I do like the red because it works so well with the brick. If you painted the wood a light color it might stand out too much.

Is there any treatment for your dog that has cancer?

I can't tell if your shingles are black or grey.

Have you thought of painting the redwood some sort of grey? There's something in my DNA that doesn't like pink flowers next to redwood.

When I was in my 20's, my dream house had red brick, wedgewood blue/grey on the trim and flower boxes, and trailing geraniums.

Yeah, I am afraid the answer IS to keep it red. I may try to change the supports on the railings so I don't have so much of a country look.

No good treatment options for Grace. She had an adrenalectomy a year and a half ago but the cancer spread to her other adrenal gland. She is on a mushroom extract that helps control internal inflammation and spread and I am convinced that is what has given us so much more time. The only other option is another adrenalectomy (which is very risky surgery, has a long recovery time and is very expensive.. 14K for the last one) and then a lifetime of prednisone and hormone replacement. I won't put us through that again.

Ha-- I made a dollhouse very similar to your dream house for one of my nieces. My trim leaned more towards a purple than wedgewood though.

The shingles are a dark gray. I like the idea of a blueish gray-- but do you think it will make it stand out too much?

I don't mind the pink so much--especially since the rhodies don't bloom all that long. I don't really care for the red roses but I have balked at taking them out because they were the original owner's favorite. I haven't really done anything with the garden space around the porch. I added some white flax and I usually do purple/blues in the baskets. Maybe I can downplay the red (or gray) by pulling out the roses and replanting the bed? (Now I am leaning towards another forum).

Sweet back porch! Love your dogs too:)
I can relate to what you must be going through with Grace...we have a Lab that hasn't been doing well for the past year. So many tests done (and $ spent!)-all heartbreaking to go through. All you can do is love them to bits:)

Anyways...back to the porch! I really like the red, but was goint to suggest a creamy white. I know there might be too much contrast but if you want to brighten it up, it could be an option.

have posted a pic of our house that looks to have similiar colour brick. We painted the front railings in BM Opaline (I think...would need to double-check) It is a definite big contrast, but I like it.
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"(Now I am leaning towards another forum)."

You're lucky you have that option, lol (she says, feeling sorry for herself).

I used to get as nuts about my garden colors as I do, now, about the house colors. I'd plant azaleas instead of rhodedendrons, for that very reason.

Well, I'm pretty staid, so this probably won't work for you, but I'd paint it sort of a greyed out chocolate brown. I'm thinking the colour of the little roof over lisa-mocha's font bow window. If you have a neutral dark background your little doodads will pop against it.

Very jealous of your lovely private outdoor space. That wisteria is gorgeous - I love how it looks run wild.

Thanks Lisa, Parma and Budge. I have to say that I have been leaning towards brown also. It does sound rather boring but it will provide a great backdrop for bright colors. Surprisingly, I hadn't even thought of white.. I guess I am going to have to go and photoshop.

Parma, sadly the result isn't much to envy. I have done very poorly with my garden beds-- and much as I would love to work with them all this season, my work schedule and commute mean I will have even less time this year than last. I would like to rip out those three rose bushes though-- and a bed of tiger lilies (which is also infested with mile-a-minute weed). I am stuck with the rhodie for now.

Now that I am feeling completely overwhelmed again-- I am going to go find a paper bag to breath into ;)

You could paint it any colour you wanted to, especially since it's in the back.

On my monitor, your photo shows the brick to be the same colour as mine. In my photos, the brick looks more orange than red.

The front porch is green with white trim.

The back is taupe. We did not choose to paint the brick wall in the back. The previous owners had painted it dark brown and it was dreadful, so we painted over it with taupe.

What about painting it a fresh white? It would work with your brick and, IMHO, look lovely with the greenery and flowers. Perhaps, paint the deck a clear medium gray to echo the roof somewhat.
Lynn

I'm facing the exact issue with my trumpet vines - they're completely covering a fence that no longer matches the house, now that we painted it. (the house, that is.) It's not looking like I'll get there before they come back, though...

