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tjcward

Looking for colors to coordinate with calico orangey-colored brick

J Ward
10 years ago
I'm starting a complete renovation/addition on a 1925 bungalow and am trying to pick siding, trim, roof, etc. colors to coordinate with the existing brick. The brick will be washed and tuck pointed with new mortar. I'm not particularly fond of the brick color but keep hoping I'll find the right color combo to enhance it and make it pop. I'm thinking bronze colored windows and a dark mahogany door but am completely open to suggestions.
The first photo shows an area of brick that has been cleaned on the front of the house. Any suggestions on color combinations, including brick mortar (light taupe, dark warm gray??) would be appreciated.
Thank you in advance!

Comments (50)

  • sgree28
    10 years ago
    I love that brick! I think that you should consider using cooler neutrals to complement it. Think along the lines of a taupe I think that will enhance the character and modernize
  • Stacey
    10 years ago
    Your home is so beautiful. I love it!
  • J Ward
    Original Author
    10 years ago
    Thank you for the flattering comments. I was afraid it might be suggested that I just paint the brick. The comment about helping de-yellow/gold the house hits home! It's really the gold tones, not so much the orange that bothers me.
    The addition out the back and another dormer will be in James Hardie Even butt shake and lap siding. Any suggestions on the siding and trim colors? Going light with cream and buff was suggested to me, but I was thinking the complete opposite- dark bronze gray, a second color that's a middle tone, then a lighter trim color???
  • PRO
    Barbara Griffith Designs
    10 years ago
    For the siding, I would choose a mid shade of gray..not to pink/brown and not to blue/lavender, as shades of gray lean these directions. Look at paint color Ben Moore "Gray Owl" #OC 52 for a guideline for a shade for the siding...this would also be a choice for mortar. As I said I like your idea of the bronze windows I would paint the window trim the same color as the windows to enlarge the look of the windows and to not have it look "pieced together". The brick is "busy" that is why I would do the windows & trim the same color.

    If you choose a siding in a gray tone..then I would do the rest of the house trim in that same gray color..all around the house in the soffits & fascia areas. I would, if possible include the concrete banding around the house and base in that same color.

    The more colors and "change-ups", one color next to another, the busier the total look will be.

    I would suggest you use a paint company such as Ben Moore or Sherwin Williams online to upload pictures of the exteriors and your house and choose colors similar to what you may use in their paint colors to simulate the look you want by using their "color viewer". Here is the link for the one at Ben Moore
    http://www.benjaminmoore.com/en-us/for-your-home/personal-color-viewer
  • lissawaxler
    10 years ago
    I'm not a pro, but I think painting the trim a blue gray would bring out those colors in the brick. Since it's a cottage: consider a bright color painted door in blue!
  • derk5
    10 years ago
    last modified: 10 years ago
    Beautiful home. The brick looks terrific after cleaning. I suggest first choosing your roofing to coordinate with the colors in the brick. Roofing is a major investment that you will not want to change. A dimensional multitone shingle, such as weathered wood, would look best with your hip roof. I think that bronze windows and mahogany door are good choices. I agree that painting the siding and trim the same color would look good, however, I would choose one of the shades of tan/brown in the brick instead of grey. I know that grey is "the" color right now, but I just don't see it working with the colors in your brick. I suggest choosing some color samples from your paint store, painting sizable pieces of wood and positioning them against the brick and the roof shingles at different times during the day, in sun and shade, to see which color looks best. I'm attaching Photoshopped photos of your house with a panel in grey and a panel in tan to give you a general idea of how each would look.
  • derk5
    10 years ago
    Two additional photos with darker shades of tan/brown:
  • tsudhonimh
    10 years ago
    Test a panel of a medium and dark grey-blue and grey-green to see what happens.

    And, sounds odd, but maybe a pale clean yellow would shove the bricks toward looking browner. Get samples and paint boards and lean them against the briick and see what it looks like.

