Best Front Door Paint Colors for Brick Houses (Red, Brown, Orange, & More) -

There’s nothing as timeless and classic as a traditional brick home, classic cottage, or brick-clad period home. But with all of that brick and no siding/stucco/render, how on earth do you add some COLOR?

The front door. In fact, brick exteriors are my favorite to play with, as a good brick contrasts so well with a range of wild and wonderful colors. Even fugly bricks do all right when you’ve got a cute little Ginger tucked in your back pocket, who’s FULL of color ideas.

This post may contain affiliate links. If you make a purchase through links on our site, we may earn a commission.

Of course, there are many different brick colors – orange, red, pink, brown, salmon, beige, and everything in between. I’m going to cover as many as I can. Please understand that I only use images from my Color Consulting clients, readers, and friends.

And did you know that these front doors aren’t just from Canada and the USA? I do Online Color Consulting in the UK and Europe, too, including England, Ireland, Scotland, and France. I’ve even landed my virtual plane in Australia and New Zealand (this girl gets around more than she did in her early 20s).

Now, before we jump into colors, let’s have a wee lil’ chat…

FRONT DOOR PAINT COLOR TRENDS

While color trends have their place, the front door isn’t one of them. When choosing the best color for your front door, several factors should be considered…

Surrounding finishes. For our purposes, brick is the baller, shot caller (a throwback to my 90s rap phase), your home might have a combination of brick with stone, render, siding, stucco, etc., and they all play a part.
Roof. This can include clay tile, asphalt shingles, concrete tile, metal, or slate.
Landscaping. Bossy landscaping can definitely call some color shots.
Natural light. How far back the front door is set underneath an overhang or portico (how much natural light it gets).
Front pathway. This can include brick, stone, concrete, etc.
Window color. To a smaller degree.

While we can’t always make every surface 100% happy with one magical paint color (although I always try), considering the above factors is the most important part of your color-picking journey. Oh, and reading my blog, that’s important, too.

This blue front door doesn’t suit this particular brick – the paint sample does.

Next (because I never stop talking in real-life either)…

CONSIDER YOUR KEYWORDS

To choose your best front door color, you need to understand what you want it to DO for your home. This can often be summarized with keywords such as…

Classic and traditional
Safe and simple
Surprising and eclectic
Bold and brave
Timeless
Understated and subtle
Confident and vibrant

You might be surprised to read that my favorite keywords are often ‘classic, timeless, simple’.

Why?

Not as many homes can really pull off ‘bold, brave, surprising, and eclectic’. Oh, they’re out there, for sure, but more often, the average residential home suits a color that sits ‘easy’ with their home’s external features.

From there, you might consider more specific words, such as…

Coastal or beachy
Farmhouse or Modern farmhouse
Modern or Contemporary
Contemporary
English cottage or lakeside cottage/cabin
Woodsy cabin
Period (non -menstrual – and yes, that is my type of humor)
Victorian
Tuscan
Transitional, Traditional, Colonial
Craftsman, Cape Cod

So, without further ado, let’s find the perfect hue for you…

BLACK FRONT DOOR COLORS WITH BRICK

Guess who’s black…black again…YOUR FRONT DOOR (an epic Slim Shady reference – if you know, you know).

Black is a classic choice for many brick exteriors…but not all of them. Some homes look too harsh and blunt with a black front door.

Black front doors are particularly popular on red brick homes, but can suit a range of other colors and blends.

DOES YOUR HOME SUIT A BLACK FRONT DOOR?

Here are a few external features that can help your brick home support a black front door…

Black shutters
A dark black, dark gray, or charcoal roof (can be slate, asphalt shingles, or metal)
Black light fixtures and house numbers
Black in the brick’s color palette (actual black, not dark brown or dark gray)

While we can’t see any shutters or the roof’s color, as it stands, it’s easy to see that black is too harsh for this next brick. Instead, a darker neutral with purple undertones better complements the brick colors…

This next home is a traditional, red-brick, Colonial-style home. It looks classic and timeless with its black shutters and front door. Many Colonial-style homes look best when the front door and shutters are the same color…

Also, note the dark roof, which helps the black front door and shutters settle in without looking too harsh. I also love how the greige-taupe trim and window color coordinate with the brick’s mortar.

