A vote to paint the entire house in the darker shade of a grayed-khaki -- to create a more co-hesive and visually larger facade. The darker shade will help it relate a bit better to the color of the roof too.

Then paint the front door and the adjoining shutters in chocolate brown (make the door in high gloss and the shutters in semi-gloss) to blend with the screen door -- again -- to make a larger and more co-hesive visual presence.

Add a larger half-round door mat.

Add accents of red through pots of flowers -- and eventually -- "clumps" of red flowers throughout the gardens.

A simple clean-up of the landscaping will make a HUGE difference! Just tidy and add bags of mulch to the gardens to fill them in. In the future -- create a less-expensive walkway with large concrete paver stones -- and fill in the rest of the walkway with gravel.

Jan at Rosemary Cottage

This ranch reminds me of our home 2 houses ago, I went with a chocolate brown at first as the shutters were white. our brick was fairly similar too with all one color. I will be honest, I would stay away from the chocolates unless you do as I eventually did which was use a ebony black (always classy and timeless) and had the paint guy put a shot of brown to it. The color I initially chose was 'french roast' from Porter (PPG I think its called), but like I said it just seemed too blah with all the other browns.
What i think it did when i went with brown shutters was make the place look just too too brown and neutral. IMHO, I might want to paint the shutters black with a hint of brown, if you want and keep a taupe/khaki color on the siding and either paint the storm and door the same as shutters OR do a fun bright purple or raspberry for a nice POP. Oh wait, you have the shutters next to the door, dont you? Paint the shutters and storm same and door only with the bright color I guess, Actually, I might consider taking the door shutters off and eventually butting up a prefab door surround. We also had door shutters too and it made a HUGE DIFFERENCE when we took them off. You can always put pots next to door to compensate till you do something else (with bright flowers or conical shrubs). Sunday morning ramble here...hope it made sense. Good luck

Are you painting the brick too? I second Oopsie's suggestion to remove the door shutters and I'll add do the same with the single one on the picture window.

Thanks for the input!

Teacats, when you say paint the entire house, do you mean the brick as well?

Oopsie, thanks for the tip re: brown. I'll definitely look for a brown with more black in it. Also, when you took off your door shutters, did you have a window next to it like ours?

Natal, if we took off the door shutters and the single one by the window, wouldn't that window look naked compared to the others which have 2 shutters? And I wasn't considering painting the brick. I thought that might look cheesy. I guess I've never seen a painted brick that looked nice. Maybe I should consider it?

Is it hard to maintain? Not sure what I think of that...

Shutters originally shut over windows, so the ornamental shutters that are adjacent to the picture window (which really only has one, by the way), look obviously "false" in terms of their true function.

We have gotten used to looking at shutters this way, a pair per window no matter how large the window is.
The shutters over the other windows wouldnt cover them either...each would have to be the width of the window its next to, but they at least look a bit more reasonable in scale than the one by the picture window.

Yes, the house will look different, but I do not think the windows or door would look naked. you may want to beef up the door surround at some point, but don't do something so wide it touches the edge of the picture window like it does now.

Personally I would not paint the brick. The house is fifty years old and the brick has never probably been touched. Once you paint it, it is going to require regular maintenance to keep it looking decent. Why change a low maintenance material into a higher maintenance one?

This is a very nice house! I agree with palimpsest to not paint the brick. It is one story if the brick is in bad shape and painting it would be a quick fix. This is not your case. When we bought our 50's split, we sandblasted the paint down to the red brick. We have black shutters, white siding and a white door. I don't think that a red door will look good with red brick (IMHO) I know you don't want to think about landscaping, but that is where you will make a huge impact. I feel that even if you left your house as it, but concentrated on your landscaping it will look so much better to you. Keep us posted!

I would paint the brick a soft ecru color. Red is always a good choice for the front door.

Also, I would remove the shutters from around the front door and make the window to the left of the door have the same shutters as the other window. I think your door would stand out more then; especially when painted a nice rich Red.