    I love the brick, but it is a lot of brown.
  • rocketjcat
    10 years ago
    Oh my gosh, that is beautiful brick! I am not a paint color expert, but I do have one suggestion while you're working on the house, perhaps to resurface your front steps and landing with something's beautiful, maybe tile or stone, instead of the grey concrete? Just a thought. Good luck!
  • J Ward
    Original Author
    10 years ago
    I sincerely appreciate all the wonderful feedback! Each suggestion has me looking at the house from a different perspective. Sounds like I need to get to work and learn how to use the BM and SW virtual "color viewer" and paint some sample boards! The brick mortar color (and roof) I think may be the key factor to help whatever color siding work... or not. Resurfacing the front steps and walkway would be a beautiful finishing detail. Thank you again to everyone that took the time to weigh in on this post. I appreciate your thoughts!
  • PRO
    Jacrda
    10 years ago
    I like the cooler tone if you do contrast then the house will look smaller if it blends then larger. I like a true cooper color or on a whim, a color like grey/green to pull some of the yard out and the eye rest across the total view.
  • kpappal
    10 years ago
    I think a gray roof, ivory trim, and a purple door would look nice!
  • groveraxle
    10 years ago
    Magnolia Residence 03 · More Info
  • kathleen MK
    10 years ago
    With that warm tone brick I would stay away from greys and stick with khaki, tan and rust colors for the roof. I would go with a mossy or olive green( like the color on the tree in you photo) if you want some cool colors for contrast in the trim work. A rust or ochre would work if it matched the brick. If you want to use cream colors you need the go with a bone color mortar to lighten the look.
  • libradesigneye
    10 years ago
    There are so many great mossy green / warm camoflauge greens that head gray that would be super. For the basement windows, a tan that blends in as well as the tone they have now is best, I think, but the fascia and trim needs to have a stronger contrast. Greens with enough of the brown and gold in this brick will be gorgeous (even if you can't tell they are green based at all).. They work particularly well with earth toned roofs. I must say, I like the grout tone that you have because it doesn't pop - anything that has high contrast like a dark gray is going to make the brick even more busy. This bungalow has so much charm - amazing window mullions.

    Here are some colors to test - nature greens
    http://www.benjaminmoore.com/en-us/paint-color/piningforyou (my #1)
    http://www.benjaminmoore.com/en-us/paint-color/artichoke
    Gorgeous with a red door like http://www.benjaminmoore.com/en-us/paint-color/carriagered

    Here are some to test that are a bit more gray with green undertones
    http://www.benjaminmoore.com/en-us/paint-color/castlepeakgray

    And here is camoflauge
    Ben Moore places this with orange tones
    http://www.benjaminmoore.com/en-us/paint-color/deserttwilight
    with a photo of it used on interior trim so you can get a good sense of it . .
    one more with a photo - a favorite -
    http://www.benjaminmoore.com/en-us/paint-color/gloucestersage

    Stay away from tan or anything orange except to match the brick on the lower floor. You will benefit from a deep contrast - it will quiet out the brick.
  • libradesigneye
    10 years ago
    Ceiling of entry roof - match the lintel stone that wraps the house in a couple of lines . . .
  • bgfuqua
    10 years ago
    please don't use gray!
  • J Ward
    Original Author
    10 years ago
    Amazing how those "greens" actually read as a gray, and yet only work because of the green undertones!
    I'm starting to question my original thought of doing dark "bronze" colored windows... However, cream and tan are really my only other options.
  • libradesigneye
    10 years ago
    Are you considering replacing the historic wood windows? If you can match the profiles of the windows exactly then of course new thermal property glass is going to save you on heating and cooling. Bronze usually has a green undertone, so you might be fine with bronze, unless you are headed into aluminum territory. Don't let someone replace your wood windows with aluminum as if they will perform better for your heating and cooling bills - that isn't right. Vinyl is the other bargain choice and I am unaware that they make vinyl in bronze but they do have some tans that have a green undertone. It can feel overwhelmingly expensive to go to a new aluminum clad wood window but of course that is where you can get any color and also match the muntins / grids exactly.

