It looks much nicer and more grand than the 2 painted houses next to it. Why do you want to paint it? Why not spend your money on beautiful window treatments visible from the street and great exterior lighting?

Maybe paint your window trim a very deep plum or claret or eggplant.

Is that now your tree? Or was it a holiday display tree? If live, it needs drastic professional help to help make your house even more beautiful, but the house is very impressive as is.

I agree with mytwo cents, why paint it at all? I can't see your front door. What color is it? You have a lot of options there if you want to change things up.

What is there to paint? Certainly you don't want to paint the brick and stone lintel.

That’s so funny... before I even came to the page, i had the thought of saying ”paint it purple.” I thought it was just one of my out of control - ”I am so over this whole thing” -moments. And then, now i see that @mytwocents suggested plum/eggplant for the window trim. And now that I see the house and setting, i think that idea is brilliant.

@mytwocents Thanks - good ideas....I guess we are tired of the brown on brown and wanted to do something a little more exciting! We painted the door a bright fuchsia but now kind of want a do-over. Yes, the magnolia is ours, planted long ago. It doesn't have much area for a root system.

I see why you want to paint at least the trim and the stone above the windows, which are already painted black correct? I think the house is really drab and dour looking. I'd leave the bricks though and not paint them.

Take a good long afternoon stroll through all of Capitol Hill and see if there is another home with your color bricks and what kind of paint jobs they have done. There are so many great houses in that neighborhood and I bet inspiration is just right around the corner.

What does your door look like? I'm inclined towards some kinds of olive khaki colors for trim and door.

I was going to mention the root system of the tree. I'm not just worried for the tree, but also your foundation, etc. Maybe a tree pro can assess what can be done to keep it from taking over.

Your brick is beautiful, and will stay beautiful for the life of the house, please, do not paint it. I would paint the trim, and maybe improve the landscaping. The magnolia is pretty, but, sorry to say, it was the wrong tree to be planted by your house. Its roots will wreck the foundation, and then, you will have some very expensive repairs. It also gets very large, and will soon over power the entire front of the house.

I guess I'm not a fan of the gray brick, so I'd definitely change it. I prefer red bricks.

But these are stunning:

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Agree - don't paint the brick but DO paint the trim and spend the rest of your money on new landscaping.

I wouldn't change the color of the brick. The correct mineral based product for changing the color of masonry is - in my opinion - for brick/stone that's an unfortunate color or combination of colors -- and there is plenty of it out there.

This is not that.

Consider the whole of the street view and your neighbors. ............yes I would paint the brick. Reminds me of Brussels on the worst cold, dreary and rainy day.

But again - the neighbors matter. Pretty for a reason below

A bit dour.....and everyone's landscaping looks choked.

Maybe a pretty blue? I'm guessing these pictures are from a holiday, but especially seeing that you live in the capital of the USA, I don't see anything wrong with displaying a flag. I also like how the brick is now if you could add color in other ways. Are flower boxes a thing in DC? Right now you could put small conifers in them, add lights for the holidays, and then pop in annuals in the spring.

Are you kidding? That brick is gorgeous -- I would never even consider painting it. I get what Jan is trying to say, but the brick actually looks good against the red next door. If anyone needs to paint it's the guy next door with the white brick...

Don't paint the outside brick and Davenport Iowa the brick fell off the building cuz it was painted I believe outside brick really needs to breathe it you could sandblast it that it's a different shade but don't hold it in one spot too long I deteriorates I wouldn't paint the brick maintenance maintenance maintenance inside brick yes outside now and that brick is gorgeous add flour settings outside or a plant window treatments I I always found those buildings where did everybody's painting it all different colors

I love the brick -- a vivid plum/eggplant trim and matching door would look fantastic. Since you are in a historic district, do check with the city or the local ANC to make sure you don't pick a hue that will violate the rules. I'd also repaint the front garden fence in the same plum or a glossy black.

Re the big flag: I also see bunting on the first-floor window. Clearly this photo was taken around Independence Day, when waving the flag is perfectly fine in the US. Also -- as a longtime DC-area resident, I know that no one is going to block a perfectly-good on-street parking spot with a flag for more than a day!

Good luck!

I think we could use a WHOLE lot more USA rah rah. Maybe Canada could use some of their own variety as well. What the heck ! I loooove the Canadian anthem - go blast it so we can hear it over here! While I'm at it? Deck the darn halls! Put your menorah in the window, and string up the royal blue lights!

