24 Red Brick House Exterior Color Scheme Ideas

Red brick already gives a house a strong color, so the trim, shutters, front door and accents have to work with it. Red brick also varies: some reads orange-red, some blue-red or brown-red, and the mortar color changes the overall effect. The schemes that work best either pick up a tone already in the brick or contrast with it on purpose.

Below are 24 red brick color schemes, each with what it suits and what to watch for. If you are still comparing whole-house palettes, see these exterior house color ideas. Start with the basics, especially if you are tempted to paint the brick itself.

Before you choose colors

Test colors against the brick

Paint large samples and hold them right next to the brick in morning and afternoon light. Brick has several tones, so choose trim that suits the overall color, not just the reddest bricks. For any treatment on the brick itself, the Brick Industry Association (BIA) recommends a mock-up or sample panel first.

Think twice before painting brick

BIA’s guidance notes that paint can be very difficult to remove from brick without causing damage, that painted brick needs repainting over time, and that treatments which trap moisture can harm the wall. If you do change the brick’s color, fix leaks and damaged mortar first, let new or repaired masonry cure at least 30 days, and choose a breathable treatment such as limewash, mineral paint or masonry stain.

Use lead-safe prep on older trim

In homes built before 1978, old trim paint may contain lead. EPA requires contractors paid to disturb painted surfaces in these homes to be lead-safe certified, and recommends lead-safe work practices for DIYers, such as misting surfaces before scraping and avoiding dry sanding.

Check HOA or historic rules

Many HOAs need to approve exterior color changes, and historic districts may review shutters, doors and trim colors. Get approval before buying paint.

The 24 schemes at a glance

Scheme	Trim	Door or accent	Suits
Classic	White	Black shutters	Colonial, craftsman, ranch
Navy and cream	Cream	Navy door	Traditional
Sage and gray	Warm gray	Sage shutters	Leafy lots
All charcoal	Charcoal	Charcoal door	Modern updates
Forest green and tan	Tan	Forest green door	Traditional, Georgian
All black	Black	Black door, gutters	Transitional, modern
Slate blue and white	White	Slate blue shutters	Colonial, Cape Cod
Taupe and copper	Taupe	Copper fixtures	Tone-on-tone looks
Mustard and gray	Warm gray	Mustard door	Bungalows, cottages
Olive and black	Olive	Black door	Mature gardens
Putty and burgundy	Putty gray	Burgundy door	Traditional
Teal and warm white	Warm white	Teal door	Updated traditional
Pewter and red	White or pewter	Red door	Georgian, Federal
Pale blue-gray	Pale blue-gray	Bronze hardware	Heavy-looking facades
Chocolate and gold	Dark brown	Brass accents	Tudor, traditional
Dusty pink and gray	Light gray	Pink door	Cottage, Victorian
Black and white	White	Black door, shutters	Almost any style
Green and wood	Soft green	Wood door	Garden settings
Lavender and dove gray	Dove gray	Lavender door	French country
Warm white and brass	Warm white	Brass details	Fine brickwork
Terracotta and ivory	Ivory	Terracotta accents	Spanish revival, ranch
Plum and stone	Light stone	Plum shutters	Brick with dark tones
Seafoam and charcoal	Charcoal	Seafoam door	Relaxed, coastal
Taupe and matte black	Mushroom taupe	Black fixtures	Contemporary updates

1. Classic White Trim with Black Shutters

Bright white trim and black shutters frame red brick crisply and suit colonial, craftsman and ranch houses. The white brightens the facade, the black adds weight, and the brick stays the main color. A clean white works best with cool, blue-red brick; with orange-red brick, a slightly warmer white looks less stark.

Good to know: shutters look right when each is about half the window’s width and the full window height, as if they could close over it.

2. Navy Blue Door with Cream Trim

A navy front door with warm cream trim gives red brick a classic look with a cool accent. Cream bridges the warm brick and the cool blue more softly than bright white, and brass or black hardware suits the navy door.

Good to know: a dark door in full sun gets hot, so if a glass storm door covers it, check the door maker’s guidance on dark colors, since heat can build up between the two.

3. Sage Green Shutters with Warm Gray Trim

Sage green shutters with warm gray or greige trim suit red brick surrounded by trees and planting. The muted green relates to the landscape, and the warm gray links green and red without competing with either. It’s a quiet, mature three-color scheme.

Good to know: warm grays can look pinkish next to red brick in some light, so test trim samples against the brick itself, not on a white board.

4. Charcoal Gray Everything for Modern Contrast

Painting the trim, shutters, fascia and front door one deep charcoal makes red brick look more modern and lets its texture lead. Choose a charcoal with a brown or taupe undertone, which sits better against red than a cool blue-gray.

