We used Nichiha, stone, brick and concrete smear over brick. Here are a few pics. I'm not sure this is what you are looking for, but it does give you an idea of mixing materials.

A brick veneer "apron" creates a difficult to detail material change especially at windows for no architectural benefit that I can think of. I would put that money into more important features elsewhere on the house.

Thank you! Bobber, your house is beautiful! I'm looking really for brick just around the bottom of the house and shakes on the rest, but this does help give me some idea of what different materials look like together! Thanks again!

If memory serves me correctly, I believe fellow GW poster "kateskurous"(?) was using those shakes with stone. You might want to do a search on this forum or maybe send her an email.

Personally, I vote for stone or nothing. Good luck!

hi there, and yes we are using the weathered gray nichiha with eldorado stone. i think i posted a pic a few weeks back for you. either way, the stone is not up yet. it's one of eldorado's stacked stones in a color called olive grove. i prefer the stone (obviously!) but i have seen gray, shingled houses with red brick which i thought were stunning. i think it depends on the home really. do you have any drawings?

this is the front elevation showing the stone placement.

and this is the house in progress; we need a lot of grading:
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Ok, how do I post a photo? I have some of my house- which is not very different from yours, Kateskouros. Smaller. I like the stone with the shakes, but was hoping someone had a photo of brick with it so I could compare the two. anyway, if I can figure out how to post a picture, I'll do it. Thanks!