I wouldn't paint the brick. I think your home looks great as it is. plenty of curb appeal. Maybe a bit of hedge maintenance is in order though.

Just trimming the plants around the house would help freshen up the facade.

Have the roof shingles cleaned and trim the shrubs.

Agree with one of the posts. Clean the roof. May be pressure wash the brick and pair the front door a bright color.

Please clarify - you say you want blue roof shingles, but then you say you can't change the roof. You want to paint the brick yellow, but then you say painting is out. Not sure how to guide you with these contradictions.

The roof, while badly stained with whatever that is, is only 8 years old. I don't want the expense of a new roof just because I want to change the color. I don't want to paint it yellow if I can't have a blue shingle roof. Question: can the roof be cleaned? And how?

http://www.ehow.com/how_6588977_clean-roofing-shingles.html#page=0

Don't paint the brick, even if you have the roof changed eventually. Your brick is very neutral and attractive (i.e. there are ugly bricks out there, but yours isn't one of them), and brick is low maintenance, whereas painted brick creates the need for maintenance. Definitely try to get the roof cleaned and keep the landscaping neatly trimmed. You have a lovely house that needs just small adjustments, not large renovations, to look its best.

Don't paint your brick. It is very nice brick. I like the color of the blue around the entry door. You should paint all the window edges in this color-love the French blue with the curved window edges. But would paint the door in a lighter brighter color. How about your yellow for the door.

Going to go trim the shrubs this afternoon. Like the idea of painting the window trip to match the other trim on the house. So now I need to go to Benjamin Moore and see what they have for painting replacement window trim. The door is not even a year old yet, I love red doors. So If I trim everything in yellow, I do believe that my red door will stand out. That will be my Spring project.

You need to get rid of the over grown plants,so that you can see the sidewalk !!
Paint the house Ballet White by Ben.Moore, paint the shutters about 5 shades darker than the Ballet White...I promise it will look great

house is very inviting...need to trim the boxwoods and the white trim is too glaring on the windows...why not paint the color of the bluish trim on or near the front door?

Agree - the brick is great - I'd paint the front door a light color! and the trim maybe a neutral

Clean roof

Paint roof

H iKay, More then likely the "stuff" on the roof is mold. Have it power washed.

You mention you like the traditional French touch. Exteriors of Country French homes are usually brick or stone or a combination thereof. Very often with dark gray roofs. So, you are actually off to a perfect start as you are.

Benjamin Moore has some great exterior color combinations I would go check it out. Post some of your favorites for us to see.

I am so ready to paint now. I've decided to go on and do it now instead of waiting until spring. Still working on the color combinations and will post when I decide. I do want the red door to stand out, so I guess that leaves me with painting both sides of the door a lighter color and go with a darker color for all the other trim. I'm getting color plates from Benjamin Moore tomorrow. I want to match something with the color in the brick.

Arley, won't power washing remove all the little particles in the shingles???

I provided link above in how to clean roof.

exactly what Triangle Brick Company said - painting the beautiful brick will be a lot of increased work.

Clean the roof, the marks are probably just mildew/mold which is pretty easy to clean off.

Paint all the trim to a pretty color, making everything cohesive plus giving the house a pop of color.

Trim the landscaping so walkway and view of bay window is clear. Make everything look neat and tidy and orderly.

Consider painting the front door. The wood may be very pretty but the color looks very similar to the brick so it just fades away. If the door is in very good shape with very nice wood, maybe paint more of the trim and side window to help the entry stand out.

Consider having a different porch light. The existing one is almost hidden by the fern and doesn't look like it's distinctive or maybe it's the size. If it was bigger or maybe brass? Maybe a pendant light inside the alcove? Or just lower the ferns? It's just so hidden and dark looking, I can't imagine it at night.

Your house is so pretty, I think it just needs a little attention to make it the neighborhood beauty.

thank you for your time. Painting the brick is now history. I have some color books from Benjamin Moore. All of the trim will be lighter and around the alcove by the door will be a slightly darker color then the trim. My door is new and I love red doors so it will not change. One of the reasons I bought this house 8 years ago is because someone thought out the landscaping. Your right, it does need some attention and I will be doing some cutting back soon. I live in Kentucky and we have had a great growing season this summer with lots of rain, so everything is very over-grown. Thank you for your help. I'm still not sure what to do about the roof. I can't figure out why I have mildew and mold on my roof???

Mold/mildew happen on roofs - especially in areas with lots of rain year round. It's similar to the discoloration on your brick walkways. It just happens. Follow the instructions on the post upthread, it's not that hard - just be sure you're paying attention to safety stuff. And please, don't be like my elderly father who goes up on the roof in his boxers and white t-shirt and power washes it. "Well I didn't want my clothes ruined by bleach! Well, it's a wooded lot and looked to see if anybody was watching!" /facepalm

LOL! your dad, after all, is a man, and they do some of the craziest things sometime!

I know right? My mom took pictures of him on the roof in his underwear so she can tease him forevermore. Definitely post pics of your house while you're in-progress. It's so great to see the changes happen.

I know where I live EVERY roof gets mold and mildew, and we have to have them cleaned every so often. (FL). Sometimes it's every 10 years or so, some need it more often. My old house had trees that shaded the roof, thus that side of the roof needed it more often.

If you feel unsure. Call a roofing company or two, see if you email a pic if they can tell you what they think it is. Or take a pic to your local Home Depot or Lowes.

If it is mold, be sure to use a reputable power washing company to take care of it. They use chemicals that can kill your plants, so the plants must be covered properly. And your shingles should be fine, as a good company will know what pressure to use. Make sure they know your concerns, and that they are insured. Check Angie's list or get a referral.

Hi - I think you painting would be great. However, I think you should remove each (left and right) shrub that is encroaching on the front porch. You should be able to lower the ferns (if you are keeping them) and then you will be able to see the porch lights. I think you should upgrade the lights to match the front door hardware. Also, I think the plant on the porch is too large.

It looks like you have a pretty entry and the brick looks very nice, it is just difficult to see. I you don't want to remove the entire shrub, then I would cut it to the light - using the lights on the house as a measuring line.

So many typos - Sorry