12 Best Exterior Paint Colors For Brick Houses

You may have a list of home-improvement projects you've been promising to get to. Maybe you started inside—by repainting the living room a mood-boosting shade or by redecorating the bedroom with comfortable furnishings. On walks around the neighborhood, admiring other houses, inspiration sets in. How can you update your brick house to make it the best-looking one on the block?

Paint can instantly refresh a home's exterior without any major renovation. Anyone who lives in a brick house is probably keenly aware of the great paint debate. One side is all for painting brick facades, while the other side is fiercely against covering up original red-brick exteriors. Ultimately, it's your personal preference. Once brick is painted, though, there's usually no going back (no pressure or anything!).

For homeowners with their hearts set on repainting their brick exterior, we've rounded up several different shades that are sure to boost curb appeal.

How to Choose the Right Colors for Your Home

Stick with a relatively neutral shade for the exterior, and choose complementary colors for the smaller details (like khaki shutters for a warm white facade or a forest green front door against a soft gray exterior). Whether you're dreaming of a creamy white cottage or a contemporary navy Craftsman, find inspiration for repainting your brick home with the paint colors below.

White Paint Colors for Brick Exteriors

There's a reason so many folks are painting their brick houses white: It's practically fool-proof and will deliver a charming result every time. Here are the best white paint colors for brick exteriors.

Benjamin Moore's White Dove, OC-117

A perennial favorite of designers, this timeless choice is always a winner. Pictured above, the entirety of the Birmingham, Alabama, home—including the brick surround that wraps the front door—is coated in the classic shade, lending the exterior curb appeal with staying power.

Sherwin-Williams' Pure White, SW 7005

Designer Cheryl Luckett of Dwell by Cheryl Interiors transformed this wow-worthy Colonial with a color that's not too bright and works well for the sunny exterior.

Farrow & Ball's James White, No. 2010

The facade of this 1940s Birmingham, Alabama, cottage was a keeper; all it needed to bring it up-to-date was a splash of this white with green undertones.

Sherwin-Williams' Snowbound, SW 7004

The presence of gray undertones means this wintery shade plays especially well with other cool colors, like grays and blues. On this Fort Worth, Texas, exterior, Sherwin-Williams' Anew Grey (SW 7030) on the shutters proves the perfect complement.

Off-White Paint Colors for Brick Exteriors

Looking for something simple, but with a bit more depth than standard whites? These creamy shades are sure to fit the bill.

Farrow & Ball's Clunch, No. 2009

When renovating her own 1940s Montgomery, Alabama, home, designer Ashley Gilbreath treated the exterior to a refreshing revamp with this shade, which has buttery undertones.

Benjamin Moore's Intense White, OC-51

The blue-gray undertones of this paint color announce themselves loud and clear on the exterior of designer Liz Carroll's ranch remodel in Wilmington, North Carolina.

Benjamin Moore's Swiss Coffee, OC-45

Though this Fairhope home is constructed with siding rather than brick, it still makes a strong case for this milky shade, which would feel equally appropriate on a brick exterior.

Great Neutrals (That Aren't White!) for Brick Exteriors

White not the right choice for your home? Explore the other end of the color spectrum for equally appealing exterior paint colors.

Benjamin Moore's Shoreline, 1471

Richmond, Virginia, designer Dana Gibson opted for a gentle neutral to allow her bold blue front door to shine. For a similar-looking brick exterior, try this easygoing hue, which has the slightest hint of lavender mixed into the gray.

Sherwin-Williams' Black Fox, SW 7020

An almost-black paint with green and gray tones allows this Fayetteville, Arkansas, cottage to blend seamlessly into the lush garden landscape. Sherwin-Williams’ Black Fox (SW 7020) delivers a similar look thanks to greige undertones that prevent it from feeling too stark or standoffish. 

Benjamin Moore's Northwood Brown, 1000

When it comes to exteriors, beige isn’t boring. These homeowners updated their 1930s Cape Cod in Atlanta with ICI Paints’ Fauna (456). (For a similar look, try Benjamin Moore's Northwood Brown, linked above.)

Pratt & Lambert's Mountain Quail

Designer Fran Keenan delivered an extra dose of character to this home with a coat of Pratt & Lambert's since-discontinued Field Gray. (Try their Mountain Quail shade for a similar look.) While this home features stone and wood siding, it's a color that would read just as nicely on brick.

Benjamin Moore's Boothbay Gray, HC-165

Here, it's only featured as the shutter and front door color here, but we love this blue-gray for whole brick exteriors too. It feels more subtle when not popping against her bright white exterior.