    To replace windows on a brick home, they are going to have to tear out your interior walls around each opening,which gives you some opportunity for adding insulation but means you may need to salvage trim carefully and replace . . .watch thickness of window as well because deep sills you might have now may disappear. . unless someone has tried to sell you vinyl replacement windows - you will lose a lot of glass on each opening and the thermal seal will never function as it should. You would do better to restore your wood windows by adding new glazing to the windows you have - something that will be the least cost, but could be a little difficult to find the shop that will take it on - a local glass shop should be willing but then you might need to do some schlepping too - but then your walls don't need to come apart, you can organize all the new windows together in the basement for painting, and so forth .. . don't take those windows out unless they are completely rotted or you will devalue the house.
  • libradesigneye
    10 years ago
    sorry to be so window centric - as a contractor i know what kinds of stories they tell as they try to sell you something and if I can lend any information that will help, I will. Bronze has a green undertone and would likely be the best choice here of the three you mentioned.
  • maggieandhans
    10 years ago
    Cream around windows. A red door wold be gorgeous
  • nwduck
    10 years ago
    Libra: when I re-do my home I'm inviting you to the NW. Your advice is spot on. Perhaps appropriate then that it seems "pining for you" is, to me, the perfect color with bronze windows. When you look at the bricks, you can see that tone in many of them. With the addition of the green, I think the roof color (unless you need to replace it or something) looks great. tjcward: If you Google "arts and crafts movement" images, you can see many color similarities to your brick, as well as the green. I think incorporating these into a modern look in other ways would be the path to take. Also....some evergreen bushes along the front of the house would soften that expanse of brick, especially in winter. This is a really, really neat house.
  • magilojoh
    10 years ago
    Someone mentioned a stone for the concrete porch and steps earlier. Along those lines might I suggest Concrete stain. the kemiko line is awesome, if you are interested in that sort of thing... http://www.kemiko.com/
  • Karin Swann
    10 years ago
    I like the mossy green suggestion. While The Magnolia residence isn't mossy green, it shows how nice a bit of color can be. Call out the "hint" of a color and it may help to ground the eye from all the busy-ness of the many brick colors.
  • PRO
    Kathryn Peltier Design
    10 years ago
    Libradesigneye has given you wonderful advice. The green/blue tones are opposite orange and yellow on the color wheel so will work especially well. The only thing that I would add is that I think you can go even truer in color with the trim. Try these on for size, also:
    http://www.benjaminmoore.com/en-us/paint-color/fairmontgreen
    http://www.benjaminmoore.com/en-us/paint-color/waterburygreen
    http://www.benjaminmoore.com/en-us/paint-color/mountainlaurel
    http://www.benjaminmoore.com/en-us/paint-color/highpark
    http://www.benjaminmoore.com/en-us/paint-color/shenendoah

