to the grout in the brick Please do not paint the brick it is the fastest way to devalue your house.I like the MCM garage above but IMO the post needs to go and be replaced with something simpler . But the biggest bang will be landscaping . This is my fave for inspiration for MCM landscaping and notice the style of the front anf garage doors and you might be able to pull off that dark gray but I really need to see the entry and left side of the house .IMO a much lower gable over the garage would be where I spent some money

The groutvis a buff color. we want to kerp the trim white. here’ another pic of the house

I agree with @palimpsest…your house is a lovely example of a 60’s ranch. And it seems to have been very well built and cared for…at least the photos seem to indicate that. That brick/brickwork is beautiful…low slung with offset mortar joints. I wouldn’t change a thing on the house. But the landscaping could be updated to greatly improve the curb appeal.

And be updated I mean replace only the evergreen bushes…keep all of the deciduous trees!

Beautiful brick, lovely home as is.

I like brick, but I don't like all colors of brick and I don't like some brick and some siding together on a small home. It too disjointed and makes the house look small. So, my vote is all one color.

Keep the lovely brick!

Thank you everyone!! such great input. i want to keep it true to its original style but make some updates that makes it pop. i need to hire someone that is knowledgeable in this area. any suggestions who to hire? we are in the western burbs of chicago.

My parents built a home like yours in 1955. I grew up in it. A three bedroom, one bath (black and green tile), ranch house. As has been said, they were popular in the Midwest suburbs. Most never had the “modern” style that we identify as MCM these days. Certainly not the modern garage doors. Either slab or small square panels with wide windows across the top. Sandstone planters underneath picture windows. Hardwood floors. Flat slab doors with brass knobs. Three stair step windows in the front door. My parents splashed out with board and batten vertical siding on the front gable (horizontal on the side gables) painted white. But with a scalloped trim at the bottom. That is a mid century midwestern ranch. Much like yours. They had a white painted ranch style fence along the front walk…and gorgeous landscaping. Enjoy your home for what it is.

MCRanch….may have been considered “modern” at that time, but not MCM. Are you willing to give up the bay window for a more modern window wall? I agree with “elcieg” that one color for the body of the house and one color for the trim is best.

Keep the brick- don’t paint it- it's the white trim that needs changing to something that goes with it.

We just downsized to this house in June & we love it. Took us 2 years of active looking to find it. We are open to any & all changes. It’s our forever home. just feel like red brick

& white trim is sooo boring.

“Forever home,” never, ever paint the brick and save bundles as well as your labor over the years. The brick will always look good and no peeling paint and little upkeep. A classic red brick, a luxury in home owning. Concentrate on other improvements such as landscaping, a fun door color, trim and wood color, new outdoor lighting, mailbox, house numbers etc. The large post out front needs attention but I not sure if or how to change

The house may have been built in 1962, but it isn't a MCM. It is a typical style, post war that were being built for budget reasons, from the late 40" through the 70's. Some had brick accents; some did not. Often entire neighborhoods had the same style. MCM homes did not have your type of bay window, either. You might enjoy reading about it and the philosophy behind its design.

https://www.hgtv.com/design/decorating/design-101/all-about-post-war-architecture

I think the highest ROI would be a professional lanscaper - the house is lovely and would look terrific with more up to date and thougtful plantings

I'd keep the brick and replace and paint the siding a dark gray blue for some depth, vs. straight gray. Also, I'd avoid doing a trendy garage door like you have in your photo. You can go with something more modern than what you have but drawing so much attention to the garage door isn't a great idea, especially when so much of what you see from the street is your garage. It's not architecturally significant or interesting. I'd focus on the landscaping to drwa the attention. Also, I would lose the floral iron railings, they are just out of date. Keeping it MC is one thing, but you're not trying to create a historical landmark. Find ways to bring the original character of the house forward into the 21st century. :)

Check out Romabio products if you want a brick color change. Unlike paint, it breathes and is very durable. The garage door and peak can be relatively easily changed to give a fresh look and of course redo landscaping in a complimentary look. I don’t think this house is good candidate for MCM it is too traditional for that to look authentic IMO. It will probably boil down to your budget limitations. I suggest you make a list of wishes, get cost estimates and then prioritize each part and do as budget allows. Landscaping is critical.

Oh yeah. Rub n buff to the rescue.

Houzz is acting up. I meant that rub n buff comment for another thread. Sorry.

Keep the brick red and paint the trim and garage door same color as your stone planter and the brick grout--a taupe. Put your budget into great landscaping. Those bushes block the living part of the house. Try something like this:

Something just “off “ with the large pillar and especially the bottom stone base. Out of balance. Stones in the picture, which look fake or not original, seem to have no relation to anything on the house. Yet the top roof on the pillar looks substantial and needs something large to hold it up. Some searching on line to find similar houses might help with a solution.

Maybe it's because I live in a city with blocks and blocks of red brick houses, but I don't think brick houses with white trim are boring, I think that's what they were designed to look like and that's fine. You could chose a number of different colors for the siding and garage doors and that would be fine too.

But I am not sure trying to change elements here and there to make it look "not boring" usually work that well. It makes houses look "different" but not necessarily better. A house that looks like it always has is never really "dated", it just looks like houses did when it was built. What does end up looking dated is when somebody does something trend-specific to it that you can identify as from a certain different time period.

You know you've looked at Victorian or Early 20th c. houses and thought "Oof somebody did a number on that in the 1960s." I think we need to learn from that and not do the "Chip and Joanna" or "2020s-MCM" treatment on everything. Alterations are usually something that get dated much quicker.

Keep the brick as-is, put your $$ into landscaping (hire a designer, get plants appropriate to your zone and the amount of yard work you want to do).