Doing a timber frame new build, will white brick elevations look naff?

[DTP1]

Hi, I’m doing a timber frame newbuild house, having done 2 brick and block previously. This will be my last, definitely my lifetime home this time, as right now I’m not sure why I’m putting myself through the aggravation again! Had main contractors before but this time I need to save on cost so planning to use a project manager. Can’t face project managing myself. 
 

First conundrum is why do so few houses seem to combine timber cladding with brick? Hardly any images online, just a few combining very red brick with very black timber, which looks a bit angry/unsettling to me!  I was planning to do render and cladding, to get a contemporary look, but mostly on the basis of cost, as I was given to understand that it was cheaper, but the project manager tells me there’s no difference between cost of render versus cost of brick. So I’d rather have brick, but still get a contemporary look. Thinking of white/pale bricks with either complementary or contrasting cladding but will that look naff?? 

[Redbeard]

London (yellow) brick? Possibly the right sort of area. I could not 'aesthetic' my way out of a paper bag but that on the lower elevs with something darker above seems nice-ish. I'd be worried about white brick.