8 Colors That Bring Out the Beauty of Brown Brick

Red might be the classic brick color, but it's not uncommon to see brown brick buildings across the United States. Just like their red counterparts, you can find brown bricks on the exterior of Victorian, colonial revival, and cottage-style homes.

You might notice Tudor and colonial homes typically don't use brown bricks. That's because red was the main color of brick until the mid-19th century. After this, the addition of lime to brick mix opened up new color possibilities. Depending on the amount of lime added and the firing process, this new formula could produce shades of brown from light tan to dark chocolate. Homebuilders now often opt for these neutral colors over red, as they can blend more seamlessly into the surrounding landscape.

Brown brick is versatile and pairs well with many different architectural styles and color combinations. That means you'll be spoiled for choice when it comes to choosing hues for your sidings, trims, shutters, and garage or front doors.

However, Allison Vaccaro, co-founder of virtual exterior design service Brick & Batten, recommends selecting colors with warm undertones to complement the warmth of the brick. "If you're looking for a lighter color option, focus on a warm white with a lower light reflectance value (LRV). The lower LRV will trend softer and appear not as bright," she says. "Gray is also a possibility — just make sure to select a gray with warm undertones that play to your beautiful brick."

Want to see for yourself? Check out these colors sure to up the curb appeal of your brown brick house.

The color here is subtle, but the soft, muted sage green window trim perfectly connects the home exterior with its surrounding landscape for a grounded, natural look. This shade of green shares the gray undertone of many of the plants in the garden, creating beautiful cohesion. How can you not relax when this calming combination is at play?

Another subtle combo is brown brick and warm taupe. This unfairly underused shade combines gray and brown hues and has great staying power that won't date your home. Triangle Brick combines taupe trim with a light brown brick to give this modern home an elegant and natural aesthetic.

Go Willow Homes proves that brown doesn't have to be boring by cleverly balancing the light, warm brick on this house with a dark brown siding color. This gives the building dimension and keeps it from looking too monochrome. The pops of crisp bright white on the trim and the black roof color contrast nicely with the warm shades — perfect for adding a little drama.

The brown brick (with hints of orange) and the clean white trim color give a timeless, traditional feel to this colonial-style home from Chris Loves Julia. Brown is associated with dependability, which perfectly matches the feeling of this architectural style. Combining it with contrasting white paint adds a fitting formal look.

Add some comforting English cottage vibes to a modern entryway. Combine sweet and subtle pastel pink with warm brown brick as in this porch from Kelsey Leigh Design Co. With the gray paneling, white trim, and rose gold light fixture, this entry space has a welcoming, playful feel.

Black accents can provide a sleek and contemporary twist to a traditional brown brick home, as demonstrated by Three Birds Renovations. The varying shades of brown and orange brick add depth, and the overall warm tones prevent the exterior from looking too imposing. If you want a dark color with a little less intensity, consider navy blue or deep teal.

Orange and brown are a perfect pair, especially if you want to create a warm, homey atmosphere. Cassie Bustamante made her porch soft and inviting by using the Sherwin-Williams paint color Windswept Canyon to match her front door with the oranges and browns in the surrounding brick. The contrasting white door framing creates a clean and contemporary look.

Blue-gray is often paired with brown. Ashley of Stay Home Style uses this combo to great effect on her porch. The cool blue undertones work harmoniously with the warm browns to create an inviting and soothing space. The natural, understated vibe works with the simple festive green garlands and wreaths.

Brown brick buildings are anything but boring, especially because there are so many exterior paint colors with which you can combine them. Places where you can add accent colors include trim, sidings, gutters, doors, and other accents.

Remember to look at the undertones in the brick when selecting complementary colors. Is it a lighter or darker brown? Does it have hints of blue, gray, or orange? Think about how the light hits the house and whether you want a warm and inviting or cool and contemporary look. Consider trying out swatches before you commit to a color in order to see how it will look at all times of day.

Some of the best color choices for brown brick include:

• Sage green
• Taupe
• Brown
• White
• Pastel pink
• Black
• Orange
• Blue-gray