SFGate

The Color People I'm not sure why you want to side your brick home. It will not really add anything to the look of the house except you could change the color and if that is all you want to do, just paint the brick. If you want more of a Art and Crafts feeling that is easily done simply with color. A new color for the fascias/gutters is help a dark bronze green would work well with the brick and roof Windows and trim in a A&C cream. Paint the garage door in a lighter value of the fascial color. You need a bright front door color because the entry is unnoticeable.. The little bit of siding is also a great place to add another tone from the A&C palette. The A&C palette is basically rich earth tones, they were all about naturalness and this palette will go well with your brick tones.

karenlrice Thanks for your reply. I am not siding the brick. What you are not seeing in this picture is a courtyard at the entry. It is currently cedar paneled running up and down and rotting near the bottom. It needs to be replaced so the current plan is to use shingles because I love that look. My front door is currently red but I want to replace to a better door. The brick is ok. I also want to replace the garage door with carriage doors. It's just time to do trim repair but not sure of the direction I want to go in.

Barbara Griffith Designs So..maybe a picture of the area where you would like some advice would help.

TJP Designs and Construction LLC You mentioned 'curb appeal help'; you may want to consider other options in the gable areas over the windows?

karenlrice I agree but not sure what I would change it to. I live near Galveston, TX. so everything has to be windstorm certified. I have an open burning gas lamp and that look is my heart. Maybe iron gates entering into the courtyard would help the feel of the entry. Ideally I would love to have the coastal cottage, gray shingles in the wood areas with white trim and gutters, but hey this is a track house that obviously was designed to be somewhat like a Craftsman house. The gable on the left window is ok but the one over right window has a drop down box area with shingles in between. Unfortunately I will not be changing the roofline. The roof was just put on in November 2012. I have a good idea what I want to do with the courtyard and will post more pictures. Its the gables, paint colors and trim that I am unsure of. Also what type window will really make this house look great. I have replaced the back windows with casements that are white, which I love but truly would love the front to have real wood windows, both windows showing in this picture and two double sized windows in the courtyard area. I just cant visualize stark white windows with this brick. Maybe if more white were on the house itself, it would look ok. Normally I know exactly what I want....but can't get a grasp of what this house needs to be.

karenlrice Ok here are the not so beautiful courtyard pictures. The garage wall goes up two a much higher gable.but over the house roofline.

karenlrice Here is a picture of the original color of the house. I am not a yellow and brown person. The contrast is ok...but would like either a gray green or gray or stone color that it is now.

Barbara Griffith Designs The little wood inserts into the gables are too small..have the lower, horizontal board go all the way across the bottom, and a little wider, same for the 3 pieces that go to point and side. It is still hard to see the courtyard area..would you be able to add a pergola affect over that area as well as in front across the top of the garage door. It is a perfect craftsman look..It should be painted the trim color. I would do the siding pieces and all trim in the same color..I like a gray-green shade. Also I would get the windows in a darker exterior frame..bronze or something in the darker tones for the outside, but still neutral..not green or even white.

karenlrice Love the pergola idea over the garage door. Not sure if a pergola over the courtyard would rob my home of the light. The courtyard is only about a 12 X 15, not very large. I do love sun and light inside my home. The gable design suggestion is very helpful. I think the little boxed in areas over the house (right side) window needs to be removed and have it more open like the window over the garage but not sure how much construction that would take. I don't like the little boxed in area over the right window at all. Your neutral window color suggestion is what I need to hear. These decisions are so hard to make. Thank you for your suggestions.

Barbara Griffith Designs In a pergola, the direction the boards run effects the amount of light that passes through it. Regarding the areas over the windows..I would just replace the wood strips to larger ones that cover the space..look online or in houzz for Craftsman Exterior Design and you will see them.

Sweet Caroline Garden Design The new roof looks much better. As to the curb appeal I would remove the large overgrown shrubs and the lawn. Amend the soil if needed and plant drought tolerant deciduous blooming shrubs, low-growing evergreens, ornamental grasses, perennials and annuals and then mulch with a nice earth tone brown such as fine pine bark. The large tree probably cast a wide shade so you may need to buy appropriate plantings for that area. I can't see the planting area near the entrance and can't tell how much space you have there for planting. The entrance doesn't look inviting - it's recessed and dark. Don't see any need for a pergola over the garage. I do think you need to find a way to bring the entrance out more. I know it may be major to do so but could you turn the large front window into a door and the current entrance into a sitting area with plants ? Don't like the white trim with the earth tones of the house. I think a deeper chocolate brown would be good. Here's a doodle I've done for the landscape.

Sweet Caroline Garden Design This is my idea to bring out the entrance. If possible, remove large window and put in a door without structural changes and add a circular stair case of brick to fill the gap between the ground and the door sill, then add a decorative pergola to visually join the area. The former entrance/courtyard can be turned into a sitting area filled will plants. Here's my doodle.

karenlrice Wow loved the landscape rendering. The new door is into a bedroom. Thanks for the doodles...they are great.

Sweet Caroline Garden Design Thanks karenlrice. You can still do the design above with the window instead of the door and it would bring out the entrance.

karenlrice These are things that I really have not thought about. I love the courtyard and think I can make the front door more inviting. The siding, new windows and a new paint job will only make it better. I loved the pots on each side of the entry into the courtyard. Your rendering showed me what a gate into the courtyard with the pots on both sides. Maybe the pergola as well. This might make the courtyard gate the front door focus. Thanks everyone for all suggestions.

Sweet Caroline Garden Design You're most welcome karenlrice. You might also want to put a nice trellis against the blank brick wall on the right side and plant a beautiful flowering clematis or other vine of your choice.