I vote for a creamy white. But that would be pretty cottage-y. I think it would look beautiful with the wisteria.

Poor doggie. :-( My kitty was just diagnosed with cancer, also nothing to be done. I'm taking her to a holistic vet for Vitamin C IVs and she's on neoplasene. I'm afraid it's not helping, though...

I tried out some colors, and surprisingly, what I thought looked best was something close to your current red, but with a hint more purple.

Suero, I tried colors also-- and came up with a color I suspect is very similar. It is a what I would classify as a brown with some purple-red. Now I just need to find a paint match ha. I dont have examples to show since used a really crappy program to slap some color on... but I did not like the gray's, whites or creams at all-- and I didnt find the right blue. The darker red-browns really looked great. My sister reminded me that I really shouldn't go with a lighter color because the roof is not covered and, frankly, it would always look dirty because the wisteria and trees drop pollen and leaves.. and because birds nest in the wisteria. I do hose off the porch every week but I don't do it daily.

If I go darker, will I need to change my patio furniture? I don't think my iron furniture would look good in a white or cream-- maybe I should switch to a wicker look? I really do need new furniture but I was hoping to save the expense this year since what I really want is a sectional sofa piece.

My favorite garden author (long deceased) used to say about garden structures, along the lines of Henry Ford, "paint it black".

Start with BM Vintage Claret, but a little lighter and a little grayer. Your black furniture will go nicely with that color, but if the furniture needs repainting, try forest green.

You said you wanted some privacy there. I think the red does that because it blends with the house and doesn't draw the eye. Some other colors might draw the eye.

My first thought was creamy white, which would complement your brick and window trim. I think a nice taupey brown or grey would look nice too with your furniture and shingles.

Pretty puppy! It's hard when they get older and sick. My lab is 9 now, and he's had a hard time ever since he had back surgery after getting hit by a truck when he was a few years old. We call him our $6,000 dollar dog!

awww thanks for the compliments on my pups. And I am so sorry to hear that your lab is having a hard time. My lab is my oldest dog (15+ yr).. and it seems like he has been with me forever. HE is overweight but a little thinner now than when that photo was taken. Grace, the rottie/mastiff, is the one with cancer-- she's about 5/6 yo.

I had to laugh at your $6000 dog-- as I can relate. I call Grace my "expensive dog". I stopped counting how much I have spent on her-- as she was very sick when I adopted her, the vet refused to spay because she was so ill and then she got an infection and had to have an emergency spay-- it took over a year for her to be back to health and it wasn't long after that we found the cancer. Poor thing has been through so much. I have stopped spending big money on her though. Her cancer is hormonal and her personality has changed a lot in the last 6 months. I am not able to give her more life at this point- just more time.

Isnt it something how many of us are animal people! It makes you wonder where all the strays are coming from. :(

Funky, not sure but your window trim looks white on my monitor. Maybe that's the way to go.

Lisa, your white trim looks great!

We have red brick and the house color is sort of a tan gray. It's BM's Sandy Hook Gray

Funkyart, so sorry to hear your pup is so ill. I know how difficult that is.

Is cancer more prevalent in certain breeds than in others? I don't know how much study has been done on dogs regarding cancer.

Yes, my window trim is white-- but really, white isnt going to work with the pollen, paws, etc.. and more importantly, it really looked out of place when I mocked it up in a photo. Thanks for all the suggestions, but I will likely follow Suero's direction.

Thank you for the words for my dogs. I shouldnt have shared so much here and brought the thread down.. my apologies. It is one of those things that is on my mind constantly these days. I have had a very long run with her. I was told she wouldn't make it through the summer before last so this time we've had is a gift.

Yes Threedgrad, there are some breeds that are more likely to get certain cancers. Grace's cancer is pretty rare and not one that affects rottweilers anymore than other breeds.