I am up in the air about my front porch columns. I am uncertain if I like them or not(?). Haven't seen another house like it. Would it look better if I boxed/enclosed them and paint'em? or perhaps just paint the brick white? or should I just leave them alone? Would be a spring project so I have time to think about it, and note, that the bushes will be replaced in this year and the brick columns do go to the ground. Any suggestions/opinions would be appreciated. Thanks. -Jeff

http://i34.photobucket.com/albums/d106/JeffsWorld/15HighlandAve/Pc280001.jpg

I am no expert in the least but I like your columns personally--guess that's just "me"!

If you go to the webpage about our house (I do not update this a lot), you can see photos of our house with the porch enclosed--we were told this was in the 40's or 50's--and of how it looks with the windows out. We like them out so much better...

http://www.geocities.com/breuermom/house1913.html

Oh please, please do not paint the original brick! We spent almost $2K paying someone to remove paint off our brick from the previous owner. I think you should find a way to make it work for you without painting it. If your planning on painting the house, if you go with a darker earthy color, the brick will tie in nicely. If your not planning on painting the house, then figure out a way to accent the brick color in other places, i.e., pots on the porch, coordinate the porch floor the same color, house numbers, etc. Maybe paint the trim a nice accent color, etc. You are lucky to have the original brick unpainted, please keep it that way.

I am going to have to agree with jmcnamara. I like the brick as it is. I think it goes well with the chimneys. Don't take this as an attack on you or your home, but the white doesn't do anything for it. Those brick columns would really "pop" with a nice tan or sage green on the body of the house. The white really seems to be hiding lots of detail that could be brought out with a nice contrasting trim color to one of the above colors. If you're dead set on changing the color of the columns, I would box them in and paint them then, but not on the brick directly.

No offense taken, I appreciate the responses. My issue is that I bought the house vinyl-sided (unfortunately). To some, the siding is an asset, to me, not so much, but for now it will remain as I can't afford to have it removed and then the follow-up maintenance to bring it back (who knows what yu will find under there?). Resale would hurt as well, should I ever sell ...again, siding is an asset to some. I would love to be able to paint it and have accent colors. I believe the house was always white tho, but I also believe there was one some ornamental exterior woodwork approx at the level where the 1st & 2nd floors would meet as the siding bows out there as seen in this view

http://i34.photobucket.com/albums/d106/JeffsWorld/15HighlandAve/Pc280002.jpg

I am going to take the advice given here and let the brick remain natural and will instead try to accent w/ a similar color. Thanks. -Jeff

I have to throw in my 2 cents: the funkiness with these columns is not the appearance of the bricks but the placement- none in the corners! I was paging through my "500 small houses of the 1920's" and not a single one lacks corner columns on the front porch- some only have two, others 4 and one has 3, but all are framed by corner columns. Any evidence that they removed any?

If you are unable to do anything with the white, possibly you could paint the trim a contrasting color that would blend with the brick? All you need is an accent here and there to make it work. You would be surprised how little it takes to make it come together. The house across the street from us is white with dark blue trim and the pillars are river rock and it is beautiful. The roof and the porch color ties in with the pillars and it all works. Learn to love your brick, we all do : - ) P.S. I have been told that there is a special little place in hell for those that paint natural brick, you don't want to go there : - ) !!! Beautiful house, make it work for you.

I didn't know that it was vinyl siding. That does kinda put the brakes on painting doesn't it? Have you tries to take a peek at what is under the siding on the front porch? I am wondering if it might be brick hiding under there. It would tie in with the columns. Good luck!

As far as I know you CAN paint vinyl siding...

I'm with you, I hate it too, but I do see your point in expense at the this time. I'm sure there are many other projects that need attention first. However, I agree with the others about your bricks. I like them. I am not sure but the porch may not have been closed in entirely on the bottom, but experimenting with the idea of open spindles there might help detract from the columns as well...
and lastly, I like the bushes. It is difficult to find such beauties so symmetrical and old... They are probably around the period of the home!

I'm with dnagrl. There seems to be something missing or "off" when I look at the pictures. I've never seen a column pattern like that. It's as if something was removed or something was changed during a subsequent remodel.

Diane

If that was my house I would build four total columns and remove the original ones. Put two on the corners and two on the sides of the stairs. That would bring the house into proportion and make it look more balanced and stable. River rock would look nice in place of brick.

I see a lor of houses like yours with the same columns. I think you maybe don't like the brick because there is no more brick on the rest of the front of the house. If you don't like the color just paint the brick. I watch Curb Appeal all of the time and they are always painting the brick on houses. Its up to you.

Jeff, I would not paint the brick. Once done it takes an act of Congress and much expense to change it. Brick is not designed to be painted but is a timeless material that weathers beautifully. I support the painting of the trim to match or be similar to the brick. If you must have something other than brick (I personally like it and support the idea posted of checking under the porch siding to see if it's brick and, if so, expose it) a better alternate is to stucco over the brick with cement plaster and paint that. What's with the chains at the corners? I personally like the front elevation look. It strikes me more a colonial influence and quite modern with the relieved corner look.