Stand out from the crowd, stand out.

Full disclosure: To be precise, I have painted an old brick house white, Sherwin-Williams Alabaster (SW 7008). The existing brick exterior wall is outdated and does not have any real features. The impact of a new layer of white paint is direct and transformative. After all, there are so many of us in favor of this approach for a reason. "White is a classic and safe color," admitted Charleston designer Jill Howard. "It makes perfect sense that people will be attracted to this idea. People have been painting outdated brick houses white for years." However, recently, the number of brick houses that have received all-white paint jobs seems to have reached a dizzying number of new ones. Height. Although this is an effective way to refresh old bricks, it is not the only way to update houses that show their age.​​​ For five other ways to brighten bricks without defaulting to white, please read on. 

Before you make any permanent changes, take apart the pressure washer and give your bricks a bath. Bricks are porous, and with time and constant exposure to elements, even beautiful bricks will turn into dull and dull color, looking dirty and monotonous. High pressure cleaning uses high pressure to remove dirt, dirt, algae, mold, etc. After thorough cleaning, you may decide to like the appearance of the original tiles. 

The color need not be intimidating. Remember to consider your environment and look at your community and surrounding landscape and regional buildings to understand the context. "I live in Charleston and we can use some very interesting and bright colors to escape," Howard said. "These colors may not work well in DC. Having said that, I also like dark moody colors, such as Farrow & Ball's Hague Blue (No. 30) or Smoke Green (No. 47)." If you Without the courage to choose dark colors or they are unattractive, Howard recommends a soft sage green. "It was unexpected, but still very classic," she said.

Painting your entire house can be a budget-destroying project. In addition, maintenance is often cruel. So if your bricks are in good shape, why not consider smaller work and enhance the appearance of the exterior bricks by painting shutters or decorations or adding pop colors to the front door? "For blinds or your door, I will look for a complementary color, which will help give your home a new look," Howard said. "That would mean something in the blue or even blue/green series." As another low-maintenance solution, she recommends brightening your trim and painting it pure white. 

In the right home, applying German paint (a technique similar to whitewashing but using mortar cleaning instead of diluted paint) to your current bricks can instantly add old-world features and mask various imperfections. But please note: because you are using mortar, it cannot be repaired as easily as paint. On the other hand, Howard prefers classic lime water, such as Romabio. Limewash is made of limestone, which is crushed, burned and mixed with water to make lime putty. The technique penetrates bricks instead of sitting on the surface. "It is particularly suitable for families in the South because of its natural mold resistance," she said. "Compared with a flatter paint appearance, it creates a beautiful, subtle color change." A plus point, the technology is also environmentally friendly. 

Always remember, nothing can completely change the entire atmosphere of your home (brick or not) than a bit of fresh, well-planned landscaping—some hydrangeas, a bunch of azaleas, a cheerful pink dogwood or a A white myrtle. This is curb appeal 101.