Seven Ways to Freshen Up Your Brick Exterior Without Painting It White

If your brick needs a glow-up, there are lots of things you can do besides painting it white. In addition to being a run-of-the-mill choice, painting brick can cause structural damage to your home if it's not done correctly. You can avoid these issues and still give your exterior a makeover with some other simple cosmetic upgrades instead.

Paint the trim, porch, and other elements

If your brick looks too boring the way it is, try adding a contrasting color to your trim. You might be surprised at how much different brick will look when its color is complemented by a contrasting one. You can try teal, black, or yellow as colors that contrast well with classic red brick. Rather than leaning towards more neutral colors, using a complementary pop of color will help your brick stand out.

Similarly, painting your porch, steps, railing, and front door in a complementary color can update the look of your brick. You can freshen up the front of your house and generate some curb appeal without taking the time and expense to totally cover your brick.

Add shutters

Window shutters are a good way to add detail as well as a surface that can be painted to complement your brick exterior. Decorative shutters can be painted any color you like, add interest to your exterior, and come in a variety of styles to match your taste. Shutters usually range in price between about $45 and $250/pair, depending on the material they're made from and the type of shutter.

Use limewash to change the color

Limewash is a natural pigment that can lighten the color of your brick while still allowing some of its natural surface to show. Another important difference between limewash and paint is that limewash is breathable, allowing your brick to expel moisture when it needs to. Since brick is a porous surface, it needs to change its internal moisture content as the environment around it changes. Limewash is a lightening pigment that allows this to happen without taking any special measures to ensure that the brick can breathe.

Use brick or mortar stain

You can change the color of your brick by using a brick or mortar stain. A stain has the advantage of being breathable while still allowing you to change the look of your brick. Like paint, staining brick is permanent, so you should be sure of your color choice before you decide to apply it.

Improve your landscaping

Another way to make your brick look different is to add some greenery to your home's exterior. Adding someshrubs or a climbing vine on a trellis can improve the look of your brick walls without requiring any paint. You can also add window boxes and plant them with seasonal flowers to add some color; paint your window boxes in a complementary color to double your impact. Make sure to plant at least two feet from the wall so that bushes don't damage your brick.

Improve walkways (or add some)

If you have a garden feature that you like, or if the path to your front door could use an update, you can freshen up the look of your brick house by improving your walkways or adding a new one. Power washing pavers, raking out your gravel, or adding some stepping stones to create a new path are all ways to improve the look of your exterior.

Clean your brick

Brick can get grimy over time, picking up dirt, moss, and soot. To transform the way it looks, you may only need to give it a scrub with some soapy water or have it power-washed to restore some of its former glory. While you might be able to do the power washing yourself, washing your brick with too much pressure can damage the mortar, so if you're not confident in your abilities, it's better to get some help from a pro.