jannie The first house is painted brick. From my distant youth, I recall the unsightly flaking and peeling that rapidly followed, even on well cleaned and prepared brick exteriors. I would like to paint my little brick 1950 house but just can't get past...umm...the past. Can anyone out there convince me that paint technology has changed enough so that paint reliably adheres to old brick and mortar? What is the lifespan of paint on brick? Does climate matter? I am in the midwest, with temperature extremes of subzero to upper 90s, and my house has unshaded east and west exposures.

Sheila Schmitz Hi, Jannie -- This story on painting brick has some good tips for exteriors as well as interiors. I'll be interested in what others have to say about painting brick in your region.

Lucianna Samu - Color and Design These are beautiful houses. We bought a falling down 1798 farmhouse, fixed it up and painted it classic white. Couldn't image in anything better!

Bud Dietrich, AIA Hi Jannie - We had a home in the upper midwest that was also painted brick. The house dated from the 1930's and the paint only failed (peeled and flaked) where there was too much moisture in the wall. We investigated what was causing the moisture intrusion, corrected it, repainted the brick and never had a problem again (or for over 20 years). Attached photo is from one of those extreme weather conditions!

Climate does matter. Because of the extremes in the upper midwest (in the dead of winter, the north side of a building can be frozen solid while the south side is warm, causing havoc on the materials), the types of materials and finishes used are really important. Best to consult with some professionals in your area that have the expertise to steer you in the right direction.

pharmanci Bud: Love this posting! Wish you worked in Hudson, NY! Thank you for adding these beautiful home exteriors.

pharmanci @Lucianna Samu: You did a terrific job on your 1798 farmhouse! Love the pergola too. I hope you're happy with it--it's beautiful.

beber5kids We chose to "slurry" our brick with white mortar...( built in 1961) It will not flake off. It looks so great that 3 others in my neighborhood have also chosen to "slurry" with slight mortar color variations.

Bud Dietrich, AIA @beber5kids - Slurry is a terrific idea. It would be really great if you could post a photo of your home.

mvstewart Once again, Bud offers us more than a few pretty pictures - thank you for furthering our understanding!

prauscher spotted this white house in Provincetown MA

pharmanci @Prauscher: what beautiful details on this home.

pharmanci I'm not sure what " slurry" is. I see a type of white painted brick that I love but don't know how to get it: the brick aren't entirely white. It gives an impression of age, like they were "wiped with a cloth". (Am I making myself clear?). How do you get this look?

klj1 I hesitated to paint the brick on my house, too, for the same reasons, but I took the plunge and did it. The house was primed first and then painted. It worked out great. It actually seems to last better than paint on siding. We live in Ohio and so we get extreme temperatures...very hot, very cold. I have had it for 20 years and I have painted it twice. So, about 10 years is the duration. Everyone in the neighborhood said it was a HUGE improvement. Turned a typical suburban home into something more custom. Since we painted ours, several other people in the neighborhood have done it as well. Our house is white with dark green shutters...timeless. Good luck!

fredericklc To Jannie. Our house is brick on the bottom and wood on the top. I really hated the brick but had a hard time getting my husband to agree to paint it. I finally went on a local search and found houses with painted brick that were similiar to our home. He was won over. The wood is white and the brick is green. This is the third year we have had the brick painted and we haven't even had to touch it up. We had to repaint the wood this year, but the brick looks awesome. We have been so impressed that we painted the chimney, also, but in white instead of green. We are really pleased with the results. We live in the mountians of East Tennessee and are lucky to enjoy four truly distinct seasons. Our temps can vary from up to 100 in the summer (altho' usually in the 90's) down to zero in the winter (more often teens to 20's) and we haven't had any peeling on any of the brick. I am not a brick fan but do like the look of painted brick. I know it's not for everyone but it worked very well for us. Good luck with whatever you plan to do and have a great Christmas!

Horizon Interior Shutters Exterior shutters sure added necessary depth for three of the featured homes. I especially like the classic white colonial home with black shutters. So charming. Find similar wood shutters at http://www.shutterland.net .

wantsideas Um....I have house # 3 envy just from the outside.

shana_frederick Bud, we are struggling with exterior colors. Our home is an old farmhouse. We have architectural shingles in summer harvest. There is a great variety (browns, grey, red, some blue), but it has made choosing a paint/stain color for our cedar siding challenging. We also have a partial wrap around porch. I'm leaning toward a rich cream color, but I may be just trying to simplify. Other colors I've considered are a grayish taupe, but then I have a difficult time with the porch and trim. Here's an idea of what we're working with.