Gorgeous brick! Are you keeping your house trim white? If so, will you want the trim around the door white, too? I thought an almost-black, rich green would be beautiful with the brick...but not with white trim. If you're keeping light trim, I'd stain a wood color...Maybe something similar to cherry. I would definitely do the sidelights in whatever finish you use on the door.

Your house is beautiful! Are you going to have any shutters, and if so what color? I ask this not because they have to match the front door, but so the colors compliment each other. Very sharp house, congratulations on your progress.

Amy

rhome410: Thanks. It is Boral Brick Old Overton/Georgia Red mortar. We love it too! Yes, the trim will stay white. I like the contrast in the dark brick and white trim and windows.

amyks: Thanks for the compliment. No shutters (we're not really shutter fans). That's why we did the brick accents across the front. I know they are hard to see in the full photo. Since there are no shutters, what are your thoughts on the door...stained or painted...sidelights?

Anyone else have suggestions?

I agree with rhome410. If you keep the trim around your door light, I would go with a medium color stain. If the trim can be stained, I would use a medium to dark color stain. What color will you use for the outdoor light fixtures?

columbodial: No, the trim can't be stained. It isn't fiberglass and they said it would have to remain white. I really think that stinks. Do you know of anyway to get around that? Can you paint the trim the same color as the stain or will it look bad?

Amy: Our house faces south and the door is back under a porch so I think we're safe from the sun. I had to laugh at your GC words...my GC famous last words..."Oh, you don't want to do that" (as he snurls his nose). My famous last words to my GC, "Why yes, I do, it's my house isn't it?". I'll be glad when this is past us.

Anyone else have any suggestions? Any Photoshop gurus out there today?

Is the trim made of pine or oak? Most manufacturers (Thermatru, etc) offer a primer for the trim that you can use if you plan on staining the trim to match the door and sidelites. The only issue is that the finish will never look exactly like the finish on the door because of the differences in the grain pattern. The color, however, should be the same. I personally dislike stained doors with white door frames...with that being said, I see homes everyday that decide to go with this option, and they pull it off. You can see different options to this at the picture gallery on the thermatru website. I think your house is beautiful and very formal looking. I'd go with stained over paint...no question!

Beautiful Home! My wife and I are also building the Ambrose plan. We are going to stain our front door. Ours will be white door frame and stained door/sidelites/transom. As Dxiedoodle pointed out: you _can_ stain the frame to match the door stain color, but the grain will be different. I think Zar makes a stain you could use on the door and the primed frame/brickmould. Ask your painter what brand of stain they would use then check out the color chart at your local hardware store. I used a ThermaTru stain kit on our current home, but it was cherry color and is too 'red' for my taste.

Check out http://www.ugl.com/zarWoodFinishing/zarWoodStain.php

BTW: How did you decide on mortar color? We are about 3 weeks away from brick and can't decide on standard gray or red. We are going pretty traditional with red/gray brick, black roof and white trim.

Here is a link that might be useful: Zar Wood Stain

I would either paint them-door and transoms-black or stain a rich chocolate brown stain.

Photoshopping in Stain is really hard for me. I can do color no problem, but trying to get a stain that doesn't look muddy is more challenging. If you find a color of a door online you really like, I can easily cut and paste it for you. I can play around with it later this afternoon or tomorrow. Crazy week at the kids school with lots of activities. Sock Hop tonight! LOL

Here's a home that is somewhat similar to yours with a white front door.
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Here is a link that might be useful:

1st choice: Black

2nd choice: White

Black first choice or second choice dark brown.

I just wanted to update my post with a final decision. They pressed us for a stain choice two months ago and they JUST STAINED IT ON THURSDAY! How's that for urgency? Anyway, after much thought and consideration we went with Minwax Walnut gel stain for the front door. Thanks to all who offered thoughts and opinions. I think it turned out beautiful. Here are a few pics as I know that's what we all REALLY want to see... :-)

Perfect!

Beautiful! and the white trims looks great!

Oh I'm so glad you came back to show us how it turned out. I just love it! Your house looks fabulous now that you've got all the details in.

Looks gorgeous! Is your home a Frank Betz design?

Liptonjl: Yes, actually it is. It is the Ambrose plan with a few changes. Thanks for the compliment.