The OP didn't say anything about wanting to paint the brick, so I'm casting my vote for leaving the brick alone. There are many ranches with a mixture of brick and siding in my neighborhood and I really like them, especially when the siding, shutters, etc. are in the earth-tones range, like khaki and soft sage/olive greens.

I am very sorry I don't know how to photoshop, shawnamichelle, but I just wanted to say that's a very attractive house, love the wooded location!

I would remove the shutter from the picture window as Palimpsest suggested--you don't need it and only having one looks odd.

You could move your shutters to the windows on the siding. Then all the windows on the brick wall (and the door) would be without shutters.

Are the windows new? Any chance you will be replacing them? I LOVE the look (and function!)of my casement windows:

Palimpsest, yeah, I don't want to paint the brick. Thanks for your thoughts re: the shutters.

Ellendi, definitely no to brick painting!! :)

JJean, I can't wait to paint my door red! I'll post pictures.

Leafy02, thanks! We live in North Carolina and have a lot of lush vegetation. The whole neighborhood has brick and siding homes, none of which are painted. So I agree with you.

gwbr54, hmmmm. That's an interesting idea. I hadn't even considered removing the shutters at all utill I posted this so I have lots to think about.

mjsee, yes, the previous owners just replaced them 3 years ago. And I believe they are casement windows. A lot like yours. Here's a dumb question, does one paint the white of one of these windows when painting a home to match? Is it considered trim?

So who else thinks I should take off all shutters or just the ones on the door and picture window?

Your windows look like double-hung windows to me. They lift from a sash, don't they? Rather than cranking open? The "white" is considered trim.

Were it me, I would take all the shutters down. It would give a "cleaner" look.

First I would remove all those shutters; I think they're distracting and don't add anything to your house.

I would paint the siding a red to match the brick, or a dark brownish red to tie in with the brown in your roof. This will make the house appear more cohesive. Right now my eye goes to either end of the house instead of to the front door, where it should.

I'd have to see the house w/o those shutters around the door B4 I'd suggest a door color.

I am not as proficient as justgotabme, but I eliminated the shutters.
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Wow Calirose! That's impressive work. Thank you for doing that for me!

Gracie01 and mjsee, I guess now we can see what taking down all the shutters would look like. To me, it looks colder, more institutionalized. Maybe just taking down the door shutters and the one on the picture window?

Calirose, I'd be so grateful if you could do this for me! I wish I could myself...you're awesome!

That looks great! And even though Shawn isn't ready to go there yet ... it makes it obvious how future landscaping will be a valuable asset to the total picture.

Natal, that's funny the landscaping looks better b/c all that was photoshopped (I think) was the shutters off the house. Hmmm. Does make a point though that it looks cleaner without them...I have to sit with this idea a little longer. What do you think about just taking off the shutters around the door and picture window?

Or do you mean that now it looks more like it could benefit from better landscaping since the shutters are gone and not that the landscaping looks better now? Sorry to be so dense....either way, I get your point.

I was talking about future landscaping. I would remove the smaller window shutters too. If the look doesn't grow on you then put 'em back up.

well I'm a shutters person, but I think it looks great w/o them. When you get some taller shrubs under those 2 windows, you won't even miss them.

I like it without the shutters. Landscaping will make a huge difference once you are able to get to it. A couple or four trees out front (maybe an oak and a couple of smaller flowering trees or a couple of crab apples would be lovely) with gardens curving out from the house and walk-you'll never miss those shutters. We took ours down (1960 ranch), but DH bought new ones and I sure do miss the clean look.

I thought maybe a few shrubs in front might soften the exterior for you.
{{!gwi}}From Photoshop

Ok, I have to say it's growing on me. For sure. I think it looks a lot cleaner. Add a few trees/plants and voila!

Thank you all so much for all the advice and especially for the photoshopping! It really helps!

So when I take the shutters off, the painting to be done would be the siding and what else? The trim on the windows? Or leave them white? And the gutters? Obviously the door, which I really what to pop. Should the siding match all the trim? Like I mentionned above, I'm drawn to a darker khaki and a chocolate brown. The screen door and gutters are alerady a brown...what would look best? Just repaint them and the window trim brown and then the sididng a khaki? Or use all the same color?

