Thank you for your feedback! My daughters said the same thing about it being a lot of gray. I was also considering doing them black instead. Right now the budget is maxed out, but I do love that idea of wooden columns.

This is basically what these colors

will look like (the AFter) once on the home.

what about a darker siding like shown here? they make a deep indigo siding

I used these 3 colors on my home.

This is Peppercorn on the trim and how it looks w/the dark siding color and the brick. I like the black around the window too

I hope you remove the shutters. they do nothing for the home. they're too long, and just don't fit the look of the house.

If you have to leave the shutters by the door, fine, but please consider removing the window shutters.

here's a similar style home (brick was painted) but notice how nice the porch/windows look

With some landscape work, yours could look very, very close to this one.

The colors are BM Sea Peral and Repose Gray

you could always do a color match w/behr paint. that's what I do.

Have you considered white washing the brick? Romabio Classico would be an option.

this is Romabio limewash tinted w/BM Seapearl and Simply White on the siding.

Cedar wrapped posts.

another version

This is Galveston Gray w/a German Schmear on the brick

This color looks close to Anonymous, kendall charcoal or Chelsea gray, w/black trim and wood/copper accents

darker siding color than what you've picked, white brick, dark trim.

Have you checked out James Hardie siding?

here's a darker siding w/Romabio masonry painted brick. (for a heavier coverage. still natural and maintenance free)

@Beth H. :thank you for all your suggestions! There's so much to think about. I absolutely love the house with the bricks painted white. I wish it was in the budget at the moment. After this I'm hoping to put up gutters and do some landscaping. I did a mock up with and without shutters around the windows and I find myself gravitating to photo 3, but I am also not used to seeing my house without them. I definitely see what you are saying about the longness of them.

Have you looked into Romabio? either the Classico or the Masonry? it isn't that expensive, and it's not difficult to do yourself. You could knock out the front in a few hours, then get around to the side/back at another time.

If you buy the material (maybe $100-200) how much would the painters charge you to do it?

here's the Classico limewas

this is what the masonry romabio looks like

you can have it tinted any color

Love this combo w/the dark charcoal roof, and for you, the dark siding

Like this one.

Or, just keep your red brick.

Look at james hardy IronGray

as for the shutters, remove them from the windows, maybe the door.

here's what door shutters can look like

As a stranger with no attachment to your house, I like the pic you showed with no shutters! Much better than with them. But I can relate to having trouble changing something about my house! It can seem jarring to see a big change.