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Needed help with exterior paint …

last month
last modified: last month

Hello, we recently changed the roof and will be replacing the gutters. We decided to paint the entire exterior of the house (including


the red front brick). Any ideas for color choices? We are definitely more into modern options and do not like much of the old good- white and black color pallet. We have no idea where to start, Thank you for ideas!

Comments (28)

  • PRO
    last month

    Of course you will NOT be using acrylic house paint on the brick. You have to use Masonry Paint or Limewash




    You'll have to decide if you want the home to appear very Vintage,

    Somewhat Vintage, or

    Not vintage at all.



  • PRO
    last month

    Sorry painting brick is always my last choice . Is the brick in good shape or damaged ? I always thing painting brick instantly devalues a home . Where is this home ? IMO now you paint all the white a color that works with the brick and the new gray roof. Waht was the plan when you chose the roof color ? Now I would do a darker gray for all the stuff that is white to work with the brick

  • last month

    The siding and the brick, will never be exactly the same color, because the textures are very different, so, best to leave the brick, and pick a color from the brick,for the siding. I would pick a color close to the color of your roof for all the white trim, etc.

  • last month

    The red brick must go, sorry but we do not like it at all. It was always a plan to paint it. we chose light gray roof color as we like the color and we are in full sun. the slight difference in color from brick to siding is not annissue asbthe entire front is almost brick and all test siding (except the above garage toom piece) sonit should not be visible. thank you for all the help

  • last month
    last modified: 29 days ago

    If you are ”definitely more into modern” why did you buy this house? Modern it isn’t & please don’t paint the brick!

  • last month

    K Laurence I came here for advise not attacks on what I should or should not. thank you

  • last month

    Okay, you came for adVICE, that’s what I gave. It’s your house, do what you want.

  • last month
    last modified: last month

    The new roof is a startling color. Perhaps the red brick is making it more so by comparison but a new color on the brick will tone down the roof.

    Do you have some spare shingles you can use to lay side-by-side with paint swatches?

  • PRO
    last month

    Here's a red house that's now white with black accents and window trim.


  • PRO
    29 days ago

    Advice always tells you what to do or not. WOW go do what you want that obviously was the plan

  • 29 days ago

    Another vote for not painting the brick. Spend the money on landscaping instead.

  • 29 days ago

    Chispa, landscaping is actually profesionally done but because the house is down

    the hill it looks unkept and/or overgrown.

  • PRO
    29 days ago

    If the landscaping was professionally done it might not be kept up by a professional. It should not be blocking so much of the house.

  • 29 days ago

    Beverly we prefer to block the house with plants…

  • 29 days ago

    Hazwe , yes we decied to wait for the roof, thank you for taking the time to research that. time well spent

  • 28 days ago

    Well, the landscaping certainly looks much better on the old post from 4 yrs ago, than it does now, so obviously, it isnt being maintained.

  • 28 days ago

    very pretty house - i’d be tempted to paint the sidelights the same color as the door and get larger more impactful lights for the front door and over the garage

  • 28 days ago

    The brick is lovely but do as Beverly posted…masonry paint or limewash. The patterns in the roof and brick are competing, so the paint/limewash might tone that down a bit.

  • 28 days ago

    Romabio or a similar stain is the best choice for painting brick. Since it comes in a limited color range, I would choose that first, and then select the paint for the rest of your home. Your pretty light gray roof color is very versatile and will go with almost anything. One way to modernize the look of your home would be to go monochrome, which would help to neutralize the many small details (window grids, rafter ends, etc). It looks like you may be located in a colder climate, so I would choose a Romabio color with some warmth, such as So Succulent, for the brick. Then choose a closely matching paint color for everything else except the front door and its surround, which could be a pop of contrast like Chinese red or bright navy.

    Although they are correctly sized, it would also look more modern to remove the shutters on the upstairs windows.

    I agree with la la Girl that you need more generous light fixtures for your porch and garage,

    And finally, I would trim back the bush that is covering the window to the right of the front door. If you want more privacy, you could achieve it with bushes planted as close as possible to the street. This would look better from the outside and would give the effect of a front yard "room" when looking from the inside out.

  • 28 days ago
    last modified: 26 days ago

    Here is a rough sketch to show color blocking for gray on gray. Supposed to be slate blue/gray plus a lighter shade from the roof (which appears quite blue in the lighting).



    With white column:




  • 28 days ago

    Here's the house's trim and garage door painted by MS CoPilot AI with Behr N390-4 Bitter Sage:



  • 26 days ago

    Thanks for the like, I touched up one of my renderings, the one with the white column has a bit more detail with the windows and vents.

  • 26 days ago

    There are many people who like painted brick houses. They have been around for a long time (the bricks used to build the home were made to be painted). There was a pro on here (Beth H.) who hasn't been posting for about a year or so - she always supported people who wanted to update their brick homes by painting them.



    You need to use a paint that is made for masonry/brick (in order to let the brick breathe). Romabio is only one of many different types of paint made for use on brick.


    If you want to paint your brick - and you've thought about it for awhile and still want to do it - then I assume that people aren't going to change your mind.


    Here are some examples of painted brick houses:









    This next house is such a pretty lime wash (the photo under it is of the same home):




    Before:


    After:






    I'm not a big fan of brick that has been lime washed but leaves too much of the underlying brick showing.




    What other colors do you like for your house? It seems like many people go with a shade of white - but there are many other pretty colors.

  • 26 days ago
    last modified: 26 days ago

    Do not paint the brick. Not that I like applied brick, but, it won't make a difference.

    Your house has a mishmash of architectural details. Paint everything that is now white (including the garage door); remove those terrible vinyl shutters, for this more authentic effect:


    Other choices fro this blog, but I like the blue/green trim the best.

    https://chrislovesjulia.com/exterior-paint-colors-with-red-brick/

  • 25 days ago

    dani_m08 thank you for your ideas, i am ware of the mineral paint by BM. I was thinking about ether light baige family or light gray family for the house, but again I am not sure what to pick where what to paint what color for the house what for siding or windows etc. I looked at gray owl by BM or cushed ice family colors SW , what do you think?

  • 25 days ago
    last modified: 25 days ago

    heres a Ben Moore color palette based on my sketch above.

    One of these depending on how they go with your roof color:




    For instance the brick would be Arctic Gray, the siding, trim and garage door Dollar Bill Green, and the windows, vents and column would be Cloud Cover