What a beautiful home!

What sort of style does your wife like? If it's the big white sugar cube she wants... you might be in trouble.

Does the location & size suit you both? Or would moving be an option?

I’d leave the left end alone. Add a covered porch along the main section and swap out the door frame and door for something more modern. Maybe paint the bricks under the new porch to brighten up that space and address the issue that the bricks there are diff to what I assume was an extension to the left.

Maybe paint the top wooden section a lighter colour. Paint window frames the same colour. You said the bricks are wearing. Do they need the mortar repaired, or is it the actual brick?
If it is the brick, then rendering the brick may also help.

An example of an updated split. Has similar front curved window as your home.

Or this one. The facade has been changed and added depth.
The same has been done to the previous photo of home I posted.

I don't understand "brick is wearing unevenly"? I can see colour unevenness in the photo but that doesn't seem typical of bricks to me, unless they were not laid properly to create an even blend of natural variation in the first place. Surely they should not develop such colouring over time?

Did there used to be ivy on the house?

Oh, good thinking Cee.

We all have different opinions , and as Cee said , the most important people are your wife , and to a small extent , you hahaha . It depends on your budget , the resale in the area , and so many different factors .

Here's what I would do on a budget . First step would be a really good chemical and pressure wash . Assuming it came up okay , and I was on a small budget , I'd leave the base as it is . The curved window is interesting , and certainly adds to the house . Maybe paint all the frame in crisp white , to emphasis its appearance against the slightly 'dirty' brick colour . On the same logic , I'd also do the upstairs windows the same -- just a small , quick lift .

The downstairs 'wall' ( the one in front of the house , NOT the downstairs 'house' wall ) I'd do in an English Cream ( white would be too 'difficult' , a cream will differentiate it from the bricks , which have more of a beige/yellow tinge ) .

The 2 main things I'd do though -- add fake shutters to the upstairs windows , in a stark white -- breaks the plainness of that upstairs area . And as Kate says -- the door . On an absolute minimum budget , I'd do the joinery in stark white , including the door and screendoor . But again stealing Kates idea , I'd personally update it -- I don't think a solid wooden door would suit the particular style and colourings around it , so I'd go maybe slim single windows either side , maybe do all the ( new ) joinery in the stark white , and the door and screen in a similar but slightly bluer and more modern version of the 'upstairs' colour , which isn't really a steel blue , but heading that way . That would tie the door in with the upstairs ( which now have stark white shutters -- downstairs has the stark white frames either side of the door ) , and the stark white around the curved window .

Labour would probably be more than materials , unless you do it yourself , but it would look updated and more integrated , and possibly even under $10k .

If trying to keep the 60's vintage(such a hot topic currently), pink brick and shingle second floor, I agree with other comment , to give the brick a good pressure wash first. Especially the low brick wall at front right side. Clean the curved window till it sparkles. Are the frames metal? or painted? I'd use steel wool to really detail them (if metal).

After the scrubbing, perk it up by:

1) Brighter contrast colour for soffit/facia boards at roofline, suggest a chalk white or pearl gray to compliment the dark gray on the shingle siding. The current "Tan" washes out the brick tone. You need more contrast.

2) Add wide picture framing style architrave around all rectangular windows (simple, flat boards, not frilly guilded type of framing, think contemporary!!), not stupid shutters which aren't the style of that age! Keep it modern and clean! Use the same chalk white or pearl gray paint . If windows leak or look bad, maybe consider replacing with new, keeping just single glass pane rather than little multiple panes for the smaller downstairs ones to the right.

3) Bring the shingle colour on the dark gray second floor to the support wall left of your front door. Also Paint the low brick wall at front of home and the raised bed to the left of front door, the same dark gray satin paint colour as upper floor (get advice on painting over brickwork). Paint the wooden door trim and architraves at front door the same dark gray but use a Gloss paint.

4) Have your Front Door professionally sprayed a gloss lacquer in a lipstick salmon pink or bright terracotta. You will need to match the tone to enhance the pinkness of your brick, make the Front Door brighter and happier, a place you want to enter, and easy to see! Remove the glass storm door too. If your door leaks cold, get new door mouldings and floor weatherstripping. Otherwise, maybe the whole door unit needs to be upgraded.....

5) Last thing, if walkway to front door is plain concrete, consider overlaying it with slate. Plant easy to grow perinneals in one or two places, or groundcovers that bloom several times a year.

It is a great looking classic, and a little paint and touches will kick it's curb appeal up without spending much at all, especially if you are handy with a paintbrush! (BTW, I am in New Zealand and always seem to be renovating my home, no matter what country we live in!). Cheers, Martha

Martha , I notice you say 'not stupid shutters' .

I suggested stupid shutters .

Dreamer posted 3 photos , all with stupid shutters .

So the 3 owners of those houses seem to like stupid shutters . Dreamer seems to like stupid shutters . I think that stupid shutters would make the upstairs look more balanced and less stupid .

See , we are all different .

Oh, Sorry about my use of an insensitive adjective for what I consider to be an overused solution to window treatment on homes in the USA (gee, I really didnt mean to offend anyone and know language can be so mis-read! Shutters cant think and respond so therefore cant be "stupid". My bad! Please accept my humble apology for the offensive word both to YOU and the other person you listed. Next time, I will use the words "overused solution". Is that better?? I am not very PC and dont live in US anymore, have forgotten..... sorry sorry...... so moving onward.....)

There are times when shutters have a functional purpose, for shade or privacy, or to protect the windows during hurricanes, and certainly, shutters are part of some classic home designs in the USA and other regions of the world too. History is acknowledged.

But, I am not a fan of using them as a decorative feature. And think they will draw too much attention away from the two focal points of the home, the pretty curved window, and the front door entry and walkway. I do agree the windows both on the ground and second floors need some similiar treatment to assist with levels of contrast.

And yes, different is good. Regards,

Paint the whole house black - including brick, eaves and gutters. Then attach stained wooden vertical slats to the brick sections. Paint the front door frame in a fun colour (coral, pick, yellow or something you like) If that's a brick planter bed out the front, paint that black too and add bright colourful plants, but not too high that they block light into bottom windows. Your new landscaping will really 'pop' against the black when it matures. GOOD LUCK and have fun!!!

A couple of sticks of gelignite should do the trick ;)

I would paint the whole house the same colour with contrasting trims so that the timber part looks less unbalanced. Money permitting I would add some extra panes to the two downstairs windows so that they match the bay window and front door surrounds and then I would wait for the garden to grow. If I was feeling daring I might paint the front door and underneath floor of the timber section in a bright colour. Good luck.