Go with black. Gorgeous. Brings out the richness of the bricks, elegance of the windows.

Another link: http://www.nyc-architecture.com/UES/UES089.htm

Here is a link that might be useful: Black trim/Brick house

I was thinking black too (or super dark)! The house Tibbrix links to actually has white/cream trim with black mullions and shutters. Since you don't have shutters, these might be a closer match.

[Rustic Exterior[(https://www.houzz.com/photos/rustic-exterior-home-ideas-phbr1-bp~t_736~s_2111) by Lewes Design-Build Firms Burton Builders

[Traditional Exterior[(https://www.houzz.com/photos/traditional-exterior-home-ideas-phbr1-bp~t_736~s_2107) by Bethesda Design-Build Firms Dave Vogt / Case Design

[Traditional Exterior[(https://www.houzz.com/photos/traditional-exterior-home-ideas-phbr1-bp~t_736~s_2107) by Philadelphia Architects & Designers Eberlein Design Consultants

Binnesman maybe should consider adding shutters, though, I think. There is a lot of brick area on his/her house, and the single windows are really enhanced by shutters. I grew up in a brownstone near Boston with the black windows/wood trim/shutters. It's really such a beautiful look.

also paint the stair railings high gloss black enamel.

This post was edited by Tibbrix on Fri, Jan 31, 14 at 17:56

@Tibbrix, I agree. Shutters would look gorgeous!!

Mamorella,

Really gorgeous on that house. That house is stately in its architecture and just needs a little more detail to complete that look. The black and shutters would absolutely do that.

I think the black used with brick is glossy? Not entirely sure, though.

Mamorella and Binnesman,

Binnesman's house has the cream color masonry above the windows, which would remain as they are. Any wood work would be painted black, including the window grids. But is the trim around the windows masonry or wood? If wood, paint it black. If masonry, keep it the cream like the masonry above the windows. That is like the building in the link in my first post. Masonry you do NOT want to paint. Any wood you do.

@Tibbrix, last post is spot on. I was just looking more closely at the pic you posted and I was thinking that the trim might be masonry. Agree on painting wood not masonry!

And the house I posted is high gloss black, which is so beautiful.

I prefer the light windows with dark shutters.
{{!gwi}}

And, being from Boston, Beacon Hill, etc., where there are a lot of these brick brownstones and mansions with the black trim, I can also say that, at night,when the lights are on inside the house, the black does amazing things with that effect too, esp. if there are chandeliers inside. But also the light from the sconces by the front door.

The glossy black and brick is so beautiful as to be a no-brainer, in my opinion. Even makes the landscaping look even better.

A BIG vote for black windows with satin black shutters! Outstanding idea! :)

Maybe the front door could be re-painted in the same cream ... with a large black iron doorknocker (as a focal point)

Switch to much taller and larger black lanterns by the front door.

Consider painting out the downspouts in a medium gray.

Perhaps add a tall bush (plus a couple of medium-sized-bushes) on the far left-hand side of the house to "fill in" that large gap ....

i also agree black shutters is the way to go. However, the masonry detail above the windows would be the only cream colored thing if all the trim were painted white. It looks like the existing cream trim color may have been chosen to match the masonry window tops.

Annie's first example picture has that very thing and from a distance it looks fine. It's hard to say if that would be a negative effect up close. To some people (like moi) that would jump out. Most may not notice.

I think the black shutters w/white trim is a more contemporary look while the all-black woodwork gives a more traditional look, so all depends on what one is going for.

Around here, the all-black wood trim/window grids, etc., has become very popular, and it's so beautiful. Personally, I think the all black adds some character, but that's just a personal opinion, of course.

Down spouts are a good point . I'd paint them black too. Lots of options w/r/t the front door. A Colonial red? Black like the rest of the wood (with a brass knocker)? I'd stick with Colonial colors, though. JMHO.

