"I'd love to stick with all stone but doesn't work into our budget." A big portion of your budget is going to the 3,800+ sq ft first floor - because you have a 3,600 sq ft basement. The total of your first and second floors is 5,710 sq ft. If you built a traditional 2-story house, you would have about 2,800 sq ft on the first floor (this does depend on garage, though). The cost of a basement foundation for 2,800 sq ft vs. 3,600 sq ft is significant. We are also building on 4 acres (in PA). Have just signed a contract with a builder - but spent months and months on research, looking at plans and driving around looking at houses within 3 counties. We considered a first floor master/first floor guest BR/"1 and 1/2" story house - these make the basements large and not cost-effective. As part of our "research", we bought this book: Get Your House Right by Marianne Cusato. It's an eye-opener. The book explains proportions and elements of classic house styles. You may not want a traditional Colonial or Georgian style house, but the book shows you the concepts of how everything should fit together. Just a thought, may not be large enough for you, but much better proportions without being too "Colonial": http://www.dreamhomesource.com/house-plans/dhs/dhsw55092.html If you are wanting the first-floor master, along with first-floor guest BR, this house is amazing and more proportional: http://www.dreamhomesource.com/house-plans/dhs/dhsw52333.html Good luck!

No responses yet but today I bought a tester of SW Mindful Gray. It's not dry yet but hoping this may work with my bricks. Maybe others have used this color with brick? It seems close enough to the mortar color.

Most 'greys' have an undertone and if you choose one with a blue undertone it will perfectly complement your red bricks. Don't think colour, think temperature. If everything is red or brown (which is essentially orange) then some cool will really balance it. This is Indian grey sandstone with red brick.

Your house is brick. So I don’t think the inspiration is necessarily where you will go. I’d repaint the brick white. Definitely beef up the trim with some wood. Or even plain white. Maybe choose a different color trim : Black, Navy, Light gray, Light blue...