The Best Paint Colours to Update and COORDINATE with Your Brick Fireplace

Partner post to How to Update Your Fireplace – 4 Fireplace Update Ideas

If you’ve been following my blog for a while (bless your lil’ heart) you’ll know that I LOVE to paint anything that men HATE to paint -brick, wood, you name it and I’ll paint it (including my body). In fact, I’m sure that I am the featured image on many a dartboard across the country.

And I’m not picking on men here, I swear. It’s just that in my decorating adventures, I’ve found that men are the LEAST likely to want to paint brick or solid wood pieces – EVEN IF they are butt-ugly.

BTW – the font sizes are mixed up on this post – I’m trying to fix it (but am mildly stumped). 

Does the thought of painting this make you break into a Richard Simmons style sweat?

So, this blog post is for the men (and the odd woman) who despise painted brick and are desperately hoping to find a paint colour for their walls that makes their brick fireplace look fabulous!

The first thing I’m going to say about these colour suggestions is that these are ONLY ‘guideline colours’

Guideline colours are colours that get you off on the right foot – without being definite. There are SO many colours of brick out there, it would be IMPOSSIBLE to cover each and every one. I am my own personal hero, but I’m not THAT good.

What I’ve done instead is given you one main colour to explore and then other colours that are similar, but perhaps have different undertones and depths, so you have a range to look through.

Please note these 2 important details:

• These colour suggestions are NOT for exteriors. Paint colours can look CONSIDERABLY different on an exterior compared to the interior
• MOST of these suggestions are with ‘softening and blending’ in mind, rather than accenting and highlighting – I can only fit SO much into one blog post!

Let the games begin!! 

The Best Wall Colours for a Red or Red-Orange Brick Fireplace

This is one of the easier bricks as it suits a variety of paint colours!

Sherwin Williams Dovetail SW 7018

Are you feeling brave? Dovetail is a beautiful, medium-toned warm gray. It can be a subtle complement to your brick as it isn’t colourful. You can consider Dovetail as an ‘accent wall’ colour and pair it with a light neutral or use it on ALL of your walls.

Paint colours similar to Dovetail: SW Classic French Gray / BM Chelsea Gray / BM Metropolis

Sherwin Williams Natural Tan SW 7567

This is a fabulous neutral tan colour – it’s like slapping your nicest pair of khaki pants on the wall! SW Natural Tan is slightly warm but is overall, a relatively neutral tan paint colour.

Paint colours similar to Natural Tan: SW Canvas Tan / SW Neutral Ground / SW Accessible Beige

Benjamin Moore Simply White OC-117

With its fresh warm undertone, Simply White is a great way to create a fresh and bright look, without the starkness of regular white paint.

Paint colours similar to Simply White: SW Pure White / BM White Dove

Sherwin Williams Web Gray SW 7075

If you want to have a bit more fun, Web Gray is a beautiful way to contrast with your brick and add some energy to the room. I recommend partnered it with a soft white or off-white paint colour.

Paint colours similar to Web Gray: BM Trout Gray / BM Anchor Gray

Kylie M E-Design

Colours and undertones to avoid on your walls if you DON’T like your red-orange brick…

If you want things to stay low contrast with the hopes that your brick doesn’t look any redder or more orange than it already does then you’ll want to stay from greens and blues on your walls. Green and blue colours (and those undertones in neutrals) will accent the brick. Cool paint colours will bring out the colour not only in your brick, but the brick will enhance your paint colour as well.

Read more: 4 Fireplace Update Ideas

The Best Paint Colours for a Brick Fireplace with Brown Tones

You can find brown in a LOT of brick blends. These blends can also include cream, red, purple, peach and more!

Benjamin Moore Kingsport Gray HC-86

Kingsport Gray is a medium-toned greige that leans more brown than gray.

