Hi there, We haven't done it yet, but I still want to. I actually found a neighborhood near here (tipped off by my neighbor who's been thinking of doing this for ten years but has yet to pull the trigger) where there are tons and tons of houses like ours, most painted a single color. They look great. And it's in a very fancy area, which I think explains the greater prevalence of doing this than my specific neighborhood, which is nice but not ritzy (since painting the brick adds a lot of $$). I took pictures of some of these houses, which I'm happy to post. I think it's important though to hire a really really good painter, and to shell out the extra $ for good paint. I've seen some crappy jobs and it's not worth it.

Have you looked at Sherwin-Williams Chip It thing? It "instantly turns any image into a collection of up to 10 Sherwin-Williams paint colors." I modified your image a bit and tried it and got this: At the bottom of the chip, there's an edit tab. When you select it, some other colors appear. (I guess that makes "the up to 10 colors.) This one shows the chip after I clicked edit but before I did anything else: If I would have selected any of those colors to replace the original ones, you'd see the names of the paint colors. I think the aubergine idea and the two last colors at the bottom on my second picture would be good with your other colors, etc., but use a blue that's more green to agree with your stove. Here is a link that might be useful: Sherwin-Williams Chip It!⢠info

This is me, again feeling anxious and bummed :( !! We just spent $4k moving the water htr, & W/D down so we could put a door into the den for access to laundry. I thought about putting it in the den area inside. It would have made more sense. But was in doubt because of the entry to the den is in the LR. you can see better what I mean in the pic. Now though, after all this $ spent, the den is no longer a room to flop because there is no where to put any furniture w/out congesting an entry! Ergggggg. Would have made sense to do what you suggested and made it a laundry/mudroom. This is why I am pleading for suggestions for the other areas (LR/kitchen/add-on) because I do not want an even larger costly mistake! I am beginning to hate this house and feel very guilty about that (could be a whole different blog). I REALLY would like to fix it to sell, but DH sees it totally differently and not a fan of change (another blog) ...so, moving is out. Its just that this plan has always been so hard for me to live in and almost 22yrs later- I am the closest I have ever been to changing it. I just cannot, for the life of me, find a plan (yet) that I am happy with! The biggest prob is the main door entry. It is in a terribly awkward place and cannot be moved because of the way the driveway is. I am torn btwn living w/the entry/LR as is, and refocusing on the kitchen, adding-on to the back. I am riddled w/angst, this project has been on my mind for 22yrs and now is beginning to consume most of daily life! I wish it were easier, I want to have the joy I used to in the first few yrs looking forward to making it better. Now is seems, that the "thrill is (just about) gone" and I am not a happy camper. DH says, "ya- if we had all the $ we wanted, we could do what we want to the house" - dont' we all wish? I have tried the Sweeby test. made me more angst about the floor plan. Thanks for listening. . . .

If you make the other changes as suggested, I don't think you'll feel the need to paint the brick. There's no sense creating a maintenance issue where there is none now. The house has the potential to be very handsome. Some pretty pots with flowers on either side of your door will add some color as well. Don't forget that nothing looks pretty this time of year when trees are bare and lawns are brown.