I like your idea of the lime wash. Joanna Gains did that on a few houses see if you can find their web site to look for ideas. It turned out really nice.

I actually like the brick. You could soften the look, and balance out the entire area, by adding a large bush or tree and extending the landscaping on that side of the house. Another option would be to extend the porch across the front of the home.

If you want a change, tho, I would match the house, or stain it a darker color.

Sammie J and lynetta51, thank you so much for your tips! I do have hydrangeas in front of the brick. They don't grow there very well as it gets too much shade. Arrgh. I want some height there, but the lack of sun makes it difficult. I have tried yews there, and they didn't get height either. Large hosta would probably grow. I'm thinking of a small tree and then large hosta and small hosta underneath. Any other tips for landscaping?

I like the lime wash idea too, but the gray paint looks so "crisp" and is perhaps lending itself to a more crisp look? I will for sure check out Joanna Gains's web site. Thank you!

A darker color is not something I thought of. That's an excellent idea!

What zone are you in?

Check out these products for your brick! https://romabio.com/ I wish I had known about these before painting my brick, sigh. Also, if you don't like it, (test on an area first) you can power wash off within a few days!

Stupid Zone 4. Minnesota. I have zone envy.

I really like the landscaping in this photo. However, the deer around here eat arbovitae. No can do there. I could maybe cover them in the winter, though. Anyway, I think the corner and front of the window needs covering like this landscaping does. I do like the tree (birch, I think?). However, we have a big pine close to the corner. Maybe I can talk my hubby into cutting it down. Probably not though. Lol. Also, the hydrangea that I DO have in front of the house are spindly and never get white blooms because of the lack of sun. Perhaps those boxwoods would grow though. . . . Thank you so much for your opinion/advice!!!!

I think I'll go to the nursery today and just get creative. I think your tip about new landscaping is great, Sammie J. I was so focused on paint color on that brick. I'm thinking just the same color as house. The orange is bugging me, lol.

General rule is Warm colors, like your brick, are enhanced by other warm colors, while cool colors are enhanced by cool colors.

If you want to use a white, try a brownish white, such as bone.

typeandrun and Sylvia Gordon, thank you so much for your input!

Sylvia Gordon, do you think that a bone color would look okay with the white trim on windows?

The brick is a little distracting to me in this case. I agree with using the same color as the rest of the house...which I really like. I also like the nice, white trim around your windows. Judy's suggestion of white for the door sounds good, too.

Used to live in MN - we had a tree/shrub called autumn brilliance...I think the max growth was about 15' high and 15' wide. You can prune it into a tree or leave it bush out as a shrub. It would look great in your space. We also had tons of deer and the only thing that kept them away from my hostas was shavings from a bar of Irish Spring soap.

I agree, paint/wash the same color as siding.

Also, next year don't put a hanging basket in front of the door - so one can

see the door! Just one in the center.

I find it odd and perhaps a little unwelcoming that your front door is hidden behind the railing. If you are going to do new landscaping what about opening up the railing in front of your door and having the walkway expanded and as it heads to the new opening? This will help hide the asymmetrical and different sized windows on the front of the house.

Play up the entrance and the brick may become a nice accent.

RNmomof2 zone 5 That is an excellent idea!

JudyG Designs, the Audi A4 that I have is an old one, a 2009. It is a fun convertible in the summer and has some good get-up-and-go. My sister has owned both a new A4 and A6. She likes the sportiness of the A4.

Thanks for the tip on painting the door white. That is what I will do, especially if I don't redo that railing.

Angel 18432 I know, right? Those baskets are too huge! I did such a nice job with the watering. Ha ha. Actually, I rigged up an automatic watering system myself; I didn't water those things once.

SammieJ Thank you for the tip!!! I absolutely LOVE that tree/shrub. Gonna look into that for sure.

Thanks all so much for your comments. This was my first time asking advice, and it was so much fun to get input!!

Sammie J (and Margaret), that tree you called "Autumn Brilliance" is a serviceberry - Amelanchier 'Autumn Brilliance.' I spotted several around town and loved their branching structure and fall color, so planted three in a corner of my newly landscaped lakeside yard at our summer home (future retirement home) in Montana. I am having to cage them until they are a bit more mature though, as my landscaper warns that deer will browse the new growth, so until they have some substance to them, it's best to protect them. Deer wander through our yard each morning and evening to get down to the lake.

SammieJ We have tried everything around here for the deer. We have done so well for years spraying them with Deer-Be-Gone or something like that. This year, however, it rained and rained, and we were up North at the lake place quite a bit of the time. They had a feast!

I would face the brick in a dark grey stone!

Okay, I was thinking about doing something like that! Does that go right over the brick?

dianeinwa Thanks for that deer tip. There are so many around here. I, too, like that branching structure. It lends itself to plantings underneath it too. Here is a photo of landscaping I really like at a local business that is actually in a residential area. It has a branching shrub that I like. I know you can do that with trimming on certain shrubs.

RNmomo, You are so right about the railing. The pathway to the front door should go

right to the front door, and there should be the opening onto the porch. Wouldn't

cost to much to change that up and it would look so much better.

.

I think a Sargent Crab Apple would look great in the front yard centered on the large window. It looks beautiful in spring and in the fall the berry size apples turn red and stay on all winter, which is quite lovely in the snow. I planted one about 20 years ago and love it. Give it space from the house. It matures about 20 feet in diameter.

Dianne Muyskens · More Info

Crab Apple tree in full bloom with white tulips · More Info

The hydrangea you have in front of the porch can be cut and dried in September.

Cheap deer / rodent repellent. Hobby Lobby carries liquid Castile soap. Use 6 ounces to 1 gallon water and apply with a "back pack" type sprayer. It's 100% non-toxic, you can spray it on everything that grows, just wash it off before eating veggies, fruit etc.. Bad taste is more effective than bad smell. In my area we refer to Hosta as "deer candy", it's eaten right to the ground.

Thank you all so much for your advice! Angel18432, that photo IS inspiring. Okay, that is going to be my goal. Youo uare RNmomaof 2 are exactly right. We redid that porch about 20 years ago and used the same footprint that existed when we bought the house. Why I didn't redo the entry then is beyond me. Lol. In the meantime, I will paint that brick gray (I have liked the brick for a long time--but now, not so much). Then, new landscaping under that window.

Houssaon, love that tree!

chiflipper, we have a Hobby Lobby in town. I will buy some of that.

Angel18432, I'm looking at that photo again, and I am going to simplify our railing too cause we actually do sit out there from time-to-time (we are mostly in our backyard). Thanks so much for that great photo!

If you get a crabapple tree, just make sure it is a variety that is cedar rust resistant or it will only look nice when in bloom.

Replace your blue porch chairs with a cedar garden bench that echoes the orange brick façade and chimney, which both add texture and color to your all-gray house.

Wood Country Cabbage Hill Red Cedar Outdoor Garden Bench, Unstained, 5 Foot · More Info

You are most welcome. Keep us posted.

I limewashed the brick using 1 quart of Romabio Bianco White. Let me tell ya, I used every last bit. A quart should cover 100 sq. feet of brick. I had 87 sq. feet. I really like the limewash because it's not just one solid block of white brick, the kind of look paint would give. The limewashed brick is more variegated. I had planned on spraying off some of the limewash, but after I applied it, I liked the look and just left it "as is."

I really like how it turned out. Thank you, everyone for your help!

That looks awesome @Mags R !

Love it!

https://njaes.rutgers.edu/deer-resistant-plants/

Looks so much better.