Having a red brick home can be challenging. They’re beautiful but it can be hard to know what are the right colour palettes for red brick. What I see most often is people being safe and going for black door with white trim. This is not only safe but it’s classic so you really can’t go wrong but what if you want something different. It’s scary to take a risk on the exterior of your home and you certainly don’t want to be the house that everyone on your block is talking about. I’ve got solutions to your red brick dilemma in the form of 10 colour palettes for red brick exteriors that will keep your home looking sophisticated and elegant.
HOW TO USE THESE COLOUR PALETTES
The first thing you need to do is really consider the shade of red of your brick. There are several shades and the best colour palettes for your red brick will depend on the “real” colour of your brick. Is it more orange or more brown? Is it multi toned and there are several colours? Having an initial understanding of the colour will help navigate the rest of the choices.
Next, you need to keep in mind that colours appear much lighter in natural light. That means that you need to be a bit more open minded with the colour palettes you select. Don’t be scared off by colours that appear too dark. They will look less saturated when they’re painted on your home’s exterior.
That brings me to the point about testing. You obviously aren’t going to paint test samples on your brick or your garage but you do need to see these colours in real time before you decide. You can purchase large sample boards from Benjamin Moore or you can order them from Hello Paint (see the end of this post for more information on those). If you don’t want to do either of these just buy a small tester size of the paint colours you’re considering and paint up your own large samples. Take them outside and view them in early light, mid-day light and evening light. Watch them change and it’ll help you avoid expensive mistakes.
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When you select a palette, you can use either two or all three of the colours. If you just want a simple palette of one colour for the door and one colour for the trim, great. If you want to use all three, I would suggest using the darkest colour for the door, the mid-toned colour for the shutters and garage door and the lightest for the remainder of your home’s trim.
Lastly, keep in mind that all of these palettes are created using Benjamin Moore paints. If you prefer another paint manufacturer you can use these as your guideline for selecting comparable colours.
10 COLOUR PALETTES FOR RED BRICK EXTERIORS
1. BLACK & TAN + WHITE
This is the most classic of all the colour palettes I’ll be showing you. Even though most of us feel comfortable with this one it can still be intimidating to select the right paint colour.
BLACK 2132-10
BABY FAWN OC-15
WHITE DOVE OC-17
2. NAVY + GRAY + WHITE
This is a twist on the classic black, tan & white. If you love the simplicity of the above but want to add a more modern twist, this is a good fit. Navy pairs so well with red brick. It’s still bold and eye catching but you’re not going out on a limb or being a risk taker.
HALE NAVY HC-154
COVENTRY GRAY HC-69
SIMPLY WHITE OC-17
3. YELLOW + BROWN & WHITE
How is this for fun?! This is for the colour lover who wants their home to stand out and feel welcoming and fun. This beautiful yellow is such a fun colour and would make a statement on the front door. It’s actually not as scary a palette as you might initially think. The yellow door is bold but the sage brown and white colours for the trim will keep your home looking sophisticated and safe. It’s really just the pop of colour on the front door that is a twist. If you love this but aren’t ready for a bold front door, add it to your furniture instead. Paint your door the sage brown and add a chair and some flowers in this bold yellow.
YELLOW HIGHLIGHTER 2021-40
MOHEGAN SAGE 2138-30
GLACIER WHITE OC-37
4. BURGUNDY + TAUPE + WHITE
This colour palette pairs really well with brick that has a purple hue to it. If that’s your house, you’re going to love this palette. The burgundy door will stand out but the star of the show will be the taupe. This colour has a green undertone which always looks amazing on the exterior of a home and blends into the landscape beautifully.
BORDEAUX RED 1365
RIVER REFLECTIONS 1552
CLOUD COVER OC-25
5. GREEN + GOLD + WHITE
This is another palette that looks overwhelming at first glance but is actually very calm and soothing. It’s one of the best colour palettes for red brick exteriors because the gold is such a beautiful complement to the red. Almost all red brick exteriors contain some gold, either in the brick itself or in the grout. The white I’ve selected has a green undertone so it will complement your green front door and make it look like you had a colour consultation, even if you didn’t.
KENNEBUNKPORT GREEN HC-123
BARLEY GRASS 271
MONTEREY WHITE HC-27
6.CHARCOAL + BEIGE + WHITE
If you feel like the brick on your home is a bit unwieldy and you want colours to tone it down, this is your palette. All of these pair beautifully with red brick but all together you’re creating a sophisticated palette that will take attention away from the brick and attract more attention to the whole house. You can’t get rid of your brick but there are clever ways to make it part of something bigger and better.
KENDALL CHARCOAL HC-166
GRANT BEIGE OC-83
ALABASTER OC-129
7. RED + GRAY + WHITE
It might seem odd to add more red to a red brick house but the right shade can actually be a beautiful companion to your brick. In the selections here, the red paint pulls from the secondary colour in the brick and highlights that part of the brick. The gray and white can help modernize the exterior of a home.
CARRIAGE RED CW-250
GRAY WISP CC-760
CHANTILLY LACE OC-65
8. LIGHT BLUE + BEIGE + WHITE
If you love light blue but thought you couldn’t do it with red brick, I have a tip for you. Always make sure the blue you select leans towards the gray-blue end of the spectrum. This will keep it from fighting with the bold brick. And again, use a tried-and-true beige and white combo for the trim to keep the blue from overshadowing the rest of the house.
ICED SLATE 2130-60
HILLSBOROUGH BEIGE CC-330
CLOUD WHITE 967
9. GRAY + OLIVE + WHITE
If you love neutrals on the inside of your home it only makes sense that the exterior should have the same look and feel. The colours in this palette can be used in multiple ways. If you want a colour that can stand up to the brick then use the olive on the shutters and garage door. This is a rival to the intensity of the red brick and the gray on the front door is a pop of brightness. Alternatively, if you want to use the olive on your front door this gray will also look historically appropriate (aka timeless) as your trim colour.
STONINGTON GRAY HC-170
DARK OLIVE 2140-30
OXFORD WHITE CC-30
10. DARK BLUE + GRAY + WHITE
I never miss an opportunity to talk about my favourite colour, Gentleman’s Gray. You can see more about this gorgeous colour here. I also recently posted about my favourite colours for your front door and of course, Gentleman’s Gray took the number one spot. This combo is great for anyone and any style of home. Whether the architecture of your home is traditional or modern this is one of the colour palettes for red brick that I swear by.
GENTLEMAN’S GRAY 2062-20
CEMENT GRAY 2112-60
GARDENIA AF-10
I hope you’ve been inspired to give your red brick exterior a facelift this spring or summer. It’s particularly important if you live in a subdivision home to get the colours right. There are a lot of red brick homes found in subdivisions and there are some really big mistakes being made.
You want your home to feel just as beautiful on the outside as it is on the inside so getting the correct colour palette is important. Let me know if you found a palette here that has inspired you to update your exterior.
If you know your design style but you struggle with which paint to use, take a look at my Made-For-You paint palettes. They take the guesswork out and give you the confidence to get started.
