Discover the best paint colors that go with red brick homes. From neutral tones to bold hues, find your perfect match!
We all learned that brick houses are the sturdiest after the huffing and puffing involved in the Three Little Pigs.
I was amazed to discover that brick has been used to build homes for over 7000 years, with red brick being popular since colonial times. Whether your home is a heritage building or a new build, you’ll want to know which paint colors go best with red brick.
Paint colors that go with red brick by Sherwin-Williams are Pure White, Likeable Sand, Aleutian, Moscow Midnight, and Butter Up. Use Benjamin Moore’s White Dove, Black, Kendall Charcoal, Blue Ice, and Rapture. Behr’s Laguna Blue, Flannel Gray, and Vine Leaf are also great options.
The nineteenth-century building boom in the United States made red brick buildings a common feature of the urban landscape.
Red brick is still a popular exterior finish. Interiors with red brick are seen in heritage, farmhouse, rustic, modern, and industrial-style homes. Let’s look at which paint colors work best with this unique feature.
Choosing Paint Colors that Pair Well with Red Brick
Red brick’s characteristic orange-red shade adds appeal to both the interior and exterior features of a home. The typical color is dramatic and vibrant and can be overwhelming if not tempered with complementary colors.
Choosing a paint color to match your red brick means considering the tones of the brick: aged brick tends to have a more muted, gentle color while newer builds can have a fiery orange tone.
Top Sherwin Williams Paint Colors that Complement Red Brick
Exposed red brick poses a unique decorating challenge, and you must decide whether you want a bold complementary option or a more muted shade.
Here are my top recommendations from Sherwin-Williams for paint colors that go with red brick.
#1. Pure White SW 7005
Pair an icy white with the coziness of red brick for a striking impact. Pure White is a balanced shade with no obvious undertones, making it a perfect complement to a modern fireplace or dramatic interior wall.
It’s also gorgeous for crisp trim and shutters on a red brick exterior.
#2. Likeable Sand SW 6058
Earth tones like beige and taupe work beautifully with red brick, complementing its warmth. Extend the color palette with muted browns and yellows for an inviting atmosphere.
These colors are ideal for a retro feel, whether you’re going for a mid-century modern vibe or seventies cool (or were the seventies actually ever cool?).
#3. Aleutian SW 6241
Inspired by the Pacific Islands of the same name, this coastal shade is frequently recommended by interiors experts as a pairing for red brick. Being its complementary color, blue calms and tones with the orange in red brick.
Aleutian is a cool denim blue that I adore for kitchen cabinetry. Try this color in an informal or open-plan space with red-brick walls for a country vibe. Plenty of greenery helps to brighten the space.
#4. Moscow Midnight SW 9142
A deep, mysterious blue with a dollop of teal, Moscow Midnight adds instant curb appeal to your home.
This moody color works well for both heritage and contemporary red-brick homes, especially when paired with crisp white trim. A brass knocker is compulsory.
#5. Butter Up SW 6681
Yellow tones beautifully with the red-orange of brick, and this gentle buttery shade is ideal for a peaceful, sunny bedroom.
Butter Up has enough cream in it for a traditional interior, where the red brick is weathered and muted. Combine with spicy red and easy beige for a calm, cozy atmosphere.
Top Benjamin Moore Colors that Go Well with Red Brick
Benjamin Moore’s vast range of paint colors gives you endless options for matching your red brick interior or exterior. Their historic range is particularly useful for heritage homes.
#6. White Dove OC-17
Red brick offers enormous depth of color, so you don’t need to add another bright shade, especially if you’re going for a traditional aesthetic.
Warm White Dove is a classic soft white option that creates a welcoming vibe. Decorate with cozy brown leather, Persian rugs, and honey-colored wood for an English country style.
#7. Black 2132-10
This simply named color is the sleekest and most modern option for pairing with red brick. Black is the ultimate dark neutral, adding style and class to a red-brick interior.
Consider black for an edgy industrial space where it will allow the exposed brick architectural feature to have maximum impact.
#8. Kendall Charcoal HC-166
If black is too dramatic, go for a rich, blue-toned charcoal gray to contrast with red brick.
The ever-popular Kendall Charcoal adds a moody, contemporary touch to a bedroom, especially when accessorized with metal, black décor, and a touch of color. (Sounds like the perfect combination for a teenage bedroom.)
#9. Blue Ice 821
Periwinkle is an underutilized paint color, in my opinion. This delicate, fresh blue with hints of lilac inspires creativity and tranquility and is as perfect for a home office as a bedroom.
Blue Ice is a contemporary shade that works well in urban spaces, making an industrial loft conversion seem homely and comfortable.
#10. Rapture CC-66
Add red accents to draw out the deep reds from your face-brick feature wall. Rapture is a vivid scarlet with gorgeous violet undertones that give this color depth and avoid a fire-engine situation.
This is a bold combination, so keep the rest of the interior neutral with rich creams, beiges, and the warm wood tones of antique furniture.
Best Behr Paints to Pair with Red Brick
The ideal paint color brings out the warmth and glow of red brick, making your home inviting and welcoming — especially if you’ve got a gorgeous red-brick fireplace.
Let’s explore Behr’s ideal paint colors for your red brick feature.
#11. Laguna Blue PPU14-18
Laguna Blue is a balanced shade, a gorgeous Airforce blue, neither too dark nor too light. This color works beautifully with red-brick walls, especially in a bedroom where you want to tone down the orange.
I love this combination in a Scandi-inspired space, with fresh white and soft gray.
#12. Flannel Gray N520-3
Gray’s cool tones are perfect for cooling the exuberance of red brick, with the contrast making an elegant, contemporary statement.
Flannel Gray is a cozy, medium-toned gray with lush plum undertones that tone with the reds in your brickwork. Extend the gray palette with platinum and silver shades for a cool, modern interior.
#13. Vine Leaf N400-7
If you’re lucky enough to have a heritage red-brick home, I recommend Vine Leaf by Behr as a complementary shade.
Dark hunter greens like this one bring out the subtle variations in aged brick and make for a welcoming front door. Paint the trim green as well, or go for crisp white for the woodwork.
Final Thoughts
Red brick is a desirable feature in a home, whether you have a traditional exterior, a mid-century modern interior, or an industrial loft conversion. Choosing a color to enhance the brick’s warm glow is essential, and luxury paint producers Sherwin-Williams, Benjamin Moore, and Behr have you covered with my list of top recommendations.
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