Your home’s exterior tells its own story the moment someone drives past. Brick gives a property texture, warmth, and timeless structure – but the right brick paint colors transform that raw material into something genuinely stunning. Selecting the perfect palette demands more than picking a shade you love at the hardware store. The undertones in your brick, the climate of your region, and the architectural lines of your home all demand careful consideration.
Nashville painting company clients know this challenge firsthand. Homes across Tennessee feature beautiful brick in every shade imaginable – deep red, sandy tan, earthy brown, and everything between. Getting the color selection right the first time saves you thousands of dollars and years of regret. Let us walk through the full process.
“Painting brick also can add an extra layer of protection by serving as a barrier that prevents moisture from soaking into the porous brick and potentially causing damage.“
– Bob Vila, “How to Paint Brick, According to a Pro Painter” (February 20, 2025)
How Brick Paint Colors Work With Your Home’s Exterior
Brick is rarely a single, flat color. Study your exterior brick closely and you will notice underlying hints of pink, yellow, or grey shifting across the surface. These natural undertones interact directly with any exterior paint you layer on top. Matching your paint’s undertones to those natural hues produces a cohesive look rather than a jarring clash.
Light-colored paints reflect heat, making them ideal choices for hotter southern climates. Dark colors absorb heat efficiently, suiting cooler northern regions far better. This practical reality shapes your color palette decisions just as much as aesthetics do.
Testing paint colors on large patches of your actual brick – not a paint chip and not a digital rendering – gives you the most accurate preview. Observe those test patches in morning light, afternoon sun, and evening shade. The hue on your wall shifts throughout the day in ways no swatch can predict.
Popular Exterior Paint Colors For Red Brick Homes
Red brick exterior walls carry the richest, most traditional character of any masonry. The deep orange-red tones demand paint colors that either amplify that drama or soften it deliberately. Crisp white exterior paint creates a sharp, dramatic contrast that celebrates those rich red hues rather than competing with them.
A modern twist on red brick involves pairing it with deep navy or charcoal gray. High-contrast color combinations like these produce a sophisticated, polished aesthetic that reads as elegant without feeling cold. The dark paint makes the warm brick tones pop visually.
Softer approaches work beautifully as well. Pale blue, light grey, and muted sage tones balance the intensity of red brick, providing visual calm. White trim around windows and doors creates a clean definition. A bold front door in deep teal or forest green ties the entire composition together.
| Brick Type | Recommended Paint Colors | Trim and Accent Options |
|---|---|---|
| Red Brick | Crisp white, charcoal, navy blue | White trim, bold front door in teal or black |
| Brown Brick | Beige, taupe, warm white, deep forest green | Sand or cream trim, natural wood garage door |
| Tan / Light Brick | Greige, warm white, muted earth tones | Lighter cream trim, soft blue or green accents |
| Gray Brick | Soft blue-gray, warm white, deep charcoal | White or black trim, modern metal accents |
(Color harmony depends on undertone matching, not just general hue preference)
The 60/30/10 Rule For A Perfect Brick And Paint Color Palette
Professional color consultants rely on the 60/30/10 Rule to create visual balance across any home’s exterior. The concept is straightforward: 60% of the facade’s visual weight goes to the dominant color, which, on a brick home, is the brick itself. The remaining 30% covers secondary elements like window casings, soffits, and siding panels. The final 10% goes to accent details – front door, shutters, garage door trim, and decorative hardware.
This rule prevents any single element from overwhelming the others. A professional color consultation applies this principle precisely to your specific home’s proportions and natural light exposure. Getting those ratios slightly wrong creates a chaotic, overwhelming facade instead of a confident, cohesive one.
Trim color selection deserves careful attention within this framework. A trim color sitting only a few shades lighter or darker than the dominant brick color creates a gentle interplay between surfaces. Strong contrast trim adds definition and structure. Minimal contrast trim produces a softer, more unified appearance.
Brown Brick Exterior Paint Colors That Create Curb Appeal
Brown brick carries deep, earthy warmth that pairs naturally with soft neutral tones. Beige and taupe sit closest to the brick’s natural warmth, creating a cohesive look that feels grounded and organic. These combinations suit traditional architecture and colonial-style homes across Tennessee beautifully.
A more dramatic approach pairs brown brick with darker hues. Charcoal gray and deep forest green enhance the rich tones already present in the masonry, adding a layer of sophistication. These bolder paint colors shift brown brick homes toward a modern aesthetic without erasing their traditional character.
The residential exterior painting experts at PaintPro LLC use the 60/30/10 Rule when planning brown brick projects. Brick handles the dominant 60%. Warm neutrals claim the 30% on window casings and secondary siding. A contrasting front door color supplies the striking 10% accent that gives the whole facade personality.