BLACK PAINT COLORS WORTH SAMPLING

When it comes to blacks, there are tons of undertones. Most of the time, a simple, timeless black is best, but it can depend on your home’s particular needs.

Sherwin Williams Tricorn Black is the head honcho of the black world – simple and straightforward.
Benjamin Moore Black 2132-10 is a direct comparison to Tricorn Black and equally as fab.
Farrow & Ball’s Pitch Black No.256 is as black things go…within F&B. While it might be their blackest shade, it’s softer and gentler than the Tricorn Black and Black 2132-10. While it can look neutral, don’t be surprised if an interesting, almost purpleish warmth winks at you in some lights.
Sherwin Williams Greenblack is an interesting shade – as suggested by its name (which is rare), it can flash a touch of green.

If black is a bit too drastic for your home, let’s look at some alternatives…

GREEN FRONT DOOR COLORS WITH BRICK

When it comes to contrast, it’s hard to beat the glory of green. While blue can be classic and stately, green offers a range of options, including organic, olive-inspired, traditional, emerald, and more.

In fact, a well-chosen green can even tone down a brick you don’t love, including pink…

This next home is in the UK. The current color was worn down and washed out. Now, often, when choosing a new color, we think we need to do something ‘different’. Not always!

In fact, sometimes a home has the perfect color, it just needs to be tweaked…

The above brick is similar to the red multi-stock or London stock brick, with a gorgeous range of colors, including red, purple, and green. After perusing a range of colors, including a stunning burgundy/oxblood-inspired paint color, we landed on Benjamin Moore Rainy Afternoon…

Why does it work so well?

Look at how it grabs the green brick firmly by its buttcheeks and brings it forward. This helps the front door and brick visually connect.

GREEN PAINT COLORS WORTH SAMPLING…

Every home has its own perfect shade of green based on its brick, roof, front steps, etc. Maybe you want something subtle, traditional, organic, and classic. On the other hand, you might be yearning for a green that kicks you in your drawers. These should get you started. If you don’t find your home’s perfect green here, I’m happy to help!

Benjamin Moore Ashwood Moss is a super dark, grounded green. Not bossy, but still gets the job done.
Benjamin Moore Martha’s Vineyard is a color-forward shade that doesn’t wink too hard at primary green (just glances nervously).
Farrow & Ball’s Studio Green is gloriously dark and moody. With a buttload of black (it’s a technical term), it’s an understated classic.
Sherwin Williams Laurel Woods is a moody, woodsy green – mad love.
Benjamin Moore Tarrytown Green is a super classic, traditional shade of green with a slightly cool, blueish backdrop in its undercarriage.

Sherwin Williams Best Dark Greens / Benjamin Moore Best Dark Greens

If you would like the NCS notations for any of these colors, please let me know (I know the NCS system is more popular in the UK, and I’m happy to help!)

THE BEST BLUE FRONT DOOR COLORS WITH BRICK

While green paint colors offer a more natural, potentially organic fit with many brick exteriors, there’s something to be said for a badass and beautiful blue hue.

DARK BLUE PAINT COLORS WORTH SAMPLING…

There are 3 main types of blue: blue-green, blue-purple, and blue…blue. However, there are VERY few of the latter.

And while medium-depth or lighter blue-greens are popular, when it comes to darker shades of blue, true blues or blue-purples often complement brick better than blue-greens.

Just be careful, as often, the more multi-colored the brick is, the less likely it is to handle blue, unless one of its colors is a gray-purple. Blue front doors often best suit red and orange brick homes, but also work with pink, brown, and other shades.

