I think your house looks great as is. Is it time to replace the roof? The black works well with the brick and gray siding. The half-moon window is kind of dated - are you willing to square it off? Add a row of windows to the garage door for interest. And then Landscaping will help a lot. The ball shapes and rectangles are dated - more loosely grown bushes would look better.

Thank you! We've had it this way since 1990! Just ready for a change :) Yes, I'd like to get rid of the arch window and put in something more rectangular.

Thank you Beverly! That already looks a lot better! Is there any way you think we could paint the brick?

Truly not to pick on Beverly and if you like that, you like that. I think it looks absolutely terrible, not just the gray and stark wihite but the white windowed garage door?

I would start by addressing the landscaping == removing all the bushes -- and re-imagining what you want the entrance to your house to be. It doesn't have to involve expensive architectural changes, but before you pour a lot of money to change a garage door I'd try to release te house from the multiple girdles that are strangling it, let it breathe, make its entry more accessible and gracious -- not old fashioned, one can be modern and not be living in the assertion of gray box as an idea of "modern" or updatedd. It's passe (but basically it's just a gray box hoping to look trendy).

Painting the brick will reduce the resale value of your home. Why not work with it as the backdrop for multiply staggered entrance. (I'd look at Japanese design for inspiration. You have't got a Japanese house for where, but there are ideas you could borrow).

Sorry to be blunt!

I don’t shy away from limewashing brick, but I like your brick as is.

I like the brick but what I don't like is the house appearing to be poised to squish the garage door. I would change that to a dark ironstone grey (or same colour as the shutters but I can't tell what that is) to give it some heft so that it looks like it's holding up the house.

Thanks for all the feedback! The shutters and front door are painted charcoal. What do you guys think about painting the garage the same color? The other problem is that there are two other houses in close proximity (one next door and one across the street) with a very similar look, light gray paint, dark shutters and same brick, so I'm just trying to do something new.

If it were me I would whitewash the brick and replace the garage door with one that has a band of horizontal windows along the top. Then look at landscaping.

Thank you RappArchitecture! Do you mean like this?

If we whitewash the brick, should we paint the siding white too? If not, what color would you recommend or would you keep the siding the same color?

No, leave the siding as is. And I prefer a "paneled" door with only four horizontal sections.

The garage door needs to be darker. You might as well look at fancy garage doors to see if you want to go in that direction. It can make a big difference. Look at wood-toned garage doors too.

Next, the middle part seems disconnected from the sides, so I would look for ways to bring them together. Maybe paint the shutters lighter or the trim and posts darker. (If you don’t paint the brick. I’m not a fan of painted brick.) I do like the middle of the house as is - maybe with bigger lights, maybe try a different color for the lights?

I think SW sells vinyl safe paint. I got some for PVC trim - haven’t read reviews from people who may have used it on vinyl siding or vinyl windows.

1. Larger porch posts

2. Removed shutters from brick areas and added a set to the larger window.

3. Broke up the brick on the garage 2nd floor area.

"More modern" says to me: remove the shutters and square off the upper corners of the garage. If the circular vent over the door is not needed, maybe you could fill it in with siding. I'm not a paint color expert so I'm not sure what color would look best for the siding. I agree that a darker garage door with windows across the top in a contemporary configuration would be good. Maybe wood, with a matching wooden front door. Larger lamps of a more modern design over the garage and by the front door would also help. Removing the half-circle window over the front door and enlarging the front door entry to have larger sidelights may not be possible depending on what's inside and what the cost would be. Then -- the landscaping -- the hedges should all be removed and looser, more modern plantings put in. Maybe Digdoug designs could weigh in; I don't know how to "alert" him!

I really appreciate all the ideas! If I wasn't trying to make it more modern, do you all think I should just keep it the way it is or make any changes? Thanks again!