    Anyway, you get the idea. Even if you opt to go with darker tones for the trim, think about these for the front door.
  • offherrocker
    10 years ago
    That's right, use the color wheel. I built a house in the Mojave desert 7 years ago. I used Behr paint colors on the exterior. The body of the house is painted Twig Basket and the trim is Artichoke. Everyday when I look at it I love it more. Paint it a color that will make you smile. Stay away from pastie colors, you want to stand out not blend in.
  • springmom
    10 years ago
    last modified: 10 years ago
    I have a home with very similar brick tone. It has taupe mortar, gray would be just as nice. We have a black roof, new white vinyl windows and forest green shutters and front door. Everybody loves the warmth of the dark green shutters and door. The siding is a warm toned light gray with white on the vertical edges to give it a crisp feeling and to go with the white pillars and windows.
  • J Ward
    Original Author
    10 years ago
    Awesome suggestions! Thank you to everyone for taking the time to weigh in. I'm looking at every color suggested... At the moment I'm loving gloucester sage. (My husband isn't a fan of green per se.) I'm realizing I don't want the trim color for the soffit/fascia to compete or take away from the limestone accents under the windows, along brick, etc. Pretty much everything is being replaced including the roof, so I have several colors to choose and make work.
    Btw- I am replacing the windows with clad/wood so that the existing windows will match the ones in the addition. I will be upgrading to replicate the same grilles as in the original.
  • poeticmoma
    10 years ago
    It's funny, because when you look at your shot of brick only it is ugly! But when you look at the whole house, it's yummy! Lots of great advice, here's my two cents. I think your idea of dark frames would be stunning. Currently the house is very monochromatic, which downplays the details. Too much contrast could start looking choppy. Take photos all around the house and print them out. Color in details and combinations and you will get a better feel for what you like. Do the same outside with large boards of color. Keep the door color for last - once you have done the roof, windows, and trim. Then step back and see what it needs. Also, if your husband doesn't like the green, nix it. Unless of course you find a subtle grey/green or taupe that works perfectly. The green brings out the red tones as it is opposite on the wheel. Just as blue will make the yellow pop - not what you want.
  • brickln
    10 years ago
    last modified: 10 years ago
    I think the limestone color would look great on the trim; gray/green roof, or bronze metal.
  • PRO
    Robin Lechner Designs
    10 years ago
    Gray with cream trim... and yes! A red door would be very welcoming.
  • Jenny Chism
    10 years ago
    cobalt blue
  • PRO
    Decorata Design Creative
    10 years ago
    Derkacs added photos, the darker one on the right is my recommendation. The brick is beautiful, but it has a lot going on and is bossy, I would only go for complementing it as suggested, anything else will compete, so less contrast rather than more.
    Go luck!
  • lisainevanston
    10 years ago
    I would pick up the plums and mossy greens in the brick.
  • minnichbend
    10 years ago
    Sealskin by Sherman Williams.
  • mia506
    10 years ago
    We will be siding our house that has the same color tone of brick on our midcentury ranch house. The current siding is all white and looks awful with the bricks. We replaced the orange/brown roof with gray shingles with a touch brown and the new windows are bronze as will be other roof trim and gutters. The siding will nearly match the bronze trim on the windows to make it more monotone and tone down the orange/yellow bricks. We found just changing the roof color had that affect already so I am excited to see what the siding will do. We also added new mahogany doors to all exterior entries. Sounds like we are on the same page. I will be landscaping with yellow, orange and white and maybe red flowers and shrubs. Our landscaper called them the "salsa" colors.
  • aeramsey04
    10 years ago
    Paint or white-wash the brick.
  • klmt
    10 years ago
    Siding - match to the darkest color in the brick - it's either a dark gray or a dark taupe, I hesitate to say because I don't trust the way colors show up on my screen. You said you wanted the brick to pop, and going with a dark siding will accomplish that. Beware of plum tones - they will bring out the yellow.
  • User
    10 years ago
    I used light cocoa brown for the wood siding with a medium blue-gray trim to complement our brick and it was a lovely combo. When out on walks around the neighborhood I looked closely at colors on other houses that had brick and picked the base color I thought complemented it best.
  • janetmason
    10 years ago
    Go opposite on the colour wheel to highlight the wonderful red & brown tones - there will be some wonderful greens that make your brick "pop"
  • suiteretreat
    10 years ago
    Paint the brick a color you love.
  • hollehocks
    10 years ago
    last modified: 10 years ago
    Sorry, I would paint it. I love painted brick anyway and then you can make it anything you want. It is so irregular, and busy, that it makes me nervous. if you do keep it, and you are doing any landscaping, stay away form yellow and orange plants, and keep the landscaping very orderly, manicured and simple. Think about the color of your plants, trees, and hardscape structures with this brick. I think this color and pattern will really make landscaping difficult. Use big, simple hedges, as solid as you can. To much variety in form or color in your foliage will make it cluttered. I do absolutely love the lines of the house and the windows are fantastic! If you do keep the brick, your walkway would look nice as a solid stain. Anything, like stones or deck that have a pattern will cause a problem. Think simple, and solid if you keep the brick as is.
  • yvn1511
    10 years ago
    Since your brick is a neutral in all respects you can choose any colour! Dark grey and blue slate would look beautiful as would a buttermilk or even a olive green. Play with a free app and see what appeals to YOU, it's your home, reflect YOUR style!
  • derk5
    10 years ago
    Different style of house, but the colors in the stone are similar to the colors in your brick. Perhaps this will help with choosing a color for your trim and addition.
    Santa Barbara/Mediterranean Style · More Info
  • J Ward
    Original Author
    10 years ago
    Thank you all for your insight!
    Hollehocks great thoughts on the landscaping aspect!
  • PRO
    skylert
    10 years ago
    Thank you for not painting the brick, I think its great! I think that the dark sage green in the attached photo would pair nicely with it. Colors that are opposite on the color wheel are often used to really help each other shine, Red and green are opposite and I think this would help tone down the gold but help the redder tones shine. I would choose a taupe grout with a hint of red in it. I also think the redish brown roof in the photo would pair nicely. Play up the red tones and I feel that the gold will fade a bit. Good luck
  • Rhodalynn
    10 years ago
    CREAM!
  • Joni
    9 years ago
    I have very similar brick home built in 1927. I have been going back and forth with the same dilemma.