Eat what you want, cook it in the manner that works for you. Drive whatever blows your skirt up. ....: ) Just own it all and be happy. Same thing with the paint on your house lol

I love your home the best out of the three. Is it possible to pressure wash the brick? I would thin out the beautiful magnolia tree.

Your home is drop dead gorgeous, period. I wouldn't change the brick. Seeing the masonry in your brick is something special. Good luck!

@Leslie Chard I love the brick on your house as is. I also enjoy walking around downtown DC and Baltimore specifically to enjoy the beauty of houses like these. What specifically were you thinking of painting? Just the trim? I like the current color. It's a nice middle ground between the brick and the iron rails that are so beautiful with these homes.

Yes, to plum/eggplant trim! Fun and classy all in one.

Magnolia roots are somewhat soft and fleshy, it's unlikely they would damage a foundation. If the tree is happy and you like it, it shouldn't cause you concern. And, please don't paint your brick 😁

Caponata is a gorgeous color. i would not paint the brick. an arborist can help with your tree.

The grey trim feels dull and not doing the brick or roof any favors. I could see black for more contrast/interest. Suggest all trim in black and play up the entrance with a garden. I find the tree is taking away so much from your lovely home’s facade and think these changes will go a lot further visually than painting the brick. Just paint the door and it can be easily changed when tired of.

I like the black and grey in the photo provided by @Maureen . What about painting the windows and door black and leaving the masonry and edge at the roof line grey to match your red-brick neighbors? Is your ironwork black? That would help too.

Here's why something in the range of Purple-Blue to Purple, like eggplant, makes sense in a color relationship/harmony way.

Even if it's super low in Value (dark), almost black, this is the hue family neighborhood in color space that I'd pull from.

Before painting the brick, I would urge you to consider a shmear like Romabio. I vote for painting the trim an interesting purple - something deep and “royal”.

The black and grey buildings in the photos look stately, but if they are boring to you, then do the purple first. If that’s not enough, a shmear would be beautiful, like the second to last photo from @stiley.

@Leslie Chard I missed your comment that you painted the front door fuscia. So are you leaning towards painting the masonry dark aubergine/eggplant/plum? That would be so exciting with the grey brick and would even work with black ironwork too. Windows in dark purple too? Maybe masonry one dark purple and windows a dark purple black? You've got a lot of comments. What do you think?

Yes, @K L and all, I am leaning toward a grayish-purple brick body, with cream stonework, and black-purple window frames. There is a black wrought iron fence around. What do y'all think? Thanks for all of the comments and concerns about the little magnolia :-)

I added a couple more pictures to show the black fence and there is black wrought iron furniture with some purple accents (cushions).

Please do not paint the actual house purple. We are talking about the TRIM - not the house. If you want a showstopper house - just paint the trim in the plum/eggplant color. Leave the brick alone.

What you are considering ’might’ work in New Orleans. I cannot imagine it in Washington DC, nor in your particular setting.

To me the brick is one of the features of the home, and a wondeful soft color. I live in a historic district that prevents brick being painted (unless it already is). I agree the current scheme is a bit blah... I would paint the fascia and soffit as well as the stone lintels a bland tan that mimics sandstone and matches the mortar. Then the windows a color like urbane bronze.

I love your home the best out of the three.

@Leslie Chard purple is my favorite color and always has been. It's powerful. A little dab makes a huge impression.

Love your door and petunias. Perfect match! Love those chairs too with the beautiful ironwork. Do you enjoy iris in spring. I learned the small ones can grow in pots too.

As much as I love purple, I would be afraid to paint the brick at all. I would only paint the trim, and not even all of that. I would even paint the stone window sill and window head a dark purple and the actual window and even darker purple near black. I would start with one small thing at a time and live with it a little before moving on to add more. I think there will be a point where it's beautiful and then anything more will not be beautiful anymore. You may think I am not adventurous enough but typically I want more color than most.

Can I ask a favor? Before you actually paint, can you take a head-on picture from the street and then ose whatever software you like to try on colors and show us what you have in mind?

Many, many houses in Capitol Hill are painted brick. While it is not at all my preference, and many on here are opposed, it is incredibly common in the neighborhood and would blend in quite well. If you are going to paint the brick oy vey, no purple please.

(I used to be a house manager in the Berkeley Hills around the corner from Alice Walker's house, who guess what? Is The Color Purple. It was pretty awful. It is really hard to do a purple home well.)

Before painting, I would take care of your landscaping. The last pic you posted actually shows more of your home, and I think it looks pretty great with the current brick and black trim. Hard to tell because it is so crowded out by flags and the tree.