Good to know: one color for all the trim also simplifies touch-ups. If any shutters or trim are vinyl, use a paint formulated for dark colors on vinyl, since Sherwin-Williams warns dark paint can make vinyl warp.

5. Forest Green Door with Tan Trim

A deep forest green door against red brick uses two colors that sit opposite each other on the traditional color wheel, so each looks richer. A dark, grayed green avoids a holiday look. Tan or khaki trim calms the contrast, and the scheme suits traditional and Georgian-style houses.

Good to know: keep the rest of the trim neutral and add brass or black hardware, so the door is the only strong color on the front.

6. All Black Trim for a Dramatic Statement

Black trim, shutters, door, fascia and gutters on red brick give strong, graphic contrast that suits transitional and modern-leaning houses. Because black outlines every edge, the trim needs to be straight and in good repair before you paint. Warm lighting and green planting near the entry keep the look from feeling severe.

Good to know: black trim and gutters show dust and pollen, so plan on more frequent washing. For vinyl shutters or gutters, use a paint formulated for dark colors on vinyl.

7. Slate Blue Shutters with White Trim

Slate blue shutters add a cool note to warm brick, giving the facade depth while staying conservative enough for traditional neighborhoods. White trim keeps it crisp. It suits colonial and Cape Cod-style brick houses where black shutters would feel heavy.

Good to know: a blue with some gray in it usually suits red brick better than a bright blue, which can make orange-red brick look harsher.

8. Warm Taupe with Copper Accents

Taupe trim and shutters stay in the brick’s warm family for a tone-on-tone look, and copper house numbers, light fixtures and a mailbox add a metallic accent. The result looks coordinated without adding another strong color, and it suits brick with brown or orange undertones, where stark white trim can look harsh.

Good to know: real copper darkens to brown and eventually develops a green patina outdoors unless it is lacquered, so decide whether you want it to age.

9. Bright Yellow Door with Gray Trim

A golden mustard door on red brick looks cheerful, and because both colors are warm, they sit together comfortably. Lemon yellows clash with the brick, so stay with deeper, golden shades. Medium warm gray trim keeps the yellow and red from feeling too hot, and the scheme suits craftsman bungalows and cottage-style houses.

Good to know: yellow often needs extra coats to cover a dark door, so ask for a tinted primer that suits the color.

10. Olive Green Trim with Black Door

Olive trim has enough brown in it to relate to brick, with more color than a plain neutral, and it echoes the surrounding foliage. A black front door anchors the scheme. It suits houses with mature planting and traditional or craftsman details.

Good to know: olive looks browner in shade and brighter in sun, so check samples on the shadiest side of the house too.

11. Soft Putty Gray with Burgundy Door

Soft putty gray trim and shutters make a quiet backdrop, and a burgundy door picks up the darkest tones in the brick. Because the door reads as a deeper version of the brick color, the palette looks as if it came from the house’s own materials.

Good to know: hold the burgundy sample against the darkest bricks; if it’s too close to the brick color, the door can disappear into the wall.

12. Teal Door with Warm White Trim

A teal door gives red brick a bold accent: the blue-green contrasts with red while staying deep enough to look refined. Warm white trim, such as Benjamin Moore Swiss Coffee (OC-45) or Sherwin-Williams Alabaster (SW 7008), keeps the rest of the facade calm.

Good to know: warm whites can look more yellow next to red brick than on a chip, so compare two or three side by side on the house.

13. Pewter Gray Shutters with Red Door

Pewter gray shutters and a red door lean into the brick rather than contrasting with it. The door repeats and deepens the brick color, and the gray adds enough cool contrast to keep red on red from looking flat. It suits Georgian and Federal-style houses.

Good to know: match the door’s undertone to the brick: a blue-red door with blue-red brick, a brick or tomato red with orange-red brick, or the two reds will clash.

14. Pale Blue Gray with Bronze Hardware

Pale blue-gray on all the painted trim gives red brick a cooler, fresher contrast. Oil-rubbed bronze hardware, light fixtures and house numbers bring warmth back. It suits brick houses that look heavy with darker trim. Keep the front door a deeper color, such as navy or charcoal, so the entry still stands out.

Good to know: pale blue-grays can turn icy or almost white in strong sun, so pick a sample slightly deeper than you think and check it in afternoon light.

15. Chocolate Brown Trim with Gold Accents

Dark chocolate trim stays in the same warm family as red brick, so the house reads as one coordinated palette. Brass or gold-tone hardware, lights and a kickplate add a richer accent. It suits Tudor and traditional houses, and cream window sashes or a lighter door add contrast if the brown alone feels too dark.

Good to know: brown trim next to brown-red brick can blend in too much, so make sure your samples show visible contrast between trim and brick.