Paint colours similar to Kingsport Gray: SW Mega Greige / BM Alexandria Beige / BM Pashmina

Benjamin Moore Muslin OC-12

Muslin is a soft, gentle beige with very flexible undertones that suit MANY of the brown-base brick fireplaces. While it won’t necessarily look ‘exciting and stimulating’ it might help to tone down the pink and neutralize your space.

Paint colours similar to Muslin: SW Kilim Beige / SW Natural Linen / SW Accessible Beige

Sherwin Williams Loggia SW 7506

Loggia is a light-medium beige with SUPER muted undertones, so no overly golden colours will pop up on you.

Paint colours similar to Loggia: SW Balanced Beige / BM Stone Hearth

Sherwin Williams Anew Gray SW 7030

Anew Gray can be a stretch for a lot of brown brick fireplace, but it’s worth a try! Anew Gray is a light-medium greige that is pretty well-balanced.

Paint colours similar to Anew Gray: SW Mega Greige / SW Versatile Gray / SW Balanced Beige / SW Colonnade Gray

Read more: The 10 Best Gray and Greige Paint Colours

Colours and undertones to avoid on your walls if you DON’T like your brown-inspired brick…

Click HERE or on the above image for available packages!

Let’s take a quick break to talk about paint samples…

Undoubtedly, you’ll be heading out in the near future to grab paint samples – stop right there! I want you to check out SAMPLIZE. Samplize offers peel and stick paint samples that are more AFFORDABLE, EASIER and more ENVIRONMENTALLY FRIENDLY than traditional paint pots. Here are just a FEW reasons why I recommend Samplize to my clients…

• Samples arrive ON YOUR DOORSTEP in 1-3 business days, depending on location
• At $6.99, they’re more affordable than the samples pots/rollers/foam boards that are needing for traditional paint sampling
• If you keep the samples on their white paper, you can move them around the room

Visit the SAMPLIZE website HERE

The Best Paint Colours to Coordinate With a Pink or Salmon-Toned Brick Fireplace

Of course, I’d love to show you some LOVELY images of rooms redecorated with a pink brick fireplace, however…they don’t exist. Either people don’t put them on the internet or they simply gave up and painted their brick white.

Both of the fireplaces above have pink tones

This next photo shows a stone, not brick, but it CERTAINLY has those pink undertones! Which sample do you think works best with this fireplace?

If you guessed the far-right – YOU’D BE RIGHT!

Benjamin Moore Cedar Key 982

With its beige base and slightly gray-taupe undertone, Cedar Key can work nicely with a pink-toned fireplace. While it won’t necessarily look ‘exciting and stimulating’ it might help to tone down the pink and neutralize your space.

Paint colours similar to Cedar Key: BM Baby Fawn / BM Maritime White /

Benjamin Moore Maritime White 963

Maritime White is an off-white that has a soft, cream look, but also harbors a wink o’ pink.  

Paint colours similar to Maritime White: SW Anew Gray / BM Cumulus Cloud / BM Collingwood

Benjamin Moore Metropolis CC-546

For a look that’s more rich and exciting, consider Metropolis as an accent wall colour. When paired with a soft off-white paint colour, Metropolis will add depth to your space and could sit nicely with your pinkish fireplace. Or be brave and paint the whole damn room!

Paint colours similar to Metropolis: SW Dovetail / SW Pewter Tankard

Benjamin Moore Balboa Mist OC-27

Balboa Mist might be a bit of a stretch for some brick fireplaces, but it’s worth a try if you’re hankerin’ for a grayish colour!

Paint colours similar to Balboa Mist: BM Classic Gray / SW Alpaca / SW Modern Gray

Colours and undertones to avoid on your walls if you DON’T like your pink brick…

• Because that pink is hiding in there, you need to avoid greens and blues. Greens and blues can accent the pink and bring it out in its full glory
• Unless it’s in a baby’s room, pink and yellow are a completely nauseating combo

The Best Paint Colours to Coordinate with a Purple or Purple-Red Brick

I love this brick as it’s rich, stately and makes such a fabulous focal point.

