I would stick with a crisp white. If considering dark blue remember it will absorb heat and test the dark blue on cardboard first. I think the black shutters go better with your brick with black clinkers, but navy on the shutters would be better than on the siding. I would look for easier ways to add color like potted mums or flower box on rails. I like the evergreens but the the two at the steps are crowding the entry. I would replace them with planters of bright flowers. These could change seasonally.

Definitely agree about the evergreens! What color siding would you do? White? I think it’s too much white on the side with the garage back there as well

I would remove the 5 tall cedars (?) and prune the other shrubs so they don't overwhelm the house. I like the black shutters, but you could do dark gray or a dark blue. I like the natural stain of the front door, but you could match the shutter color. I like whote for the trim. I would pick a lighter color for your addition.

Boothbay blue is pretty with your brick.

HardiePlank Boothbay & Evening Blue (New Providence, NJ) · More Info

I would keep the home with the brick as it is and paint the shutters white and trim back those evergreens or remove them as they don't really add much to the appearance of the front of the house. I would trim the hedge and make the hedge even lower. Will look nicer that way. You could add some Azalea bushes for some punch on the property.

The house is fine. It is those evergreen bushes that are the problem. Cut them down, they look awful

Fair enough. But the soffit on the porch is coming off and it needs to be replaced. And we are putting an addition in the back, so we might as well make it all look brand new.

I have yet to see navy siding, paint, etc. work well on any house. It just isn't a good color in my experience.

SW has a great blackish-brown that also feels a touch gray - Urban Bronze. It is similar to the dark color in your brick. It’s a great color next to brick like yours.

You can side the addition with that color and use it on your trim if you think you would like a change from the white. SW has a visualizer on their website so you can “test” the color.

Never paint your brick. It damages it. Keep the brick and only paint the trim and doors.

The white is classic with the brick. I'm not sure you need shutters, but you could do the navy there. I like the conifers at each end of your house, but think you'd get a great improvement from removing the 3 in the middle. You can probably transplant them.

It's hard to comment on the lower shrubs without knowing what they are. It's quite possible that they are azaleas not in bloom.

Keep all siding/soffit/facia/trim white. It won’t be too much, it will be cohesive. Fix/replace the soffit. Replace the landscaping with “mature-size appropriate” shrub varieties that won’t outgrow their space. Remove storm door. Update light fixture, mailbox…and possibly house numbers. Bring in pops of color in the front door/porch furniture/flower pots/landscaping choices.

Norwood, thank you for that input!

Red Ryder, I will look into that! I’ve used the color visualizer but it’s tough on this type of product, at least for me.

Sigrid they are holly bushes. Landscaping definitely needs an update!

Susan, what color would you recommend for the addition? And the shutters?

Ohh please, no navy blue!

White siding. Keep black shutters…they make those windows appear visually similar to the larger window on left. One question…the windows with the shutters…what is that gray border? Is it fill behind the shutters from replacing larger original windows with smaller sized windows?

White and black can be classic with brick.

I took a close look at the front steps, they need to be much wider. Possibly extended to the posts. You’ll have to remove the tall bushes. And then add the hand rail. Trim the bushes even with the porch.

Susan, it’s a light blue trim behind the shutters that match the soffits and the columns. That’s just how the house was built in 50/60’s.

Jan, that’s a great idea! We were going to replace the rail with a white wooden railing, so when we do that we could widen the steps.

I would do all the blue/gray trim in white as it will tie in with the wider trim around the picture window and highlight the front door. White siding on your garage facade and your addition, too. Simple, clean, classic. You could, also, paint the ceiling of your cute front porch “H’aint Blue!” That would be a fun, traditional touch, too! I like your house!