@Zone4 yeah, I think I'm starting to realize that the brick probably helps break up the facade and keep it interesting. I'm starting to be really intrigued with the limewashing idea. If it turns out we could paint the windows, would you do black or white? I like the idea of a black/charcoal, but have also heard that is the worst color on vinyl windows. @aprilneverends it has been hard to really get the colors across from the listing pics. Basically it is 50 shades of unappealing (to me at least) tan inside and out. So I want a dramatic change, but I know people are really torn about changing brick, so I'll probably have my husband mockup a version with the brick and a dark greige paint to see how that looks alongside a limewashed version. Front door, yes, that thing has a big stain glass Texas star that doesn't help anything. I was thinking one of the modern doors with 3-5 satin horizontal lites to keep some light coming in from the door, then finding a complimentary garage door. For the French doors, I definitely won't change my mind on the divided lites - however they are just an overlay on top of a solid piece of glass, so one of the contractors said you could just pop them off. One set of doors needs a new handle, the other needs about $300 in repair work and weatherproofing, so that is why I'm debating whether or not to rehab these versus put in new ones. And if we replace, I don't know if sliding glass doors that let in tons of light or new French doors with the thinnest frame possible would look best. I know landscaping will have a huge impact too, and could really turn this into a more modern looking house. The bones are certainly good, and it is plain enough that we can subtly take it in a couple directions, just trying to narrow down what will look best while also being somewhat our style.

As noted earlier, the green just draws more attention. I would: 1) Remove the shutters from the double windows. 2) Paint all the trim and garage doors a nice medium taupe. Don't paint the garage doors a different color as it draws more attention to them. 3) Paint the shutters, maybe a darker tone of the trim. 4) Paint the front door. A black door with taupe trim/shutters would be very striking. If you're interested in seeing some virtual makeovers of your home, check out my website, Creative Visual Concepts. I can show you how these and other changes to your home could look.

If it were mine, and I was doing a quick refresher, I would remove all the shutters and paint the siding & trim white. Although I cannot see the front of the house, I would paint the door a color.

Some nice greens and gray-greens above above. I think whatever color you choose for siding should be darker than the current white, but not too dark - just of equal visual weight to the brick below. More of a midtone. Light colors come forward, dark colors recede - thats why theres somewhat of a disconnect between upper and lower parts. Getting those more in balance visually will help. Maybe you intuitively know this and thats why you want to paint the brick (white I assume - to balance out the top)? But why take a route that involves expense, frequent maintenance, and if wrong products are used - spalling and deterioration of brick, mold issues. The breathable mineral based stains are indeed a much better option but my opinion - with an antique house (yep, yours is close if it isnt already) at some point the value is in working with what you have instead of making inalterable changes to it merely to follow latest fads. You still have plenty of room for updating color schemes and integrating new or contemporary elements into it in an eclectic kind of way. My opinion - red brick is classic, entire ancient Roman towns were built out of it - used on up through current times. I dont know about your neck of the woods but its still in use here in midwest for new construction - in context of contemporary color schemes. I think the current dislike of it is just a blip. Sorry, i just cannot think of one single reason to change it ..... if that's what you are looking for? If previous owner has already painted or messed with it, maybe....