I don't think shutters will be successful here.

Check out German Smear on brick homes on HOUZZ. That might do the trick. Front door a punch color.

Also, remove large bush at left corner and plant tall full tree: like a cherry blossom or magnolia or Dogwood? Actually, a landscaping plan by a professional is in order here.

Best.

Huge thank you! Great ideas.

your welcome! Keep us posted.

This will be a long thread, with a lot of ideas from a lot of people..a blank canvass almost... Very nice home. You may want a very chic paint color for your front door? The windows are high quality! But the upper center window begs for more star quality? Initially I thought a copper arch round barrel 'awning' and than I thought maybe not? Maybe a faux grille on the inside that would mimic the 2 lower windows into a semi circle with a rectangular vertical panels? Than, I thought, No, It needs a faux brass grille with diamond shapes inside it. Something to create interest? You might do the same in the 2 lower arches flanking the front door, but let the vertical panels stand as they are. I don't think a pergola would be a match for diamonds LOL but once the front door color is changed, it might speak to you about more ways to bring another bit of elegance to the entry maybe repaint the lanterns to a darker tone or a brass color or to make them look like jewelry on the home??that coordinates with other changes on the home front...You might create a small formal English garden bed on each side of the door and place 2 chairs in one area and a comparable settee on the other..still thinking..

If you were going to send a picture of your face to a cosmetologist in order to seek help with make-up, the first picture you would send would be a full-on frontal picture, shot where the camera is lined up with the face and not too distant from it. Later, you might add other pictures from different angles. It's the same here. The beginning picture needs to be lined up with the center of the house. If the primary question in this thread is about foundation planting, the the camera ought to be as close as possible to the area in question while back far enough to include the essentials. The essentials are the top of the house (a little bit of sky) and about 25' - 30' of ground space. (That is only two car-lengths.) Of course, that's too close to include the entire foundation landscape scene potential in a single photo. Therefore, one pivots the camera toward the far left (usually looking toward the neighbor's house) and takes a series of sequential shots that overlap slightly while pivoting the camera toward the right, until the neighbor's house at the right side shows (usually.) By this method we can see the complete scene and the distance isn't so great that we can usually see how walks run and what's where. Too, it is the best view for us to see how your house presents to the street. Does it tell everything? No. It's the beginning view for understanding your foundation planting issues and being able to give you feedback on them. Try to take the photos in the best light available.

What the above shot reveals is that the area around your house lacks trees and therefore seems, exposed, unprotected and not well fit into the surroundings. Since there is blank wall at the left side, whatever tree is used off of the corner might ought to be fit into a tree "system" in order to minimize some of the blankness.

German Schmear affects the ability of your brick to breathe. It is the same as painting, it can close up the drain holes left in the mortar of your brick. Please consider brick staining, if you want to alter the color of your brick. Otherwise, some colorful landscaping and shopping for some faux wrought iron grilles for your arched windows, or just for the arches, and the center window above the front door will create interest. I have seen where just lightning the color of your trim below your shingles and repainting the front door to a more contrast, as said above, will help change the feel quite a bit. More detailed or tailored landscaping will make a diffence in the front. Enjoy the adventure.

Romabio lime paint!! https://www.pinterest.com/romabio/antique-limewash-paint/. https://romabio.com/masonry/limewash/ageless-beauty/

Yes, German Smear or paint or anything really besides the special epoxy made to seal brick which allows it too breathe, is a bit problematic. Maybe I'm thinking of the look where paint is chipped off with a power washer? Smear is a total covering?

Regardless, I can see this house covered in chipped off sage green paint - go for the English Country side vibe - as everyone is saying................landscaping is key.

Keep us posted!

Best.

Nice house! I like the brick and think it would look great with sage green trim. I agree landscaping is a big factor.

An example of a brick and sage combination...

This was one of the nice grilles' I found which make the windows look so fancy. If you were to add something such as this to your 1st level arches and your entire large window above the front door, it might also be fun to do something on the brick wall that has few windows which we see in the picture------ Course, I have no clue how expensive that might be, ---- you could just do a single replica shape of a faux window using the grille with arch, on the lower and a single copy of the window on the upper without the arch, both balanced from the house corner equal distance, on the side of the house over the brick wall, and than, just grille the arches on the lower windows, and the entire window above the front door..<https://www.pinterest.com/pin/29343835046531256/>;

You don't want to paint the brick. You do want to paint the trim. You have and nicely proportioned, relatively simple house. Simple is elegant. Underline those details with some trim that doesn't fade into the brickwork.

You may think about adding some striking exterior light fixtures to boost your curb appeal and add some character. We are the oldest open flame/electric copper lighting company in the U.S. and hand make every one of our fixtures in New Orleans, LA. We also do offer a complementary design service. From your picture, the Coach House lantern or the French Quarter lantern on Gooseneck bracket are just two great options that go well with your architecture. Feel free to email us pictures of your home and we will be happy to make style and scale recommendations. Happy updating! Lindsey @ Bevolo

Not sure about this, but would black window trim add a little spunk? Maybe someone can provide a rendering.

Definitely an idea worth pursuing. Thank u!

We love the idea of doing some landscaping updates! Another thought is to try painting your door a bright color to help draw people to the entryway. It looks like you already have sidelites, but you could add some doorglass to the door as well to add character and bring even more light into the home.

What about doing a copper eyebrow awning over your door to mimic your arched window?

I like the copper awning...

Thank u! We just closed on the home so now we can take a photo and post a full frontal shot. Prior, it felt weird driving by and taking a picture of the home with the sellers still in it.

Congratulations, when you can, post a full frontal picture. I'll be happy to help and so will others. It's a good time right now to plan and even do landscaping work because its the slow time of the year for most landscaping companies.

Congratulations! That is one awesome house. With a few special touches to make it yours, it will be the special place for all of you to call HOME. Can't wait to see what decisions you make going forward. And sorry, I thought you all had been living in it for a while. Makes this really exciting to see going forward! Congratulations again! :D

Thank you! Yes, it is exciting to have a basically blank canvass. I appreciate your comments and feedback.

The entrance needs to draw more interest. Here are a couple of inspirations so you can think about tying the upper window and the entry door together. They seem quite separated and hollow right now.