19 Stunning Shutter Colors That Perfectly Match Red Brick Houses
Choosing the right color for your shutters is a big decision, but it’s also the cheapest way to completely change how your house looks from the street. Whether you play it safe with charcoal or go wild with emerald green, just make sure you test a small patch outside first. Paint chips look very different inside a hardware store under fluorescent lights than they do in direct afternoon sunlight. Which shutter color was your favorite? Let me know!
Red brick houses are completely classic. They have that solid, timeless charm that never really goes out of style. But let’s be honest, figuring out what color to paint the shutters is a massive headache.
Red brick isn’t just “red.” It has hidden tones of brown, purple, orange, or even gray. Pick the wrong shutter color, and your house suddenly looks like a bad Christmas sweater. I’ve spent way too many weekends standing in the paint aisle at Lowe’s, staring at tiny paper swatches and trying to guess what will actually look good from the street.
To save you the trouble (and the cost of repainting mistakes), let’s walk through 19 real-life examples of shutter colors on red brick houses. I’ve broken them down so you can see what actually works out there in the real world.
1. The Classic Crisp White
Starting with the safest bet: white. This looks incredibly clean and stately. If your brick is a darker, older red, white shutters make the windows pop.
A reliable color like Benjamin Moore’s White Dove usually works well here because it’s not blindingly stark.
The reality check: White exterior trim gets filthy. Fast. Get ready to drag your pressure washer out every single spring to blast off the spiderwebs, mud, and whatever else the winter left behind.
2. Natural Wood Tones
Instead of paint, these are natural wood shutters. It gives the house a warm, slightly rustic vibe. Just know that if you don’t spend a messy weekend resealing them every couple of years, the sun will bleach them out.
3. Playful Pink and Coral
Okay, this is bold. Pink on a red brick house? On paper, it sounds like a total disaster. I actually thought someone was crazy when I first saw this combo.
But look at how it works with the massive flower garden—it feels fun and cottage-like, completely softening the hard, heavy edges of the brick. It definitely takes some guts to pull off.
Just maybe check your HOA rules before you buy a gallon of bright pink paint, or you might wake up to a nasty warning letter taped to your front door.
4. Traditional Hunter Green
Dark green is a natural pair for red brick. Think of a rose bush. A solid choice for this look is Sherwin-Williams Isle of Pines. It hides dirt beautifully and blends right into heavy landscaping.
5. High-Contrast Black
You really can’t go wrong with black. It’s sharp, it frames the windows beautifully, and it anchors the house. If you’ve always loved the clean, sharp look of white houses with black trim, using black shutters on red brick gives you that exact same sophisticated energy. Sherwin-Williams Tricorn Black is pretty much the standard for black exterior trim.
The reality check: Black paint absorbs heat like crazy. If your house faces south and gets baked by the afternoon sun, black shutters are going to fade and peel much faster than lighter colors. You will absolutely be scraping and repainting these sooner than you’d like.
6. Bright Teal and Turquoise
If you want your house to feel like endless spring, a bright teal is super cheerful. It creates a huge, punchy contrast against the warm brick.
7. Earthy Mustard Yellow
Instead of a screaming lemon yellow (which will make your house look like a fast-food drive-thru), a muted mustard or ochre works surprisingly well.
The clay tones in the brick play nicely with the earthy, warm tones of the yellow. I saw a house in my neighborhood do this recently.
I wasn’t sure about it at first, but it totally grew on me. Paired with some basic, dark wicker patio furniture from Home Depot under that pergola, the whole backyard feels super cozy and grounded. It just works.
8. Modern Charcoal Gray
If black feels a little too harsh, dark charcoal gray is the perfect update. Something like Peppercorn by Sherwin-Williams gives you that dark contrast but feels a bit softer.
9. Soft Seafoam Blue
This is such a charming, soft look. If you love the whimsical vibe of soft pastel home exteriors but don’t want to paint over your actual brick, using a light blue or seafoam green on your shutters is the perfect compromise. It takes the visual weight off the heavy brick. Paired with blooming cherry trees, it makes the whole property feel light and airy.
