Are you looking at Certainteed Cypress? Because we just installed the insulated siding, 6” clapboard. I would make sure that siding color works with your brick.

Lose the shutters completely. Get wider trim on all windows that have siding. Paint the downspout the same color as the brick, paint the front door a bright color, switch to a full glass storm door and paint it to match the door.

New house numbers and a new, modern, stylish (not Victorian) light.

This is our Cypress:

Remove the shutters to see how you like the house without them. Leave them off for a year.

If you want to store the trash cans in the garage, this would be a good time to add a garage door opener and exterior garage light, especially if you are hiring a general contractor.

Thank you, Anna and apple_pie_order. These are all great suggestions. We are looking at CertainTeed Cypress or possibly Spruce, which is a bit darker. The Cypress looks great on your home, Anna.

Thank you, we also were looking at Spruce. Even though it was considered. a “Deluxe” color, the price increase was quite marginal. I choose the cypress for resale ease.

I would go to Sherwin Williams and get their sample pots, they have the formula for each of those. Paint them on large boards and hold them up against the brick. That’s the best way to decide.

Agree with removing shutters and widening trim.

I would paint the garage door to match the new siding, or even a few shades darker, or else it will become the first thing that stands out when one looks at the facade.

I would also paint all the downspouts brown where they run along brick. They're looking like an architectural feature right now, which is silly.

I think a sage green would look great with your brick. I also think that shake siding would add a lot of charm to your home. Yes to removing the shutters. Someone's suggestion for larger window trim is great. Also, how old are your windows? They look a bit tired and I'm not just saying that cause we sell windows. More concerned about function and efficiency, regardless of where you purchase them ;)

Here's a little PHotoshop magic:

I skipped the carport, but you get the idea.

I might prefer a nice greige to this sage, but both have merits.

These comments and suggestions are so helpful... thank you all! And thanks, acm, for your Photoshop magic. You're right -- the garage door would look better in the siding shade or a bit darker (it will also hide the dirt better... a bonus). To Glo, yes, the windows are the original! We did get some storm windows about 15 years ago. Windows are definitely on the to-do list, but may be a bit further down the line.

I would go for shutters with the same color as siding . And not pop up garage door and gutters, would make them blend with body color. White window, door trim.

Or

Cream/Ivory is very good with red brick.

As for me I like muted color. Some kind of dark tan/beige or light taupe.

or

Thanks, celery girl! We've decided to get some larger samples of (or paint to mimic) CertainTeed's clay beige (photo below). That was our runner-up to the green, so we'll look at them all. The photo is slightly more brownish here than the actual color.

I actually think the spruce would look very good. Post photos of your process and progress!

Even though I like the green, I think the natural clay might look more cohesive as it would blend well with your mortar color. I agree with leaving off the shutters for a bit to see how it feels without them.

At it core, it seems you have a real gem of a house. I notice the keystones over the window and the original stone details. Think about taking down the shutters, but DO NOT put any wood trim over the brick. Leave as is. The second story windows can certainly have trim, since you are doing the siding, but not the first.

I would get large samples from the company doing the installation. Nothing like seeing the real thing. I would stick to clapboard, the wider the better. Shakes would be too busy with the brick.

I think you are the right track with the green, but a grey would look good too and might break up the jungle of green.

Here are some things I would like to suggest. You should get RID of the ivy growing up the house. Unfortunately it is a thug plant and very invasive. It will do you house no favors.

Since you are redoing the siding, you should fix some issues with the gutter system. I would take the leader off the small front porch and replace it with a rain chain. Not much water would normally flow from that small of a roof. I would actually pitch the gutter to the right and hang the chain from the right side, instead of having the water drain right next to the retaining wall. I think this change will look so much better.

The next leaders I would change is the one on the left side of the house. It might be possible to angle it to the side of the house instead of the front. That way it won't come directly down to the stone, but rather off to the side of the house. I think this would be a better way to get rid of the water.

I covered up the shutters to give you an idea of what the house would look without them. I put Xs over the ivy and the leaders I think should be changed.

Here is an example of moving the leaders "around" a corner. Don't know if it would work for your situation.

Exterior Makeover in Atlanta · More Info

One other method:

Shake Siding · More Info

Good luck with your siding. Love your charming house!

I'm thinking you could steer your little house into a direction similar to this. Instead of the portico, imagine the white belly band is a pergola across the entire front of your home. Instead of the bay windows, just upgrade your shutters and maybe use pre-painted ones with some kind of guarantee. Add shutters to the single window upstairs, and a flower box under the double one.