I apologize for the lack of light in this photo, I do rely on E-design clients to send me their photos and interiors can be tricky! 

Sherwin Williams Repose Gray SW 7015

Repose Gray is a light warm gray that favours a mild purple undertone. But be careful, it can sometimes flash a wink green or even blue – grays are known to do this.

Paint colours similar to Repose Gray: Not much, maybe the slightly darker SW Mindful Gray

Sherwin Williams Anew Gray 7030

Anew Gray is a gorgeous, light-medium greige that sits nicely between gray and beige.

Paint colours similar to Anew Gray: SW Mega Greige / BM Cumulus Cloud

Benjamin Moore Classic Gray 1546

Classic Gray is an off-white warm gray with a subtle purple undertone.

Paint colours similar to Classic Gray: BM Silver Satin / SW Incredible White / SW Eider White

Sherwin Williams Gauntlet Gray SW 7019

Gauntlet Gray is a gray paint colour with a solid brown/taupe base.

Paint colours similar to Gauntlet Gray: BM Chelsea Gray / BM Metropolis / SW Dovetail

Colours and undertones to avoid on your walls if you DON’T like your purple brick…

• True blue never works
• Green can work if you are looking to further enhance the tones of this brick.  However, if you want to keep things on the down-low, then refer to the wall colours listed above

The Best Paint Colours to Coordinate with a Yellow and Orange Brick Fireplace

This brick is not as common as others (thank God) because it can be challenging to update – and the more yellow it is, the more challenging it is. If you want me to be brutally honest with you, this is one brick that I would paint. You could paint the walls and say ‘Well it looks better than it used to…’ or you could just paint the brick and say to yourself, ‘NOW I can decorate my room the way I WANT to without being held hostage by this damn brick!’

However, for those of you who are enamoured with your brick, I DO have a few ideas up my sleeves…

If you don’t believe me, then here are a few colour thoughts for you…

Benjamin Moore Chelsea Gray

You’ll be living on the wild side with this one! Yellow and gray is a lovely colour combo in the design world! Chelsea Gray is a lovely rich-toned charcoal gray that will tap nicely into the grout of your brick fireplace, bringing a sense of calm and balance to the room.

Paint colours similar to Chelsea Gray: SW Classic French Gray / SW Dovetail / BM Amherst Gray

Benjamin Moore Whitall Brown

If you’re dealing with predominantly yellow brick, this is the ONE colour that I could really live with on my walls. Whitall Brown is chocolate brown that is neutral; meaning that it’s not overly orange-toned nor too gray.

Paint colours similar to Whitall Brown: BM Brown Horse / BM Willow

Benjamin Moore White Down OC-131

White Down is a soft warm off-white. It’s a cream but has a strong neutral base to calm it down. It ALL depends on which colours your brick favours.

Paint colours similar to White Down: SW Steamed Milk

Benjamin Moore Navajo White OC-95

Navajo White is a lovely light cream with a warmth in it that is softened by a modest neutral base.

Paint colours similar to Navajo White: BM Gentle Cream / BM Indian White / SW Casa Blanca

Colours and undertones to avoid on your walls with yellow-orange brick…

• Opposites will attract. So, avoid greens and blues if you are hoping to keep this colour as soft and gentle looking as possible. By pairing an orange/yellow toned brick with cooler tones, you will bring out the colour of it which might be a good thing – but usually isn’t
• Pink tones are DEFINITELY not good as pink and yellow/orange are pretty gross together (not including kids rooms) and I would also avoid purple 

Need help with picking the right colour? 

Check out my Online Consulting for your own personal colour consultation! 

KYLIE M INTERIORS E-DESIGN

VIRTUAL, ONLINE PAINT COLOUR CONSULTANT, SPECIALIZING IN BENJAMIN MOORE AND SHERWIN WILLIAMS PAINT COLOURS AND DIY DECORATING IDEAS

Originally written in 2017, awesome updated in 2019