Exterior Paint Colors For Tan And Light Brick Homes
Tan and light brick provide a naturally warm, neutral foundation. This type of brick suits coastal design, desert architecture, and contemporary homes. The softer, lighter tones are more forgiving and versatile than darker masonry.
Warm whites and greige tones enhance the softness of tan brick without creating harsh contrast. A popular approach pairs tan brick with a warm white that brightens the facade cleanly without reading as stark or cold. Muted earth tones in cream, sand, and natural beige keep the look grounded and elegant.
Stone accents and natural wood elements complement tan brick exteriors exceptionally well. Pairing those organic textures with a softer color palette ties the home’s exterior to its natural surroundings. Teams at PaintPro’s residential services help Nashville homeowners identify the exact warm undertones present in their specific tan brick before selecting exterior paint.
Dominant color ratio in the 60/30/10 rule – your brick
Times of day to test paint swatches on real brick surface
Accent color ratio for bold front door and detail elements
(These ratios apply to every brick exterior regardless of color or home style)
Repainting Brick House Exterior: Practical Tips Before You Start
Repainting the brick house exterior surfaces demands thorough preparation. Bare brick is porous and absorbs liquids rapidly, so a quality masonry primer is non-negotiable before any color coat goes on. Skipping the primer layer guarantees uneven coverage, excessive paint absorption, and a finish that fails in the first season.
Surface preparation includes power washing away years of built-up dirt, algae, and efflorescence. Any cracked mortar joints need repointing before paint application seals moisture inside the wall cavity. Choosing a paint rated for masonry and exterior exposure protects the brick from freeze-thaw damage across every Nashville winter.
Choosing the right brick paint to complement your brick’s natural texture matters as well. Flat and matte finishes respect the raw character of exposed brick. Satin finishes add a slight sheen and improve washability. Glossy finishes on exterior brick tend to look artificial and age poorly.
✅ Do This
- Test large swatches directly on the brick surface
- Observe test patches across three times of day
- Apply the 60/30/10 Rule to every element
- Match paint undertones to your brick’s natural hues
- Prime bare masonry before any color coat
❌ Not This
- Select colors from small paint chips alone
- Rely entirely on digital color previews
- Use interior paint or non-masonry formulas outside
- Skip primer on porous or raw brick surfaces
- Choose dark colors in a hot, south-facing climate
Finding Complementary Colors: The Brick Exterior Color Guide By Style
Architectural style shapes the ideal color palette as much as the brick itself does. Traditional colonial homes suit timeless, restrained combinations: warm white trim against red brick, natural stone accents, and a classic dark front door. These classic combinations have endured for generations precisely because they respect the building’s proportions.
Modern farmhouse designs lean heavily on white, warm gray, and black accents. This style strips away ornamental detail and replaces it with clean lines and bold contrast. Pairing white-painted brick with black shutters and a matching garage door creates a striking, sophisticated exterior that photographs beautifully.
Contemporary homes push into bolder territory. Deep teal, moody charcoal, and forest green all work on modern brick exteriors – paired correctly with the right trim colors and natural materials like stone and wood siding. Getting that balance right is precisely where teams specializing in exterior brick painting add real value.
| Style | Best Paint Colors | Character |
|---|---|---|
| Colonial / Traditional | Crisp white, warm cream, sage green | Timeless and restrained |
| Modern Farmhouse | Pure white, warm gray, soft black | Clean, bold contrast |
| Contemporary | Deep teal, charcoal, navy, forest green | Striking and sophisticated |
| Coastal / Desert | Warm white, greige, sandy neutrals | Natural and airy |
(Architectural style shapes ideal color palettes as much as brick tone does)
Identify Your Brick’s Undertones: Study your masonry in natural daylight and note any pink, yellow, or grey shifts in the surface.
Apply the 60/30/10 Rule: Plan your dominant, secondary, and accent colors across every exterior element before buying a single gallon.
Test Large Patches on Real Brick: Paint two 12-inch test swatches directly on your exterior and observe them across morning, afternoon, and evening light.
Prime and Prep Before Painting: Power wash surfaces, repair cracked mortar, and apply masonry primer to guarantee lasting adhesion and even color.
(Each step compounds the quality of the final result – none are optional)
Selecting brick paint colors without professional guidance leads to expensive regret. The team at Honest Brothers Painting approaches exterior color the same way: matching undertones to existing materials, testing in real light, and executing with masonry-rated products. Similarly, Funky Painting’s exterior division emphasizes surface preparation as the foundation of any color upgrade that lasts.
PaintPro LLC serves Nashville and the surrounding Tennessee region as a trusted Nashville painting company with deep expertise in brick paint exterior projects. The team handles every step – color consultation, surface preparation, masonry priming, and final application – so your home’s exterior emerges exactly as you envisioned it. Explore the full range of refinishing services the team provides or request a free estimate today to get started on the right brick paint colors for your home.