Let me add to the confusion... SW Reserved White, especially if you are doing a light Taupe shutter color.

OMG how to instantly devalue a beautiful brick home , please do not do it. Remove the shutters get black windows get a proper well designed portico over the entry and some much nicer landscaping al which will increase the value of that home

Your inspiration photo shows green windows and shutters. What is the plan for your exact windows? That is a key element in the scheme of things. We inherited (bought) a painted brick house and we would not have painted ours if it was our choice. All that being said, our house is SW shoji white but our roof is decidedly more dark brown black than yours. Will your roof be staying as is? I don’t think white windows would work on our house so if they had been white we would have gone a completely different direction with the new body color (which had to be repainted due to brick spalling - again, not a fan of painted brick)…photo is now with blazing hot west setting sun. In the winter when there is snow on the ground the Shoji White looks a bit dingy and on a grey day it looks 'bone white'.

And do I see a Beagle in your photo? Love Beagles!

@thinkdesignlive- Yes we have 2 beagles!! They are a hot mess. Thank you! This is a 1980s vinyl siding spec home with a brick front. This is about the only lovely part of the house on the exterior. The rest is yellow vinyl siding. This was the most house we could get for our money here, but that’s beside the point. We have renovated the entire ensure and are already above the price range for this neighborhood. I’m not trying to be the most expensive house by a gazillion dollars, so trying to make a few exterior changes that will not make me hate the siding siding as much. We are replacing that and going with a Weatherwood shingles.
I’m not a big fan of three sides of my house being completely siding and just the front being brick. If the whole entire house were brick, I would 100% not consider painting it at all.
New windows are not in the budget so that’s out of the question. I’m doing more of a fawn brindle color shutter I think.. not sure yet.
I’ve had people comment on the size of the portico…. I get it. Tearing out the existing concrete and pouring a larger patio, doing new landscape also not in the budget. My front door has rotted from water damage so we have to cover it I’m not trying to increase the value of my home necessarily. I’m trying to live with what I have within my means. I am not looking for advice to paint or not to paint. Looking for suggestions on whites that have or have not worked for you, specifically the ones I mentioned. I am a little worried about the current windows with a Shoji white etc. thanks for those who have offered helpful advice and suggestions, it is very much appreciated.

If you are keeping your white windows and grey roof and dead set on painting and envision a light house - you will want to match your white window color if you are doing white. Don’t mix whites at all. Then, the shutters can be a taupe, light green, light grey, etc. I’d suggest searching for homes that have your roof color and windows and see what clicks.

The rest is yellow vinyl siding.

a few exterior changes that will not make me hate the siding siding as much. We are replacing that

You are replacing the siding? With what?

add a portico

Does your picture show the new portico? Do you have a drawing that shows what it will look like?

You might look at Sherwin Williams West Highland white. It’s a bright neutral white with a bit of creaminess. One of my favorites.

This pic shows a portico that is slightly bigger than your actual one. I’d make sure to add details with moulding and beef up the columns to help with the scale.

That looks nice Emily! Alexis, if you have to do a new roof, I strongly urge you to look at your large white paint samples with the new roof shingles. The new portico roof would look nice in metal or copper like Emily is showing. And if your front door has to be replaced, that color needs to be carefully considered with all other materials…basically, pick your white body color dead last.

If you haven’t already changed out your siding, I’d paint it the same color that you choose for your brick.

Thank you Emily! We are replacing the siding now with hardie, so haven’t painted it yet. The portico will have two round tapered columns and a copper roof, I don’t have a drawing. I have the new front door ordered, it will look similar to the one below. I can’t extend the concrete wider to accommodate a larger portico roof/column base unfortunately. I do plan to paint hardie and brick all the same color, I was also thinking about the white windows agree that the color needs to be closer to that so it’s not an eye sore. I am looking at OC driftwood shingles but open to other colors, going for a shingle with a little more brown/warm. Shutters will be fawn brindle or some earthy/taupe color. I have also looked at the color jogging path but I sit on a golf course so worry about too much green!

And we are replacing the shutters as well

if it were me, with white windows I’d look at soft taupes rather than whites (a painted brick house up the street is Sw tony taupe, a nice warm taupe that doesnt go purple with all the green bounce of landscaping - its a classic raw linen color imo - has SW shoji white trim)

fwiw i totally get painting the front brick facade and think it will look more integrated with the siding, I think you’ll be happy with it - I’d wait to see if you want new shutters

eta I don't mean keeping the shutters you have but seeing if you like the house without shutters

la la Girl has a good suggestion, that’s why I asked about how you were going to deal with the white windows.

@Alexis….. Okay, now that you’ve explained why I understand. It’s a very nice looking house, good luck. Beagle are cute, I like them too.

I have white windows. I have a greige house but wanted an off white for the trim. I used SW Alpaca at 75%. It's an earthy off-white with no discernible undertones. I think it would look pretty with the color shutters you're contemplating.

Be sure to use a paint designed for masonry like Romabio. You want a product that will let the brick breathe to avoid flaking and peeling.

If you can swing it in the budget, consider real hinged shutters with shutter dogs. It will be a real upgrade to the vinyl, screwed on shutters.

I definitely agree with beefing up the posts on the portico.

I don't normally like painted brick either, but when it's only on the front and the sides have siding, I agree that unifying the whole thing will be a much better look..

Please post pictures when you finish your project. Good luck!

Unless you plan to live in this house forever, don't paint the brick. I, for one, do not want a house with painted brick in a color I don't like. And, I would never pay the money to have all the paint removed.

If you decided to change the color use stain not paint.

Staining brick is generally preferred over painting because it allows the bricks to breathe and prevents moisture buildup, which can lead to mold and structural damage. Painting can trap moisture and may require more frequent maintenance due to chipping and peeling.

Go with B.M. White Dove masonry stain.

No shutters, at least not the ones you have on the house now. Do authentic or go home. Match the white to the windows and concentrate on the new entry.