16. Soft Pink Door with Light Gray Trim

A dusty pink or muted blush door relates to red brick without matching it and gives a cottage or Victorian brick house a personal touch. Light warm gray trim keeps the pink from feeling too sweet. Avoid bright pinks, which compete with the brick.

Good to know: pink can shift toward peach next to orange-red brick, so test the sample on the door itself before buying a full can.

17. Black and White Graphic Contrast

White trim with a black door and black shutters gives red brick maximum contrast and suits almost any brick style. Because black and white are neutrals, they don’t date quickly and work with any planting or seasonal decor. Keep the trim crisp and freshly painted, since high contrast shows every flaw.

Good to know: white trim shows dirt and mildew on shady sides, so wash it yearly and repaint before the paint peels; sound paint protects the wood underneath.

18. Eucalyptus Green with Natural Wood Tones

Soft green trim or shutters with a natural wood front door and porch ceiling make red brick feel connected to the garden. Green, wood and brick are all colors found in nature, so they sit together easily. It suits houses with mature trees and stone paths.

Good to know: a clear-finished wood door needs an exterior varnish or oil and regular refinishing, more often if it faces south or west or has no porch roof over it.

19. Pale Lavender Door with Dove Gray Trim

A muted lavender door suits red brick because purple holds both cool blue, which contrasts with the brick, and warm red, which relates to it. Soft dove gray trim keeps the scheme gentle. It has a French country feel on brick houses with arched doors or window boxes; these winter window box ideas keep the look going in cold months.

Good to know: lavender can turn gray or blue in shade, so pick a sample with enough color to read as purple from the street.

20. Warm White Monochrome with Brass Details

Painting all the trim, the door and the shutters the same warm white keeps the focus on the brick, which suits houses with attractive brickwork or bond patterns. Brass hardware, light fixtures, house numbers and a mail slot add warmth so the white doesn’t feel stark.

Good to know: unlacquered brass darkens outdoors while lacquered brass stays bright longer, so decide which look you want before buying fixtures.

21. Terracotta Accents with Ivory Trim

Terracotta shutters or a terracotta door extend the brick’s warmth with a color close enough to belong but different enough to read as a choice. Ivory trim softens the transitions. It suits Spanish revival, Tuscan and ranch-style brick houses; keep the rest of the palette to warm neutrals such as cream, sand or ivory.

Good to know: terracotta that is too close to the brick color looks like a mismatch, so choose one noticeably lighter, darker or more orange than the brick.

22. Dark Plum Shutters with Light Stone Trim

Dark plum or aubergine shutters add depth to red brick, especially brick with darker purple-brown or charcoal tones. Light stone-colored trim, such as a limestone or sandstone shade, balances them and works well where the house has stone sills or a stone foundation.

Good to know: plum can look nearly black from the street, so view a sample from the curb as well as up close.

23. Seafoam Green Door with Charcoal Trim

A seafoam or soft aqua door brightens red brick and gives the entry a relaxed feel. Blue-green sits roughly opposite red on the color wheel, so it contrasts strongly, and a muted shade keeps it from looking garish. Charcoal trim grounds the playful door.

Good to know: the softer and grayer the seafoam, the easier it is to live with against red brick; save very bright aquas for small areas such as the door.

24. Mushroom Taupe with Matte Black Modern Details

Warm mushroom taupe on the painted trim lets the brick and its texture lead, while matte black house numbers, light fixtures, black metal planter boxes and a black-framed glass door add a modern edge. It suits brick houses getting a contemporary update.

Good to know: choose powder-coated or outdoor-rated black finishes for fixtures and planters, since cheaper painted metal can chalk, chip and rust outdoors.

Common mistakes to avoid

• Choosing trim colors from a chip instead of testing them against the brick.
• Painting brick to hide damage instead of fixing the moisture problem behind it.
• Using a paint on exterior brick that traps moisture instead of a breathable treatment.
• Matching a red door or terracotta accents so closely to the brick that they look like a mismatch.
• Dry-sanding or scraping old trim paint on a pre-1978 house without lead-safe practices.

Red brick color FAQs

What trim color looks best with red brick?

White, cream, black and charcoal are the most versatile. A clean white suits cool, blue-red brick, while cream and warm whites suit orange-red brick. Test samples against the brick before choosing.

What front door colors go with red brick?

Black, navy, deep forest green, teal, mustard and burgundy all work. Darker, muted shades usually look more refined than bright ones.

Should I paint my red brick house?

Think carefully first. The Brick Industry Association notes that paint is very difficult to remove from brick without damage and needs repainting over time. If you go ahead, fix moisture problems first and use a breathable treatment.

Can I limewash red brick instead of painting it?

Yes. BIA describes limewash as a mineral-based, matte treatment that weathers over time and can be reapplied over existing limewash. It suits a softer, uneven look; try it on a sample area first.