Fori, you comment about letting the cat is cracked me up and gave me a nice start to my Friday, LOL! Beth H. has provided you with some awesome inspiration photos! Great job Beth H.! I would certainly use them as a guide for developing your yard. As to the house I'll make two suggestions. One is to POSSIBLY paint the brick to update the look of your overall fascade. The other is to install some horizontal trim on the overhanging upper floor at the bottom. Right now the board and batten just ends and there isn't anything for it to terminate into. The trim doesn't have to be wide. It might just be the same width as the batten strips. Good luck!

I like Beth H's first picture very much. I'd get two cost estimates from a painter: one to paint (using appropriate brick paint) just the bricks to match the current house color, the second estimate to paint the whole house a fresher white or whatever color you'd like. There might not be as much of a dollar difference as you'd think, it doesn't hurt to ask.

Definitely need to change your front door, it's off center right now. I think a craftsman style door would be fine. No shutters, though. Your general landscape goals seem achievable, but for more meaningful plant suggestions, add your zone or major city you are near.

Overall looks like a nice house and a good blank slate!

What climate zone? Do you want to enclose the yard completely with chain link fencing?

Thank you so much for the suggestions Beth H.! I really appreciate the suggestions and the pictures! The second house you posted is so beautiful! I love the idea of black and white and possibly lightening the door to a brighter blue or a really rich dark blue one day- it used to be a terrible red color and I repainted it this color thinking it would be darker and it ended up not being my favorite now that we’ve lived with it for a while. The scalloped legging will definitely go. It’s so dated and we want to do at least one large tree with leaves and some sort of pine or ever green and possibly a Japanese maple in the corner by the fence (?) not sure yet. We are in Colorado right outside Colorado Springs- Zone 4 I believe and we have four seasons, we don’t get to much snow or rain - and struggle with droughts some years.

Okay sorry we are in Zone 6a and the climate is Aryd and Dry. Colorado front range , trying to zero scape except for a circular smaller patch of grass for the kids in the front yard and some trees

Apple pie cider- we want a fence but probably post and rail - no chain link

I definitely will consider getting a price quote for painting- or I may tackle it myself. I’m ambitious like that lol. I didn’t even know you could Lime wash or stain brick! It actually looks really pretty.the horizontal trim suggestion is wonderful!

So , no to adding shutters? Also if I paint the windows black do I paint the trim black around it or just the actual metal frame?

@BethH - Saw that same show and thought Tamara Day did an awful job. Then again, I live in the NE where colonials are actually colonials. I can't believe they left the pediment on that house and did you see the old school coiled stove they put (or left) in the kitchen. Who puts marble in their kitchen and then uses a 1960's coil stove. IMO, these shows are a real joke which is why I rarely watch them. Then again, it's Covid.

Design Girl I LOVE the picture of your dog! And I’ll have to check out design mansions

So no to adding shutters? Does anyone have black paint color suggestions for garage and windows and what about trim? Black too?

Design,,,some of her things I do question. Regarding that stove, she said she had to rent that stove for filming because the stove and vent she ordered was on back order!

I was watching her tile guys though and noticed they never bothered to tape and seam the joints/ or waterproof. There are other things I catch here and there, but I do like some of her redos. she uses color, and not solid white and gray like those Flip or Flop goofs.

However, I hated the kitchen she did on this one.

But this colonial, I thought it made it look better. out where I live we don't have these types of homes. they''re rarely seen anywhere. I just think they look so boxy. half siding, brick and shutters. yuk. now that you pointed out the pediment, I see it! yeah, don't know why she left it. I was focusing on the brick painting and the vertical siding, along w/the black windows.

I mean, did you see the before? (I didn't get a shot of it) Sorry, but that was an ugly house.

Yes, no to shutters! Ask your local paint dealer which black they sell the most of in your area. You want something that continues to look good and not fade out in your harsher climate. Look up Designscapes Colorado Inc. for ideas about xeriscaping your lawn.

What episode and season?

the one that was on last week. Her latest season. (I taped it from last week)

this one, I think

https://www.hgtv.com/shows/bargain-mansions/episodes/on-par-for-glory

she put in the two large windows on side of fireplace, and redid the decking out back

https://tamaraday.com/behind-the-design-episode-313/

One of her first kitchen designs I didn't like.