I too am a shutter (and usually as wide as the area will take) person but I have got to say, I think it looks really good without them right now and I think when you figure out your door situation and maybe some pots there....
And yes, actually to one side of the door our brick jutted out so there was a wall and on the other side were some double windows. Yes do investigate the BLACK PAINT WITH A SHOT OF BROWN. not sure if the BROWN with a shot of BLACK WILL DO WHAT I WAS TALKING ABOUT. ps: your trees in the back of your house are just gorgeous.

And when you do landscape i would take away the evergreen and move it to a new area and perhaps put an ornamental shrub/tree in between the 2 sets of windows to the right of the door. I really like your house. It looks solid and I think will be fun to transform.

Look at Sherwin Williams Black Fox for an exterior color. That's what we have on our shutters and front door and it reads more brown/very dark khaki. I love it, although our brick is lighter than yours (we have more green/grey tones - less red.) We also get direct afternoon sun so it lightens up.

For a chocolate brown, we also had SW Cola, SW Black Bean, and SW Sable recommended to us by a design professional. It can be so intimidating to visualize.

Good luck!

It depends on whether the windows are Clad, and what they are clan In. If they are vinyl clad or metal clad with a powdercoated finish on them, I would leave them unpainted.

Thanks palimpset, I'll have to look into that.

jnh896, thanks for the color tips! It certainly helps. It IS tough to visualize all of this.

Oopsie, thanks for your kind words. We love our new house. We have done quite a bit to the interior and still have more. So the outside is for down the road. Although it has good bones. The previous owners lived here for 30 years and raised 3 kids. They put a lot of love into the plants and trees and were au natural in their approach, so no chemicals. Here are some pictures of the backyard in case you're interested. It's almost an acre and we're lucky if we keep it mowed and raked right now, with a newborn and 3.5 year old! As you can see we have lots of trees and lots were even taken out!!!
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Keep looking at those pictures...you'll be pulling those shutters down this weekend. ;^)

Live with the house awhile longer...then start thinking about landscaping. I see from your page you are in zone 8A in NC... I can make LOTS of suggestions as to plantings...but one thing I am seing in front of your house is at least one outstanding Acer palmatum...maybe more. I'm thinking an 'Oshio beni', (a red-leafed cultivar) and an Orange Dream (green leafed cultivar). maybe a green dissectum (lace-leaf weeper)--'Waterfall' is a nice one. Not TOO close to the house...but much will depend on the sun exposure. What time/how long does the front yard get sun?

Here are some changes to your house.

Red Door:

Black Shutters:

bricks painted:

Could you try one where the bricks stay natural and the ends are painted a brick red? I agree with above poster that it might make the house seem more cohesive. Or at least a darker color to blend more with the dark red brick?

Just a thought, if you remove the shutters you may find that your brick has faded.
It's a beautiful home. I love ranch homes. Grew up in one.

Here is just shutters on center windows:

Here is siding painted similar color as brick:

Some bricks begged to be painted , especially when they are an all one color brick and I have to say that dark ecru look DID look wonderful. Your neighbors would probably be jealous. But I hear you on the thought of painting it. And if you paint the siding the same as the brick, thats a bit scary to me too, in case it doesnt match right, but if it does, it really does look cohesive....
wow, thanks for the photos of your yard. Gorgeous!
We too have an acre and luckily are a bit secluded so we can take our time.
Are you in the midwest? Kind of reminds me of areas around me (St. Louis)

And PS, I do vote for NO shutters on the door or picture window. It has a cleaner look. And if you decide to do shutters on others I would try to locate some wider shutters if you can.

Once again, good luck :)

Just wanted to say how lovely your yard is! Thanks for adding those pictures.

I like the different siding materials in the house expressed in different colors.

The house essentially has a center element with an extension on each side. The extensions express how the house may have enlarged over time. Whether this was actual, or a design decision, what it accomplishes is to break up the length of the facade into a primary elevation and two secondary elevations.