Benjamin Moore Cheating Heart & Wrought Iron are 2 of the more popular options. However, they aren’t traditional navy blue. Instead, they’re more blue-black.
If you think your brick home needs a blue that could wink slightly at green, take a look at Farrow & Ball Hague Blue No.30.
For a blue that’s brighter, that caters to more of a blue-purple vibe, Farrow & Ball’s Drawing Room Blue No.253 is gooorgeous.
Classic and simple, Benjamin Moore Hale Navy is a great place to start your color journey. For a more muted, grayed-out blue, Sherwin Williams Cyberspace is great, too.
If you want something a little more wild and wonderful, Benjamin Moore Winding Waterway (previously known as Old Navy) offers more color without going over the top.

The Best Navy Blue Paint Colors

Farrow & Ball’s Best Blue Paint Colors

This next pink-toned brick (lots of taupe) looks beautiful with its side door painted Benjamin Moore Wrought Iron…

And while it might look black, this next door is the moody blue-black hue, Cheating Heart (mentioned in the above list)…

Remember, if you’d like the NCS notations for any of these colors, please let me know (I know the NCS system is more popular in the UK, and I’m happy to help!)

Notice how the above home has a black metal accent roof, and you can see a snippet of the Cheating Heart shutter.

Cheating Heart is also on the French doors on the back of this home, where it’s a bit easier to see its color/intentions…

They just need a larger black wall sconce. I’d also replace the door hardware with a more modern black handle.

Here’s a Peel & Stick sampler of some of my favorite, most-used front door paint colors – you get a little bit of everything! There’s this one, too.

THE BEST TEAL DOOR COLORS WITH BRICK HOMES

While teal can be touch-and-go (it can look a little try-hard when it’s too bright), it works on some exteriors. Stronger, brighter teals often look best with brick exteriors in solid colors, often red or orange. If your brick is multicolored, you might consider a grayed-out teal or something else entirely.

The simplicity of this next home’s palette lends itself to a stronger, slightly darker teal paint color…

Notice how the front door and shutters match and are paired with a simple, warm white trim color with a one-color brick palette (not a multi-hue brick).

Should Sidelights Match the Front Door or the Trim? Find out!

COME TO MOMMA – this next traditional Colonial Revival home, with its orange-beige brick and warm white trim, looks amazeballs with its blue-green front door and shutter color…

The Best Shutter Colors With Brick Exteriors

The depth of the above blue-green (similar to Benjamin Moore Providence Blue) gives a beautiful, teal-inspired look, without being as intense or colorful as many. This depth is often more beautiful than darker versions, especially with a lighter brick like this.

TEAL-INSPIRED PAINT COLORS WORTH SAMPLING…

Sherwin Williams Riverway is a gorgeously moderate blue-green-gray blend.
Feeling brave? While you need to check that your brick can really support a teal this strong, Farrow & Ball Vardo No.288 packs a punch! It’s best suited to solid-color brick exteriors, not blends.
Benjamin Moore Bella Blue is a beautiful teal-inspired color. Heavy on the blue with a nice dab of green and gray for balance.
Sherwin Williams Teal Stencil is a pretty blue-grfeen blend with a modest gray. While teals like Vardo are STUNNING, if you ask me, the average brick exterior prefers something a bit more subtle.

The Best Teal & Blue Paint Colors for Front Doors

This next split-level home has a relatively simple, brown-beige brick exterior…

Sherwin Williams Still Water looks gorgeous on the front door without being too punchy.

Get your 3 best front door paint colors with Kylie M’s Online Color Consulting.

THE BEST RED OR BURGUNDY FRONT DOOR COLORS FOR BRICK HOMES

When it comes to red and burgundy, brick homes can be fussy. Many brick exteriors are already inundated with red, and adding more doesn’t necessarily complete the palette well.

