I believe I would take the shutters off and either leave them off or paint them black---then paint the entire house taupe (brick, siding, etc.). I looks like you have good molding around your windows, and that painted a crisp white as it is now would look great with the dark taupe even without shutters. Painting the body of the house would make your house look more cohesive, IMO. Then add back the shutters (in black) if you like.

Thanks, kswl. I have entertained the idea of painting the brick. I guess I also wonder about the up keep of painted brick. Does it chip? That was also my plan to paint the moulding and trim white to match the new windows.

Maybe if I saw a photoshop of this, but I was thinking maybe a khaki bright sage. With the red door that would look great! We are color people.

Like I said, money won't allow us to paint the house for many years to come. We have many other higher priorities on the inside. So for the time being, I want to do something about the exisiting accents on the house (front door color and shutters).

Remove the shutters. It opens the house so nicely and gives the windows room to breathe. The landscaping between the windows will also have a better background.

I would try the shutters black or red before removing. They really aren't that bad as they are. You just have the winter blahs out there so nothing will look good.

I would not paint the brick. It's pleasant and kind of welcoming in your woodsy setting. It'll be a beautiful subtle backdrop once your plants grow in (I hope you've planted something for winter interest). Painted brick often makes a house look like someone screwed up. Not always! But sometimes.

Another vote for keeping the brick and painting the shutters balck. IMHO the only reason to paint brick is if it is really bad shape and anything would be an improvement. Not so in your case.
I also like the shutters only because it breaks up the long line of your single story home. True,maybe if you put in a "knock out" landscape plan, you might not need the shutters.

WOW Suero! Thanks for the mock up. I do like the cleanless of it without the shutters. Decidedly it would look better with mature landscaping. If it wouldn't be too much to ask, would you mind mocking up one with the shutters painted red like the door? Or black as the others have suggested? I would appreciate your help since I have no clue how to do it!

Fori, yes this is my opinion too of painted brick. It usually looks...wrong. I have seen some great examples though, esp when the color is warm and near a real shade of brick....white is the worst though. Maybe a taupe or warm khaki? Again, anyone what to do a mock up of that I would be grateful! I also think you're right about me having the winter blahs. : ) Also a redecorating bug for sure!

Ellendi, yes our brick is in good shape....just orange with beige mortar. Very boring as it all looks right now. Maybe red shutters? I do like the look of the mock up suero did though. Once the plants grew it though...

Maybe I'll paint the shutters and take them down if I want to once the pants grown in. I just want to jazz up the front NOW though.

We are getting a porch light installed to the left of the door, next to the window....would have liked it on the other side but too much work (?). Maybe I should consider 2, one on each side? And adding numbers to the house....might spruce it up, huh?

Thanks for any more input you guys have!

I like the shutters. Leaving the windows blank cheapens the look of the house. Kind of like our old house before we installed shutters.

Thanks oakleyok. I think for now, we are leaning towards painting them. See how that goes until the plants grow in.

Do our shutters look outdated compared to "new" styles out there? I'm asking since I'm assuming you saw a bunch when you were shopping for yours. Another option we have for down the road is getting new ones put on.

The shutters aren't bad, but too small. Get something that is the right size for the windows (shutters should theoretically be sized to cover the windows when closed).

However, if it were me, I would leave off the shutters. Then add window boxes below the two windows on the right of the front door, and paint them the color of the siding.

Get the tall bush out of the front window area. Do an interesting planting bed, maybe with a large rock for height and texture, in the area in front of the window.

On the other side, pull the plantings out in a randomly curving bed, away from the house, to break up the straight line of the home. Plant a taller tree in the lawn, that would essentially be in line with the space between the two windows on the right.

Add a decorative house number plaque to the right of the front door. Planter pots in a cement or stone in the taupe color of the siding would be nice on either side of the bottom step.

You can bring lots of color in with your plantings. Consider adding landscape lights in the front planting beds that shine up the brick, to give the body of the house greater presence in proportion to the roof.

It is a cute home, and some not too complicated changes will give it the personality you want.

I wouldn't paint the brick, but I would nix the shutters. They don't seem to fit with the style of the house.

Thanks for the input homemaker. I still think I may try painting them first, just to see, but I am leaning heavily towards removing them.

Les917, you certainly gave me a lot of great ideas! I like the window box idea....and the idea of planting a tree out in the yard between those windows has occured to me. Here are some pics I just took of our whole front yard so you can get a sense of how many trees we already have. I did plant a large shrub/tree under between those windows in the bed. And adding a rock would be fun. We plan to do our walkway this spring.
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Would you suggest adding one or two exterior lights by the front door. We have one to get installed Monday to the left of the door.

