Give your dated brick home a makeover with these go-to ideas from an expert.
8 Exterior Brick Paint Color Ideas To Transform Your Home
Updated on Aug. 05, 2024
Painting Your Brick Home
Painting a brick house can be a scary decision for homeowners. Even when you’re ready to take the plunge, the huge question remains: What color should you choose?
To answer that and more, we spoke to Heather Thompson, owner of Fulton Park Designs, which specializes in exterior color consulting. She offers her top three tips for painting a brick house.
Get a digital rendering
“First and foremost, it is highly advisable to consider commissioning a professional rendering of the property’s exterior,” says Thompson. A digital rendering will help you visualize potential colors for the brick, trim, shutters and doors.
“Investing in a rendering upfront will save homeowners time and money, and prevent the occurrence of costly errors down the line,” she says.
Pay attention to undertones
Thompson says white is a popular color, but selecting the right undertone is pivotal. For a warm white, she recommends Sherwin-Williams Alabaster (7008). For a cool white, she likes Sherwin-Williams Snowbound (7004).
“If opting for bolder hues, such as greens, blues or golds, I highly recommend muted iterations with gray undertones to temper the vibrancy, resulting in a more refined and sophisticated appearance,” says Thompson.
Test the color thoroughly
Thompson suggests creating a sample board for testing your favorite colors. “A sample board offers the flexibility of relocation, allowing you to assess how the color appears in various locations around the property,” says Thompson.
Shadowed areas will look distinctly different from those exposed to sunlight. “Evaluating the color’s performance under varying lighting conditions will ensure a well-informed decision,” says Thompson.
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Black and White
One of the most popular color schemes on brick houses is black and white. It’s a timeless combination that looks good on almost any style of exterior.
Before the paint job, this home from @tatianahndz featured dated pink brick that had to go. The crisp white color gives the home new life and disguises some of the busy brick patterns.
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Gray
This old brick house from @interiorsaddict looks sleek and modern with a simple gray paint job. She hired professional painters who gave the brick a thorough pressure wash, one coat of primer and two coats of gray paint.
Choose a gray with warm undertones to avoid the stark prison-gray look. Details like bright white window trim and plenty of green plant life soften the finished exterior and add curb appeal.
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Limewash
Exterior paint specialists @classicfinishes specialize in limewashed brick. Limewashing is done by cleaning the brick, dampening the surface, then applying limewash paint.
Once the paint starts to dry, water is used to wash off some of the paint, allowing peeks of the original brick color to show through. The result is a distressed, old-world finish. Classic Finishes recommends hiring a professional for best results.
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Beige
Choose a beige color for your brick house if you want to brighten the exterior but don’t want it too stark. A warm beige like the one used on this house from @fultonparkdesigns looks updated yet timeless, as if the brick was always meant to be this color.
Black trim and dark-gray accents further modernize the overall color scheme and provide the perfect amount of contrast.
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@rachelperson_realtor Oooppppssss #paintitblack #paintedbrick #midcentury #midcenturyranch #gothhouse #gothvibes #wednesdayaddams #interiordesign ♬ Bloody mary – Hopez99
Black
Committing to a completely black house may sound intimidating, but in some instances it works!
Watch the transformation of this brick house by @rachelperson_realtor. The black paint gives the mid-century ranch house a bold new look that’s stunning against the white snowy backdrop. A pastel front door and gold address numbers soften all the black.
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@theorganizeddesignco Siding, windows, paint, gutters, shutters, oh my!! #navyhouse #whitetrim #cedarshutters #exteriordesign #brick #siding ♬ How did i go from this…to this – sophie
Blue
Neutral colors are the safest route when choosing exterior paint, but don’t be afraid of color. This brick house from @theorganizeddesignco is painted dark blue (Waterloo by Sherwin-Williams) with gorgeous results.
The warm gray-blue color makes the cedar wood and white accents pop. What was once a forgettable exterior in transformed into the shining jewel of the neighborhood!
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German Smear
German smear isn’t exactly a paint color; it’s a technique that gives your brick a charming, old-world style.
To achieve the look, mortar (usually white) is spread across the face of a brick facade with a trowel, then partially wiped off with a wet sponge. The dried mortar gives the wall a lighter color and more texture, reminiscent of a European cottage.
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Tricolor
Watch as @arlenemurals paints this brick house with three shades of gray. She paints each brick individually, creating an intentionally haphazard pattern as she goes. Then all the bricks get a brush of white for consistency, while the color variation still shines through. No doubt it’s time-consuming, but the results appear to be worth it.