This next traditional home looks stunning. Its grounded dark red brick has some gray-purple shades mixed in. While not every traditional home can pull off shutters and a front door in different colors, this one does it very well…

While this next home is covered in siding, it’s easy to see how the dark red front door complements the siding color, as well as the pink-purple bricks on the front steps…

Or you can go the other way, leaning into an orange-red hue that contrasts and pops against the dark brown trim and red brick…

Damn, looks like I left my vehicle there. Guess I’m walking home.

RED & BURGUNDY COLORS WORTH SAMPLING…

Farrow & Ball’s Rectory Red No.217 (not to be confused with Rectum Red – easily done) is pretty darn balanced, although it can appear a touch pinkish compared to some other reds.
Benjamin Moore’s Classic Burgundy isn’t quite as its name suggests. While it has burgundy notes, it’s more like a red.
For a slightly warmer comparison, grab a sample of Benjamin Moore’s Cottage Red, which can seem a touch brown-orange compared to Classic Burgundy (but don’t worry, it’s still a ravishing red).

The Best Red & Burgundy Paint Colors for Front Doors

This next exterior has two types of brick and a dark tan-beige siding. We landed on Sherwin Wiliams Chinese Red to add a punch of personality…

While this next The orange brick on this next home could handle a range of reds and purples…

RANDOM SHADES TO EXPLORE

Not every gorgeous front door color falls under one of the above categories. Here are a few more…

Sherwin Williams Urbane Bronze and other similar dark greiges can be beautiful with many red, orange, brown, and pink brick exteriors. While this next front door is wood, Urbane Bronze is on the trims and shutters…

Sometimes, simple is best. Many homes’ existing color palettes won’t accommodate another color. In this case, it’s best to repeat what already exists…

The above trim and shutters are Benjamin Moore Alexandria Beige. The front door is similar to Benjamin Moore Cream Soda.

Benjamin Moore Edgecomb Gray is a beautiful, simple neutral that lets this next brick exterior do all the talkin’…

And believe it or not, but sometimes WHITE is the best front door color, especially when you’ve got a palette like this next one…

For more exterior fun, check out my round-up style blog posts: The Best Front Door & Shutter Colors and The Best Exterior Trim, Soffit, & Garage Door Colors

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

While there’s no end to questions about brick, here are the top ones…

WHAT COLOR FRONT DOOR GOES WITH RED OR ORANGE BRICK?

As mentioned earlier, a lot depends on the brick, the roof, landscaping, etc. In general, red and orange brick houses look best with dark blue front doors, darker shades of green, dark greige, and black.

Dark, moody, charcoal gray colors, especially those with blue or purple undertones, can also be pretty partners to a red or orange brick exterior.

Also, be cautious with black. As mentioned earlier, it can look wicked pretty, but if your home doesn’t have other dark features, it can look harsh.

WHAT COLOR FRONT DOOR GOES WITH BROWN BRICK?

You’ll find that many bricks suit the same types of front door colors. In particular, brown brick homes love greige paint colors, as well as medium to dark shades of green, black, and blue.

WHAT COLOR FRONT DOOR GOES WITH A PINK BRICK?

Ahhh, pink brick. Whether it’s blended with beige or brown, or resembles a well-cooked salmon, pink is the least popular exterior brick color. HOWEVER, pair it with a badass and beautiful front door color, and you’re set! Focus on green undertones in particular. This can be darker green-grays or greiges with decent green undertones.

WHAT’S THE MOST POPULAR FRONT DOOR COLOR FOR A BRICK HOUSE?

While many brick homes can easily handle a wide range of colors, dark blue is the most popular front door color. This includes Benjamin Moore Cheating Heart, Hale Navy, and Sherwin Williams Cyberspace.

SHOULD YOUR FRONT DOOR COLOR MATCH THE SHUTTERS ON A BRICK HOME?

More often than not, the front door and shutters are the same color. While you can do some mix-and-match, it’s often best to keep things simple. That said, if your shutters are black, a more colorful front door color is much more likely to work.

Heck, if you’re feeling brave, you can even do hot pink…