Thanks!

Her it is with black shutters. I don't think that the black is very visible against the red brick. You can't make the shutters large enough to cover the windows when closed, because there isn't room enough for them to lie flat against the wall when opened.

I added a dwarf Alberta Spruce between the windows.

Seuro, you rock!

I love the spruce for sure. I planted a Haley's Comet there that should grow tall like that. Maybe I ought to plant something else in the lawn like was suggested.

I agree the black does nothing too special against the brick, though it is nice to see the tie in with the storm door. hmmm. Anyway I could see the shutters red? I hate to ask but it sure would help! I can repay you in....compliments?

I see an attractive , albeit mundane brick ranch; painting or removing the shutters will not make much of an impact. IMO, your house can easily be turned into a beauty by painting the brick and siding the same color. My preference for rambling brick ranches, which I love, is white or gray.
I recommend this easily without knowing your area. upkeep on paint is More difficult in very cold climates, I know.

martinca, we live in a warm climate. I am tempted by the idea of painting the whole house a warm taupe. I do think what I learned from this forum and this posting is that the shutters are not the issue. I'll add interest with decorative house number, lighting and landscaping/walkway. When the time comes to paint, I'm going to seriously consider painting the brick. But for now, it is what it is!

Well, what it is is fine. What it will be painted taupe ( or grey or white :>) ?...is gorgeous. A light painted brick ranch on a wooded lot takes me back to my southern roots. Please plant tons of azaleas, dogwoods and rhododendron
For the hazy sea of pastels in springtime....sigh.
For now, I would paint all trim the color of siding. The white isn"t right. I agree with les on window boxes .

I think the house should be all one color too (and shutter-less). Door color should be different for emphasis. Maybe some clever person here can do a good landscaping mock-up for you.

Red shutters

I know you said you love your red door - but I don't. I think the red really clashes with your orangy brick. And the red shutters above (by suero) are just bad.

I like your house shutter-less, or with the shutters matching the non-brick house color.

I like the black shutters very much and I think it looks bare without them. Your yard is so lush in the spring.

How are the shutters mounted? Are they attached to the wood sills or to the brick? Here shutters are purely ornamental and are usually attached to the stucco, so big problems if you pull them off.
Renee

I may be the only one who thinks this - that the second picture posted where the shutters APPEAR to be a soft green due to the lighting is my favorite. It breaks up all the shades of brown, but in a way reflected by nature, subtle but beautiful.

I'm afraid I agree that the red door isn't flattering to the color of the brick, but that the right green, framed by the black storm door may be very nice.

Well said, My3dogs, and I totally agree!

WOW! You all have been so helpful to me. I love this forum!

martinca, yes we have lots of azaleas and the like...very southern! Maybe one day we'll paint the house and post a pic for you!

Awm03, thanks for the photoshop! I do need to think about this idea about one color for the future. For now, it's just small stuff.

Suero, yikes! Thanks for doing that for me....definitely not a fan of red shutters!

Littlebug5, My3dogs, and hoosiergirl, I can totally agree that the red door is not the best color. And I can see how it clashes with the orange and there are lots of better colors out there. I just really wanted a personal stamp on the house. The idea of matching occurred to me (the door was originally the same color as the shutters) and I was thinking of green....but there is already so much green in that yard. I think if you saw the inside of my house you could see what color people we are. I even dress in a colorful way...mixing patterns(hmmm, I wonder how many of us resemble our home decorationg in terms of personal dress? That would be a fun experiment, match the homeowner to the house!). Like I said, I totally get that the door is not perfect in terms of matching but it just makes me happy! I love it.

My3 dogs, hmmm. I can see what you mean! I think it would look nice with the siding that color too (did you notice there door shutters were still on in that pic?) : )

hosenemis, we pulled the shutters off around the door and big window already. They were anchored in the mortar. Not a real problem.

However, having said all this I am definitely NOT painting the shutters, as was one of my ideas (thanks to suero for helping with this!) and will most likely be leaving them as well. I will focus my attention on landscaping for now. It's funny: having posted this a while ago, I now see my house and I am much happier with it. I also think I'd rather paint the whole whole taupe and keep the red door so for now it won't be perfect but I am quite happy with that!

I love this forum and so appreciate all who have chimed in to help me!

Repaint them for sure.Not red,I like the taupe color,do the door different color then.