YOu know, upon looking at the entry way again, I think wendy is right. Paint the whole entry way black but the door another rich color. With the deep entry way and wood surround, all black might be a bit much, versus a door that is flush with the brick. Check out front doors on Beacon Hill to get ideas. They're famous and gorgeous.

Or, something like this (again, Beacon Hill). Where the wood of the entry way is white and the door the black of the shutters and windows.

Here is a link that might be useful: Entryway

A couple of observations...

On the OP picture, the window trims do not look the same size. Some seem thicker than others. That difference may show up more if they are painted a strong color. If there were shutters, probably not noticeable, whether cream or black. Or maybe this is just an illusion in the photo...maybe screen differences???

The two pictures of houses without shutters with painted windows both have splash of matching painted wood elsewhere on the facade. I found that interesting. Probably contributing to the overall great look.

I totally agree with using black shutters. When we re-did our secondary home I decided that black roofing and black shutters would make our home look classic; I was right. The home looks lovely with the black shutters. I chose a door with wrought iron grills on opaque glass and the trim around the door was painted a high gloss black.

It's so funny...for me the dark window trim and muntins always give a house a more foreboding look...the beige or the white to me are always more "friendly" and approachable....

I think the beige with the black can work well too.

[Traditional Exterior[(https://www.houzz.com/photos/traditional-exterior-home-ideas-phbr1-bp~t_736~s_2107) by Seattle Architects & Designers David Olson Architect

I just love this navy door with the brick.

[Traditional Exterior[(https://www.houzz.com/photos/traditional-exterior-home-ideas-phbr1-bp~t_736~s_2107) by Atlanta Media & Bloggers Between Naps on the Porch

Here's another with the black and white and beige keystones

[Traditional Exterior[(https://www.houzz.com/photos/traditional-exterior-home-ideas-phbr1-bp~t_736~s_2107) by Evanston Design-Build Firms Benvenuti and Stein

Here's one where they did the windows similar to the brick (don't know if that's paint or stained wood...)

[Traditional Exterior[(https://www.houzz.com/photos/traditional-exterior-home-ideas-phbr1-bp~t_736~s_2107) by Chicago Landscape Contractors Hirsch Brick and Stone

And here's one with the beige windows and the red shutters

[Traditional Exterior[(https://www.houzz.com/photos/traditional-exterior-home-ideas-phbr1-bp~t_736~s_2107) by Charlotte General Contractors Andrew Roby General Contractors

If you go to houzz.com and search on red brick and select exteriors, you'll get acres of ideas.

Here's a pic of Beacon Hill in Boston

Here is another pic of Mt. Vernon St. in Beacon HIll, which shows one house with the all black woodwork next to a house with Annie's preference, so Binnesman can get a direct comparison.

I love the sophistication of the all black, but it does need offsets, like masonry steps. It might in fact be too much for Binnesman's house because the entire facade is brick, whereas the Beacon Hill Townhouses have the gray masonry at the bottom. Binnesman's house would have to have very good landscaping along the front of the house to make the all-black work, no doubt.

Of course, we've not heard from Binnesman since we started chiming in, so perhaps he/she has run for the hills!

Here is a link that might be useful:

No running for the hills here! I'm just enjoying looking over the varied responses and taking it all in. Its a lot to mull over. I guess its easier for some folks to make a decision than it has been for us. When you take into consideration our own tastes, with the style and setting of the house, with the neighbor hood we live in, its turning out to be a bigger thought than I had initially anticipated, lol.

I so much appreciate everyone taking the time to respond. The pictures are especially helpful, for me anyway. Its hard sometimes to get a visual.

I will go to the Houzz site also and check it out. I had heard of it, but never really investigated it.

While I love brick and black, I think your brick color would look much better with a medium brown shutter and bronze windows, keeping the creamy beige trim as is. The black is a very stark look and looks better to me with redder brick than yours. I would paint the door a chocolate brown with creamy beige surrounding molding.

Beige brick house