I suspect the cost of "modernizing" is going to be far more than the added value. There are so many white houses today, my guess is the trend is going to move on soon, leaving them looking dated. I'd also guess that with an app, you can put wood accents in places where putting them in real life would be quite hard or expensive.

You're better off thinking about how to make your nice little brick house a bit nicer than transforming it into something it isn't. I'd start with landscaping, removing the shutters and painting the gable a color that does with your window trim.

Thanks! My contractor actually suggested the header so I’m sure he’s confident he can do that.

I’m not necessarily looking at trendy but this is my forever home and I like the modern minimalist look.

Please no. Painting the brick white is so ten years ago. Keep the brick. Remove the blah shutters. Paint all the trim and gable a better color like olive green. Then put in landscaping. Contractors aren’t designers and tend to suggest things they’ve done before and are profitable.

What Housegal said. Exactly.

Put your money into landscaping, not adding random gables.

Thanks guys! Yeah this picture is from 7 years ago so roof is new and have the larger numbers and I have curved beds. Welcome any other thoughts though! predominantly all the houses are the same and original red brick so I’m looking at non red brick, but read painting brick is bad for it.

For starters I'd add a gable canopy over the front door to protect the door and guests from weather. The gable must match the pitch of the existing gable.

I would NOT add a screened room on the front of the home.

Landscaping !!!!!!!

By changing the details on the ranch you can create a unique style.

Here is a possibility. Off-white or cream schmear or limewash, black and white trim. Natural wood siding for the peak. Metal awning over the door. New black fixtures.

This last picture is closest to what I’m interested in, so a cream/black/wood scheme. I also plan on getting that front light. Thank you!

No app, I use Draw software...just shapes and lines over the photo. Primitive but effective for color blocking ideas and visuals. I can make changes to my drawing if you want.

Here are homes that have been limewashed.

Have you seen how the white painted/ whitewashed brick gets dirty & mildewy on the low parts of the walls? No way would I do that to your brick. I like some of the other suggestions instead.

Don’t do anything now. If you are adding to the front of your home in 2026, now is the time to create a whole integrated plan of the screened porch, and all facade changes. Also, please post a current picture. It will really help us make recommendations.

Recognize how many of the pics below of white washed homes are virtual images. Instead, try to find pics of white washed homes that have been done and around for years so you can see how the look wears.

Ok thanks! I think that’s part of my plan but you put that in words well! My thoughts have incorporated the future screened in porch. I think I want to remove vinyl on gable, and then create a matching pitch smaller gable over door area, with then a cape cod type roof and have that be a wood look with the screened in porch. We get a lot of mosquitoes and my kids play in the front yard more than the back so ideally that works for my family.

Attached is a picture from last fall after roof was put on.

For me the gable is the ugly part and if you did something like this the brick could stay brick no ugly white wash of course not the back raised part . The do some greeat MCM landscaping can't beat that for modern No porch on the front if modern is the plan for sure.

I agree! I am not in love with my gable. Living in the northeast we probably have a minimum roof pitch for snow but I do love the first picture.

If you match the gable to the roof with a dark gray, it won't be as prominent. The costlier solutions you propose--limewashing, reconstructing gable--may not be as enduring as some budget-friendly visual "diversions"--power washing the roof, taking off shutters, new walkway, beautiful landscaping. Spring is the time to arrange for some of these changes then see how things look in a year or two.

Here is a nice Cape Cod screen room

So all of us have been offering solutions for a 7-year old photo and you've since made updates? Okaaay. Over and out.

Yeah this picture is from 7 years ago so roof is new and have the larger numbers and I have curved beds.

Thanks everyone for considering the house design options. I like the idea blending in the gable with the roofline and hadn’t thought of that! I like mimicking other homes but I’ve struggled to find examples in real life in the area or through google images. I live in the DC area so most of the homes look the same but I do love a modern look. I’ve also been considering a blind or faux window in the gable. but I think my main priority is getting rid of the red brick and updating. I’m ok with infusing color via a stain or color block or the front door to give it a fresh look.

Ironically I just started a design dilemma on this very subject, with photos and a link to the article on how they changed a red brick ranch.

Here's a link to the dilemma:

https://www.houzz.com/discussions/6484829/updating-red-brick-ranch-homes#29397062

And for the record I don't think your gable is ugly. But the gray house with the lime green door is.

My daugher's house near New Orleans is almost the exact copy of yours, only no gable in front. She has a nice size square open porch which encloses the front door and goes to the end of what is the right side of your picture, in front of the living room windows. She ditched the shutters but added a Carribbean type shutter on the bedroom for shade and heat protection (her window faces west) and also for hurricane protection (it can easily be rolled down). She kept the red brick and off-white trim, altlhough painted brick is quite common in New Orleans and is NOT a problem at all.

The secret to painting brick is to use a mineral paint like RomaBio. You apply when the brick is wet. It’s like painting brick with brick. It comes with a 20 year guarantee. So far, mine is 8 years old and no problem. Haven’t had to touch it yet, not even to power wash. I love a White House. Will never go out of style!

I suggest power washing your house if you’ve never done it. My house was 9 years old when I bought it. After I power washed it, it looked different - lighter and brighter. I have an orange-y brick.

Before covering the brick with Romabio or any limewash, give it a “shower”. Maybe you’ll like it better. If not, at least it will be clean for its next iteration.

Without a doubt - REMOVE THE FAKE SHUTTERS! If you want shutters, use REAL ones that can be closed in a storm, else they look cheap. Paint the white triangle a darker color so it is not the focal point of the front.

This has nothing to do with your questions, but if I were you, I would put in a sunroom not a screened in porch. You can use a sunroom year round and because of no screen, you’ll get a better view from the room.

Hi Anna, I love your house, and your limewash idea is a great idea. People have been limewashing brick homes for 110 years, so don't pay any attention to those who say it's out of style 10 years ago." White will look fabulous. black and wood accents will dress it up and give it a bit of a modern touch while still keeping the classic look. Gable over the front door, and nix the idea of a screen porch on the front....you can always put one out on the back of the house. The peacock blue on the front door in original photo was absolutely gorgeous. It would look great with black & wood. Any chance you want to change back to peacock blue? If not, use it as an accent, like a large planter. Good luck and show us all photos when you are done. :-)