@Rachelle Alley - I had it on my DVR but it was this season. I think it might have been the last episode or 2 that have recently aired.

I just posted the link to it.

DesignGirl,,,as for that stove, she said this on it :

Fun behind the scenes fact! Because of Covid, appliances are in high, high demand and we had to rent the stove because our hood and stove were backordered and didn’t arrive in time for filming.

Well I guess that's good to know. However, a coil stove. Could have gotten something better than that. haha

haha. you'd think? but they prob just grabbed the best looking thing they could find that was avail. I hated that kitchen any way. No uppers, no shelves and no backsplash tile? it was blah.

Beth - agree - I also think in this episode that the stone she selected for the shower bench and threshold was off in color to the rest of the tiling. In general, I'm not a fan of what she does.

hmmm, interesting. I don't like the direction she's heading. I'll agree w/you there. the wallpaper selections are getting out of hand.

Maybe it was the older episodes that I liked. she did a grand tudor last season and I really liked it.

there was another one w/a beautiful kitchen that I also liked. Usually she preserves the homes character. I watch the flip flop people and all she wants to do is rip up original wood floors (which are rare out on the west coast) and put down gray laminate. so tired of her designs.

but the inside on this home, yeah, not a really a fan. didn't like the limestone she used on the fireplace either. the dining room, was nice. that was about it.

Beth, agree, the older homes were actually more grand and more fun to watch. I certainly wouldn't call some of these later houses "mansions". haha

Some option

or with privacy

Those are incredible. How do you edit like that?

she's a master at photo shop.

celery, do one w/painting the brick white, and siding white and then one w/a darker color.

or try and implement this color, maybe a some wood.

right now, I think that yellowish color and red brick isn't doing any justice to how it could look

I’d love to see it. This yard is so beautiful and the house! I am probably going to buy some stain or lime wash this spring and tackle our brick myself. I can paint the windows too- as for painting the house it sounds intimidating. I may get a quote but our budget makes it so most of this has to be DIY.

Some option

Oh I love that! What is all the grey in front of the landscape but behind the rock?

I think you would need some retaining wall there?

Yes. Definitely- that’s what it is I bet.

I like that one. I might do a diff garage door color though

that dark brown seems to be odd man out.

if you're doing a medium gray on the trim, then paint the door that color.

either of these color doors would look better

or try a wood door.

maybe a diff front door color too

more of a turquoise shade, and i gave you the gray garage door in Pic 2

or, natural wood tone

Blue/gray shade with

the other garage door

While we’re waiting to be able to afford to replace our front door- should I paint the trim around it dark grey too (I’m thinking iron ore from Sherwin-Williams) and definitely going lighter blue for front door.

you could. just make sure they won't have to mess up the trim to get the new door in first.

what kind of door did you settle on?

Oh we haven’t yet. That’s probably something we will do in a year. I just like to get ideas- is love to get a craftsman door with some glass siding. The current trim is really old and has chunks of paint and wood coming off. It’s a mess , not sure how to fix it . Paint will help but it definitely will still look beat up

you could paint it for now. when you get the new door, have the trim redone.

That’s what I was thinking. The inside trim is bad too.

You would be amazed what a fresh coat of paint would do to the property. You already have the batten siding (BONUS)! A nice white and perhaps a soft grey paint on the brick would be lovely! Or you could do a mortar wash like shown here..

You could add those wood accents (craftsman door) to warm up the space. Here is an edit that shows a simple coat of paint and a few boxwood shrubs. This also shows a new black shingle roof.

Hey everyone I need help. We have alabaster by Sw on our living room walls and Simply white by Benjamin Moore in our down stairs and probably dining room possibly kitchen too( undecided there) should the white paint on the exterior match the paints inside? Would Alabaster be to bright? If I do the white should I use the nube grey from Romabio on the brick instead of one of there whites? Any suggestions for a white that will compliment the brown roof we have?

If you have a white exterior paint brand you suggest and a color send it my way. I’d also love a suggestion for complimentary color for the garage door (or should I paint it same color as house? ) we are replacing the front four windows and it was more cost effective to go white white. We’re doing landscaping this spring and I’ll post updated pics on nice it’s done. I also plan to do the rambio on brick this spring and hope to paint the front of the house and garage too

My husband also has suggested painting the house green thought on this?

