How to Decorate Dark Red Brick Exterior Homes

Mortar color can greatly alter the appearance of a brick exterior.

A dark red brick exterior gives a home a warm, neat appearance. Complementary colors and hues can also enhance a dark red brick exterior. Complementary colors are opposite one another on a color wheel, such as red and green. Hues share the the same color base; rust and dark red both have red as a base. Colorful landscaping can tie all these colors together.

Things You'll Need

• Chocolate-colored mortar
• White paint
• Dark green paint
• Light rust red paint
• Straw wreath
• Straw welcome mat
• 2 large terra cotta planters
• Slate-colored pavers
• Light-colored paver mortar
• Dark brown mulch
• Evergreen bushes
• 2 wrought iron lantern lights
• Raised flower beds
• Colorful perennial flowers

Instructions

1. Choose a chocolate-colored mortar to accent the dark red of the home's bricks and give it a warm, rich appearance. The dark mortar will create a strong contrast with light trim and other neutral colors in the surrounding landscape.

2. Paint the roof line, gutters, railings and window trim in a neutral white for a visual contrast against the dark red bricks. Add dark green wood shutters to each window to provide a splash of strong color and to highlight the windows.

3. Showcase the front door area by choosing a lighter hue of red for this area such as a light rust. Hang a light straw wreath with colorful dried wildflowers wound with a dark green ribbon on the door. Set a neutral-colored straw welcome mat in front of the door. Place a large terra cotta planter with green plants on each side of the door.

4. Create a path to the front door with slate-colored pavers and light mortar. The dark slate provides a smooth contrast in color and texture to the dark red bricks, while the light mortar outlines each paver. The dark slate path ties the brighter landscape to the dark exterior of the home.

5. Pile dark brown mulch such as wood chips in planting beds near the home's front foundation. Plant dark evergreen bushes in each bed. Place two wrought iron lantern lights at the end of the driveway. Build a brick raised flower bed near each light and plant colorful perennials such as morning glories that can twine around the light posts.

References

• Bob Vila: How to Select a Paint Color
• Color Plan: Colorful Ideas
• Apartment Therapy: What Colors Go Well With Brick