Plus, as a bonus, light dusty blues hide a surprising amount of street dust and springtime pollen. You won’t have to clean these nearly as often as white ones.
10. Crisp Navy Blue
Navy is the ultimate crowd-pleaser. Hale Navy by Benjamin Moore is a classic. Match it to your mailbox, and you’re done.
11. Bold Emerald Green
This one gives off major fairytale vibes. The house has that cool, old Tudor style, and the bright emerald green really pops against the darker brick. It is definitely a choice.
If you go this route, make sure you splurge on a premium UV-blocking paint. Bright greens are notorious for fading into a sad, chalky color after a few harsh summers.
12. Warm Honey Wood
I love a big, classic porch. Here, the warm honey-toned wood shutters match that relaxed, inviting energy perfectly. They don’t fight with the brick at all.
The reality check: See those gorgeous ferns? Hanging those up is the easy part. Maintaining real wood shutters across a massive front porch is a whole different beast. You’ll be spending your spring weekends on a ladder with a sander and a can of sealant instead of relaxing in the yard.
13. Weathered Charcoal Black
This is the traditional colonial look we all know. Dark shutters, white trim, classic red brick. It just works. But if you look closely, you can see the reality of dark exterior paint. It shows absolutely every speck of dust, cobweb, and yellow spring pollen.
14. Moody Plum and Burgundy
Red on red? It sounds like a terrible idea. I would normally tell you to run the other way. But this isn’t fire engine red; it’s a deep, moody plum. It actually looks incredibly sophisticated on older, historic homes.
It blends with the brick but adds a ton of depth. Just grab a few different sample pots before you commit.
If you pick a shade with too much purple in it, your house will end up looking like a giant bruised eggplant.
15. Coastal Sage Green
This is such a cool, breezy look. It proves red brick doesn’t always have to feel stuffy or heavy. The soft sage green completely modernizes the house.
It’s a great color if you live anywhere dusty or sandy. A soft color like Sea Salt by Sherwin-Williams will hide a lot of sins and save you from constantly washing your exterior.
16. Storybook Cornflower Blue
This is straight out of a cottagecore Pinterest board.
The medium, dusty blue is so sweet and whimsical. It works perfectly here because the brick is a bit weathered and the garden is totally wild and overgrown.
If you have a brand-new, perfectly uniform brick house in a strict subdivision, this might look a little silly. But for an older home with real character, it is absolutely charming.
17. Warm Creamy Beige
If pure white feels too blinding, go with a warm beige or tan. It softens the whole facade, bringing in that grounded, cozy feel you usually only get with full tan house color schemes.
It is also way more forgiving when it comes to dirt. A classic neutral like Accessible Beige by Sherwin-Williams gives you that nice, bright contrast without the constant need to scrub them down with a wet rag.
Plus, it looks fantastic next to a rustic wooden porch.
18. Vibrant Indigo Blue
We talked about safe navy earlier, but this is a step further. It is a bright, vibrant indigo. It definitely makes a loud statement.
To pull this off, you really need a lot of mature landscaping, like those big hydrangeas, to balance out the strong color. Otherwise, it can easily end up looking a bit like a plastic toy house.
19. Cheerful Mint Green
Look at this house with the white picket fence and the cherry blossoms. The light mint green shutters just complete the whole picture. It is incredibly cute and fresh.
FAQ: Shutters and Red Brick
How do I find the undertone of my brick?
Hold a piece of pure white printer paper against your house. The contrast will make the underlying colors (purple, orange, or brown) much easier to see.
Should I buy new shutters or paint my old ones?
If your current shutters are structurally sound (no rotting wood or cracked vinyl), always paint them. Buying new ones is expensive. Just make sure you use an exterior-grade primer first. Painting over old, glossy exterior paint without priming is a guaranteed way to watch your new color peel off in sheets.
What paint finish is best for exterior shutters?
Always go with a satin or semi-gloss finish. Flat paint holds onto dirt and is impossible to wipe clean. Semi-gloss gives a nice subtle shine and makes hosing off the summer dust much easier.
