We have a traditional red brick colonial with black shutters, with a small portico. We recently did an addition in the back, and as part of that we updated the lighting fixtures in front and also the railings to more modern style. It's helped the curb appeal quite a bit.

We also need to repaint the front door. It used to be red, and we changed it to black, which ended up not working out like I thought...very dull. We're probably going to change it back to a red. Our designer also recommended a teal color which looked nice though it's not our thing. So maybe look at a really different front door color like teal or yellow? We have friends who did a yellow door on a brick colonial.

Finally we have a stone walk up to the front door and we recently replaced it, which has made the front look so much more clean. The masons did such a good job, I can't get over how much better things look. Another possibility for a change.

Anonymous wrote:lol at the comments!

I think black shutters on red brick looks too stuffy and old. Mine is a gray/blue/green and I think it looks nice. Also I don't have a fully traditional symmetrical colonial so not having black works.

Match your new shutters undertone to your roof (grayish or whatever).



Yes on new landscaping. I hate azalea salad especially this time of year when all the colors are in the yard and clashing with each other. You can add some hardscaping features like a trellis with flowers.

Ah, the traditional Arlington Colonial....

Not all boxwoods smell like cat pee.
The microphylla group do not smell at all.
You can find tons of them at the big box stores. Winter green, winter gem, etc.

Anonymous wrote:I do not understand all the azalea hate—I LOVE azaleas and look forward to their blooming every year! When I moved away from the DMV i was so sad that there were practically no azaleas (some soil issue or something.) it did not feel like spring without those lovely colorful bushes in all different colors crowding people’s front yards in a riot of shape and color.

And if you don’t love the smell of boxwood…?!

Boxwoods smell like cat pee. Is that something you like?

Anonymous wrote:I do not understand all the azalea hate—I LOVE azaleas and look forward to their blooming every year! When I moved away from the DMV i was so sad that there were practically no azaleas (some soil issue or something.) it did not feel like spring without those lovely colorful bushes in all different colors crowding people’s front yards in a riot of shape and color.

And if you don’t love the smell of boxwood…?!

In my yard, the previous owners had planted pink, red, white and lavender azaleas all mixed together, in all different shapes and sizes on only the right side of the front yard. They also had old holly bushes that were hollow in parts and some had gotten way too big. None of this looked good against a red brick colonial and just made the house look older.

I wouldn't mind a row of all white azaleas in the front but when I replaced everything, it was not my first choice. Love my azaleas in the back yard but they are against the fence, not the house.

I do not understand all the azalea hate—I LOVE azaleas and look forward to their blooming every year! When I moved away from the DMV i was so sad that there were practically no azaleas (some soil issue or something.) it did not feel like spring without those lovely colorful bushes in all different colors crowding people’s front yards in a riot of shape and color.

And if you don’t love the smell of boxwood…?!

Anonymous wrote:lol at the comments!

I think black shutters on red brick looks too stuffy and old. Mine is a gray/blue/green and I think it looks nice. Also I don't have a fully traditional symmetrical colonial so not having black works.

Match your new shutters undertone to your roof (grayish or whatever).



Yes on new landscaping. I hate azalea salad especially this time of year when all the colors are in the yard and clashing with each other. You can add some hardscaping features like a trellis with flowers.

Who in the world thinks black shutters are stuffy and old while thinking gray/blue/green aren't?

There's a limited range of colors that work against a brick background. Black shutters have their historic and time-tested and approved place. But black trim do not, unless perhaps it's a metal trim in a Tudor style house but even then needs to be more steel/gray than black.

PS as you can see if you are wiling to spend more money improving the hardscape having a patterned stone driveway and brick pillars for planters etc is a major upgrade, and less lawn!

lol at the comments!

I think black shutters on red brick looks too stuffy and old. Mine is a gray/blue/green and I think it looks nice. Also I don't have a fully traditional symmetrical colonial so not having black works.

Match your new shutters undertone to your roof (grayish or whatever).



Yes on new landscaping. I hate azalea salad especially this time of year when all the colors are in the yard and clashing with each other. You can add some hardscaping features like a trellis with flowers.

We:
removed all shutters

removed wood door and side panels and replaced with a double iron black door with French window panels

installed new white windows (or paint them, but don't do black - our neighbors did and it looks like the halloween house)

installed oversized copper light fixtures

replaced existing landscape and controlled the color scheme with more green and less azalea type plants

also, power washed entire red brick house

what landscaping/plants do you recommend if need to replace bushes (not op)

Anonymous wrote:OP here. My husband would not be a “paint the brick” kind of guy.

Your husband is a very smart man.

In style outdoor lights, new numbers, new front porch rug. Better landscaping- not that sad, cheap combo of liriope, boxwood, azalea that everyone has.

I hate black windows. They do not belong on a colonial.

Anonymous wrote:Updated front door and house numbers

This is a good start. Front Door can be a different color than shutters. Shutters do not need to be black.

Unpainted brick is about as close as one can get to a zero maintenance exterior. By contrast, painted brick will need repainting every few years, so might be one of the highest maintenance exteriors.

Anonymous wrote:Good lord! Black trim on a brick house?! Talk about astonishingly bad and clueless taste. And ridiculous and an eyesore.

Ain't nothing wrong with a classic off-white trim on a brick colonial. Many shades of off-white from faint grey to pale cream. Keep the door to the classic black/wrought iron/dark blue/dark green colors.

It's the quality of the painting that matters more than anything else.

You have a brick colonial. Deal with it. Don't make a mockery of it by pretending it's something it isn't.

^^^