Looking at the back of the house it appears that the "added on" appearance of the front was an intentional design decision at the time the house was built, and I think it was a good one.

If the house were a full-on modernist house, one might want to emphasize its length, but since it is a postwar soft traditional/contemporary, I don't think you want to emphasize the length but continue to de-emphasize it with two colors as originally designed.

I agree completely with palimpsest -- two colors to break up the facade looks much better.

Just chiming in here in agreement to remove the shutters, at least around the door and picture window. The other ones, I think you could go either way. Also like the black shutters--not sure about the red door with the red brick, but I love the mock up of the tan painted brick with red door.

Holy smokes! I LOVE THIS FORUM! You all are so great.

mjsee, seems like you know a lot about plants. You'd be an excellent person to ask what kind of plants I actually have in the yard as I haven't a clue on most. We do have a japanese maple, is that the acer palmatum you're talking about? The front yard get lots of sun, pretty much all day long, especially morning and afternoon. It faces north, north east-ish. What I REALLLY want in a lilac tree. I'm from NH and I'm discovered a few in town, in very shaded areas. Any thoughts on best place to plant one? I know it won't thrive here like in colder zones but it's my fav.

Goldie50, WOW!!! I love all the pictures you did, especially the one with the door panels taken off. Thank you for helping me to visualize this. You are very good!

Justgottobeme, yes, that's what my mom said about looking for faded brick. Might be the deal breaker. Thanks for mentionning it.

Oopsie, we live in North Carolina actually. Thanks again for your kind words. And I agree with you on removing the shutters from the door and picture window. For sure!

Calirose, glad you liked the pictures. I personally love seeing everyone else's homes on here so that was my first sharing of mine. : )

Palimpset, yes, I agree that we should not emphasize the length. So to fill you in on how the house got so long...to the left in the picture was a porch that was walled in to make a mudroom. To the right an addition in the 90s of a master suite and home office. So not orignial to the house, but designed to "balance" each side. We have plenty of space out back so I'm not sure why they didn't add on that way. Thanks again for all of your insight into this. I really appreciate it.

tryingtodecorate, (love the name, btw), yes, I agree the black shutters with a touch of brown will be the way to go if I do keep those 2 window shutters. And a red door is really exciting to me, though maybe not the best match. I can always change it down the road. I can't wait to paint it!

Shawnamichelle, another Northerner (PA) who loves lilacs. You will have a hard time with them in NC (used to live there and am now in Virginia). Try a Crape Myrtle. It will bloom almost all summer and you can get practically any color you want (whites, pinks, reds, purples). Also, a Vitex (Chaste tree) has beautiful blue flowers and can be trained to a small tree or left as a shrub. The Vitex is smaller than a Crape Myrtle. Although both are recommended for full sun, mine do fine with part sun-we have lots of oaks and other large trees! Both will also grow quickly.

Cyn, I don't know how many zones NC has, but the university says that a lilac can be grown up to Zone 7. I come from Indiana and we had one in the backyard. Down here the Chaste tree is as close as I can get. I just wish it bloomed longer. This year I planted a Catawba crape myrtle in the same area as my Chaste, so now I have purple blooms through the summer.

Here is a link that might be useful: lilac

cyn, thanks for the tips, but it's the scent I die for! And natal is right, I'm not in the right zone BUT like I said I have found 2 bushes (small, but lilacs nonetheless) right down the street. Not sure how or why they are growing but I am determined to make one grow in my yard too. Every spring I sneek to a rental house for college kids where one is and take a sprig. In my defense, I even asked permission first but the kids are always so taken aback, they're like "sure, whatever" now I just casually stroll up and snip. : ) Heavenly!

Thanks for the link Natal!

I agree about the scent! Hope your lilacs meet your expectations!!!

Natal, not sure if you were agreeing with me or not since you mentioned the same trees I did :), but we are in zone 7 in northern VA now and I just couldn't get a lilac to do very well here. That's why I also went with the crape myrtle and vitex trees (great minds think alike!). Still, do miss that scent.

Totally agree that Vitex is the best substitute.