There was once a time when I thought I wanted to paint the red brick on my home. Now I appreciate the beauty of the brick. We live in a neighborhood with houses of all shapes and sizes, but the brick colors and the accent colors are all the same. I wanted some paint colors to help our home stand out.
It’s my dream to own a historic home (ONE DAY!), but for now, I have to work with the house I’ve got. The brick on our home is a red brick just like most of our neighbors. I wanted to figure out a way for it to stand out, so I started researching complimentary paint colors for red brick.
Let’s look at these paint colors that go with red brick and enhance its charm and character, maybe even feel like a cottage in the woods somewhere.
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What Paint Colors Go With A Red Brick Exterior?
I’m so glad you asked! I’ve got a list of paint colors that will compliment specifically red brick. These accent colors can be used on siding, window trim, shutters, doors, etc. I have broken these down into four categories: off-whites, dark colors, neutral/earthy tones, and muted greens.
- Creamy-Sherwin Williams
- Alabaster-Sherwin Williams
- Peppercorn-Sherwin Williams
- Gentleman’s Gray-Benjamin Moore
- Stone Hearth-Benjamin Moore
- Dovetail-Sherwin Williams
- October Mist-Benjamin Moore
- Svelte Sage-Sherwin Williams
Off-White Paint Colors That Compliment Red Brick
Creamy by Sherwin Williams is a great choice for a, you guessed it, creamy paint color. It isn’t too white or too yellow. When looking at many red brick homes, the mortar color is a light tan or creamy white color. Pulling that color out, off white or creamy color works really well with the red brick. LRV of 81.
I have this color on all of the walls throughout the downstairs of my home. I love this color and would definitely use it on the exterior as well as the interior of my home.
Pro Tip: Pick paint colors that go with red brick from the bricks themselves
Alabaster by Sherwin Williams is a off white creamy color that has no weird yellowy undertones. This is much more subtle yet powerful than a bright white. Stay away from cool-toned whites against red brick since it leans warm. This color would look great on trim or porch columns. LRV is 82.
This would also be a gorgeous choice to paint the brick if you are wanting an all white house. It also works well for the garage doors or interior and exterior trim paint.
Dark Paint Colors That Go With Red Brick
Peppercorn by Sherwin Williams is considered a black color, but its actually a really dark charcoal gray. My house has red brick, yet some of the bricks are a darker, muted gray color so it’s a great choice for an accent color. LRV is 10. I really love this color, it used to be in my son’s room.
This paint color will get much more light against the red brick, so it will show up much more as a deep charcoal color. It has a richness that will pair great with the brick on shutters or siding.
Pro Tip: Look at the categories for accent colors (off whites, darks, neutrals/earth tones, and muted green) and choose a paint color that may already exist in your home to add a cohesion between the interior and exterior of your home.
Gentleman’s Gray by Benjamin Moore is a dark navy blue color. I love this blue contrasting with the rust red brick colors. It feels very historic to me. It has slight purple undertones that make it look dark teal in some lights which is so pretty. LRV is 7.26.
This darker teal hue would look absolutely stunning on the front door. If I were more of a gardener or someone who can keep plants alive more than a week, I would have some planters on the front porch in this color as well.
Tricorn Black by Sherwin Williams is a really popular color. I talked about this in my post about black painted houses. It is a classic choice to pair with brick that can give a modern yet timeless feel. LRV of 3 which is a true black paint color.
Black has a way of instantly sharpening things, bringing them into focus. I really like how the black on anything can give the house a different feel. It would look so good on window trim, shutters, front door, and even a garage door.
Neutral and Earthy Colors That Go With Red Brick
Stone Hearth by Benjamin Moore is a warm taupe/greige color. I am so in love with this color, it is my office and all the trim and molding in our downstairs. This color is a mid toned beige, but outside it will look lighter than it does in my house because of the natural light. LRV is 49.
If I used this on the outside of my house, I would use it on all of the trim to bring a fresh look to the brick and give it a more cottagey feel.
Dovetail by Sherwin Williams is another great choice for a neutral accent color. It has a LRV of 26, so quite a bit lighter than Peppercorn, but just as pretty. This color is classified as a mid toned gray, but it really has a muddy quality to it. In some lights it looks brown, others taupe or gray.
We have this color in our media room which is my husband’s domain. It is a perfect color for that room because of the masculine nature of this paint color. Dovetail would pair well with the red brick on window shutters and the front door or garage door.
Muted Green Colors That Go With Red Brick
Svelte Sage by Sherwin Williams is a muted sage color with undertones of brown and yellow. This is a chameleon color, in some lights is looks brown, some a khaki color, and in others green. Pair it with other neutrals or whites and it looks more green. LRV is 41.46.
Try this color on the front door with a white color on the trim.
October Mist By Benjamin Moore is a warm sage color. It has gray undertones that make it look really soft and neutral. This color against the muted brick is beautiful. I have a similar color on my front door and it looks lovely. LRV is 46.33.
Pro Tip: When choosing a green paint color that goes with red brick, avoid anything too deep forest green or hunter green. You don’t want a “Christmas House.”
Things To Remember
Let’s recap some of the things that one should remember when picking out paint colors that go with red brick. You’ll want to think about these things before choosing or committing to any decisions about the exterior of your home.
- There are a lot of colors that you can choose to pair with brick. In this article, we have specifically talked about off white, muted green, neutral, and dark color options.
- Look to the interior of your home in these color categories to see if there are paint colors you already love that can be used on the exterior to compliment the red brick.
- While off white colors are a great option, avoid cool white colors because the cool and warm undertones will clash.
- Colors will look lighter on the exterior of the home because of the natural light of the sun so keep this in mind.
- Lastly, when you have narrowed the color selection to a few colors, order samples to place watches directly against the brick to make your final choices.
How Do I Order Samples For My Chosen Paint Colors?
I’m so glad you asked! Let me introduce you to Samplize!
Whenever I am trying to choose between two or more colors, I use this service. Here’s a few reasons to try it out:
- Real paint swatches
- peel and stick non damaging samples
- speedy delivery
- no mess
- affordable
Final Thoughts
I know it is really hard to find a color that can match with any color of brick. There are so many different variations of “red brick,” that it can be hard to narrow down the right color. Take a good look at your brick and imagine all you wish it could be. Find an inspiration picture and keep this list of paint colors in mind as a starting off point.
ALWAYS get samples to test against your brick! I cannot stress this enough. It is not an easy or inexpensive mistake to correct. Lastly, look in your home for colors you already use that could also look good outside to add cohesion from outside and inside.
Have fun with it, and remember that paint is one easiest ways to update your home! Til next time!
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