James Hardie Homes · More Info

Here's a nice color combo for you to consider.

Front Façade · More Info

If you removed the down spout and used a rain chain instead then you could center the awning over the door.

I did brick and squared it off on the right but it could be painted the garage door color. That white thing pulled back is mosquito drapes. The windows on top are changed. Once the steps are pressure washed it will all look snappy.

IMO the green makes your home look a bit washed out.

Then I'd add a wall pergola over the garage door to more interest and a climbing vine like a clematis.

I like that pergola Beverly, I tried to manually add one on mine above but it didn’t turn out to be recognizable so I nixed it.

ETA: I gave it another try... not much better. Anyway, can’t decide if I like it.

The more I look at this the more I think I would paint the brick and house the same undetermined color. That would be maintenance though so maybe not.

This shutter color below might look good for the upper color and shutter? Or, just the shutters and keep the top off white. You have a lot of options.

Thanks, justerrilynn and Beverly. I'm seeing that we need to better harmonize the three distinct stacking blocks (garage, first floor and second floor). Painting the garage door a color that better harmonizes with the brick is a nice way of doing that, and the pergola helps separate the garage level and strengthen the connection between the first and second floors. (Having the driveway virtually cleaned up helps :--) I wish we had a better roof line, but we bought the house as a "cape-turned-colonial" where the previous owners didn't raise the roof ridge. We don't want to go to the expense of changing that, so we're happy to have all of these suggestions that draw the eye somewhere else besides the awkward roof line!

A lot of great ideas with the photo mock ups. The brick colored garage door does wonders. Pergola may or may not add to this. Another thing that nobody has mentioned: the front door porch cover looks skimpy and off center. It could just be the photo, but it doesn’t seem to be the same distance on either side of the door. It might beef up the area to enlarge and rebuild this and if you do the portico over the garage, the style could be similar to that.

Yes, I was also wondering if it’s the angle of the photo or if the porch cover is off center.

HU-982?

The porch cover is, indeed, off center. We can't figure out why they did it that way... We'll probably look into what it would cost to re-do.

I see...and the porch light too. This is a great opportunity to build it bigger and get a pretty light to show off the curved door. Such a small change that will completely change the appearance of your home and give it some personality.

It looks like it was done that way so the down spout could be against the wall. If you are willing to use rain chain instead then you could have the awning centered.

Ditch the shutters. They add nothing and are out of proportion for the size of the windows.

Paint the garage door whatever color you do for the siding unless you want the garage to be the first thing people see.

People pick up on either the lightest or the darkest color. White is as light as you can go which means your eye will be drawn to it.

Beef up the window trim and definitely paint the downspouts to match the house.

No pergola because that too will emphasize the garage. You want to emphasize the welcoming front door.

I like the pergola. When I look at the house with the pergola on it, it appears to break off the garage and separate it a bit so the top half of the house is symmetrical on both sides and then you look down at the garage. It "evens out" the house, if you will.

Extending the entry cover over so it's equal distance from the door on both sides would help as well. It adds just a bit more visual weight to the right side of the house.

Here’s some you can add your own color theme , shutters or without or other details. I think I like the smaller door overhang (centered).

If you ever wondered...roof, windows, terraced landscape, new door overhang & painted brick. Missing...rail.

Not sure why the upper left showed up darker than the other bottom sections.

Thanks, justerrilynn. Code requires that we have the rail next to the steps... it's probably a 6-foot grade from the street to the first level of grass, and then another two feet or so from the first to the second level. As for painting brick, it would solve a lot of the aesthetic problems, but we don't want to do it -- mainly, we don't want the hassle of maintaining the painting. But we definitely are looking into another door overhang!

Yes, painting brick is more maintenance. I’ve only had one brick home and it was painted when I bought it. I didn’t add the rail out of laziness lol. I just did another “take” for fun. When revamping an exterior I think it equality important to truly eliminate what we think we don’t want.

Agreed, justerrilynn! Thanks so much for your thoughts on this and for doing the b&w "canvas" for further experiments. I'll be sure to share a photo from the finished work, though it might be a few months from now...

Wow... this looks amazing—what a difference. You've made several suggestions we would not have thought of. The retaining wall will probably have to wait, for budgetary reasons, but the low knee wall that's currently there is starting to crack and lean, so it may not be that much longer before we have to re-think and re-do that area. You've given us great food for thought. Thank you!