I like mixed materials on the front elevation. If you brick the front of the garage, I would also brick the return, iow, the wall that goes from the left front edge of the garage to the house.

Below is a front elevation that shows brick on garage. It also shows more brick but you should be able to get the idea.

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I like your elevation and agree with your concerns. There was a pretty good recent thread on brick color. I think red brick should be avoided and I would not do the entire garage, skirt at most. I like your idea of bricking the column bases if nothing else to keep the inlaws happy. Check out the pic I posted at the top of the thread which I think would look great on your column bases.

I would stick with a grayish brick or very dark maroon to blend with your color scheme which I like. I think you will need some type of accent color somewhere. The sashes are an obvious spot.

I would also break up the siding above the garage with either shingle look or preferably poplar bark if you are on the East Coast. The gable peak could really use an accent truss.

Look into LP smartside as an alternative to Fiber cement. MUCH easier to work with, cheaper, and probably last just as long. People always think they are getting a great buy with fiber cement but then use Miratec for the trim which doesnt make too much sense to me. At least use LP or something better than Miratec for the trim.

Here is a link that might be useful: brick color thread

I would not brick the front of the garage. The mixing of materials works the best when it seems as if the house has evolved over time. . . Bricking the garage wouldn't give that look. Generally, this works best when you have a main house area of one material (brick, siding, or stone) and you have another side area connected to it made of a different material, like the example below . . . at least this is what a classically focused architect would tell you:

Here is a link that might be useful: Painted brick house with stone wing

I agree with athensmomof3. I would do siding on the garage and spend my money on awesome garage doors if I were you. They are the focal point of the front elevation.

Thanks everyone for the input so far!

Any pictures of half brick columns? I tired google images but it gives you so much other junk.

pps7 - Any thoughts on garage door manufactures? They have to be windcode rated since I am in a hurricane prone area. I think it i windcode 8.

dhuston,

The best image browser is the Bing one (imo)
Try Craftsman style columns (see link) - you are going to see a lot of columns and a couple of front elevations not too different than yours.

Usually, the stone/brick part of the craftsman columns is either larger or shorter than the top portion.
In your specific case I suggest them to be shorter (the masonry portion).
You could also look into using fewer columns and sconces.
Are the windows installed? I wonder why the garage gable gets a bigger window than the front porch. If possible, make a few windows wider and if the column masonry is lower, make the porch window sill the same height.
Can we see your floor plan in order to suggest window sizes?

Good luck.

Athensmom,
I am impressed! That is a rule of thumb. There are exceptions (imo)

Here is a link that might be useful: Craftsman style columns

Marthaelena - Thank you so much for the link. That is exactly what I am looking for. As far as the window sizes, they arent in but have been ordered. The front porch window in my wife's sewing room and she will have upper and lower cabinets there. The porch window sill is 3ft high. Will definitely lose the sconce between the garage doors. Thinking about only doing 3 columns or maybe 2 1/2. The 1/2 column being to the right of the front door. Just think a full column there would block the front door.

Those columns are craftsman style so keeping with the craftsman style for the garage door and front door is probably a good idea.

The link below has beautiful garage doors but there are much less expensive knockoffs in all different materials. I agree though, I would definitely not brick the garage and put the extra towards the garage door budget. When a garage door is on the front of a house, it becomes the most prominent portion of the house. It then becomes particularly important to make them pretty!

Here is a link that might be useful: Real Carriage House Doors

And marthelena - that's what a year of A-school will get you ;) I guess I agree there are exceptions (can't think of any offhand but there are to any rule), but is is really hard to get them right. If you follow the general rule of thumb, though, you will sidestep something that will make a house not stand the test of time.