Picture for example color.

Be careful about painting window trim black if they are vinyl! Your warranty will be voided.

Oh yeah I’m not going to paint them black now. I’m a little bummed because I loved that idea but it wasn’t in our budget and our windows are original to the house so it made sense to replace them.

I used Swiss Coffee on my stucco and it is bright! (I think it was behr Swiss coffee. these are the other two colors I used w/it)

It's really hard to get a pic of my house because the sun is always directly behind it. You can see the how bright the swiss coffee is here, along w/the wrought iron color

do you have some left over paint of those two interior colors? try them outside on diff sides and see what you think.

And no, the exterior color does not have to match the interior.

what did you decide on the brick?

do it like the Bargain Mansions redo. simple, easy, looks great. you could do a darker trim color if you like.

I don't care for that army green color. at all. (the picture you have with it has the warm wood accent and a diff, warmer color stone. the color will look far diff on your house)

but maybe you could use it as the trim color w/the all white?

Hi Beth! We do have some left over paint. I decided for sure to do the romabio limewash but haven’t decided on which white. I’m not supposed to the grey they have but I was leaning towards the white. I just don’t want the white on the house to clash with the brick lol. Okay thank you for the input on the green. I think a trim would maybe look good. I’m not sure though- I think I’d rather stick with grey. I was considering iron ore- then got worried it would clash with our brown roof.

Could I just do the trim the same color as the whit won the house and then do the garage door a grey?

Right now our trim is a chocolate brown and I just don’t love brown at all. I’m planning to paint our back deck the same color as the trim or garage door I think.

I really like this house. I’d do a brighter door or darker- my husband I think would love Hale Navy by Ben Moore

Or maybe a green door ?

Iron ore or even the urbane bronze will both look fine w/a brown roof because these are brown based colors

wait and decide on a door color after everything is done.

The hale navy would also be a great choice. if you do that, I'd pick a brighter green. that last green door color is as dull as dishwater!

with the Romabio, you don't have to use the Classico. They have the Masonry 'paint' that you can have tinted to any color. it will give you a slightly heavier coverage than the lime wash

so grab a sample of the classico, and and the masonry (have it tinted to whatever color you want or use the romabio standard colors,,,see chart below) and try them out to see what looks best. The masonry paint is permanent, but the classico can be hosed off within 72 hours.

https://romabio.com/masonryflat/ I think they do have some of their stock colors though.

This one is masonry Flat, and it's the Richmond White color

This is the Beige on the Classico. I wouldn't use this color. it's too beige!

Thank you so much Beth! It’s really helpful to get some other insight. My husband isn’t to much help lol. He tries though. I’ve seen urban bronze and it’s so pretty. I’ll definitely have to get samples. I need to go to home depo and see if they Cary both the masonry paint by romabio and the limewash. I think the avorio or Bianco are my favorites of there whites. IM definitely leaning towards Hale Navy for a door. Either that or a brighter blue because I love that look, I think I saw a blogger who did a 50/50 color with silver strand and a brighter blue and it was so beautiful. husband is picky about certain things and for some reason a bright blue door is one of them lol. He also thinks a dark porch will get to hot even though we aren’t painting the floor only the side rails.

Here’s an update everyone!

I decided to lime wash the brick to match the house vs change the paint color to match the lime wash that I had wanted- since we have a lot of warm tones I went with reposo beige!

I may go back over with a second coat- also it’s an overcast day so it looks more dull than it is in the sun. We haven’t decided if we will distress it- thoughts? My husband likes the solid look.

I’m going to paint the garage door urban bronze and upper trim but plan to paint the trim around our front door either to match the house or a brighter but warm white.

As for landscape we got our hard scape in, and plan to do a brick border around the grass eventually- in fall we will plant grass seed and gradually be adding in xeriscape plants .

The last picture was of different dilutions but shows color in the sun.

Also I will replace the numbers with something bigger, and the light. I also want to hang beams above the door and brighten the front door (or replace it!)

looking good! I think one more coat is a good idea. Right now, it looks like the in-between phase. a darker siding color might work.

or maybe do the second coat w/one of the whiter colors?

if you wanted a more solid look, the Masonry Flat should have been used!