You want a brick exterior, but what color brick should you choose?

If you’re agonizing over this question, you’re probably not a traditionalist. The truth is, a lot of people, when asked what color brick they prefer, reply, “Duh! Brick red!” Sigh. Some of us know better.

Bricks come in a spectrum of colors — let’s start at the end, with black.

Black bricks are pretty dramatic. They scream modern at whoever dares to gaze upon them. All sharp corners and angles, these bricks are often used for new municipal buildings like libraries, and home constructions in chic cities throughout Europe and Canada.

Brown bricks come in a zillion shades and are used for almost every purpose, from all types of home exteriors to chimneys to walls to patios and more. There’s no such thing as a really unusual shade of brown brick.

Buff is a color that’s open to a lot of interpretation. In the brick world, it’s the color in between white and brown. It’s taupe, or beige or sand or mesa or … you get the picture. If all your bricks one color and they take on a yellow hue, you’ll think of a school. A little darker with a few architectural features thrown in and maybe an apartment building will come to mind.

Cream is more stately. Sure, you can use it for your garage, but it’s a color often chosen for government buildings and other elegant structures.

White is just a little crisper than cream. It’s good for cottages, a colonial look, or buildings trying to emulate the shabby chic look, especially if you go with a brick with a lot of texture.

Gray buildings were once closely associated with the Communist era in Eastern Europe, but gray is making a comeback. True, it’s more gray stone than brick that’s popular now, but gray brick can look a lot like stone while costing much less. Gray is often used for buildings like hospitals and museums, but it’s also common for modern apartment buildings, especially when paired with another color, like red.

Red is still the most common brick color, and perhaps always will be. Available shades run the gamut from pink to brown, while still qualifying as red. You can go the traditional route, or mix up your shades of red brick for a one-of-a-kind façade.

Perhaps you previously thought of brick as staid, but you can undoubtedly see now that it can be quite vibrant, despite its solid and reliable underpinnings.

If you’re considering brick for your home, come down and consult with the experts at Renovation by Burbach. We have built hundreds of brick home exteriors, and we can help you choose the perfect color for yours.